The Washington herald., 1922-02-18
NORTH DAKOTA'S
POLITICAL ARENA
BECOMING LIVELY
Nsnpartisan League
Fights to Continue So
cialistic Undertakings.
y ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.

By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
BISMARCK. y. Oak. Feb. H.
whRher drifts the ship Of state in
Nerth Dakota?
AZ primary and general election
are edue this year, The Initiative.
the referendum and thes recall are
at de disposal of the voters. WITH
the Electorate AL "het mp over the
situ4tIon. the folks out this way
ought to know within the next six
mouths where they arc headed
North Dakota has passed through
an lorgy OF socialistic experiment
that would MI Lenin with envy.
OUT here they have been doing II
with real money and plenty of 1T
at teast until the crash came.
Convinced that they were the
victims of metropolitan profiteers
Wild beat down the price paid for
thefr grain and livestock, and
I boosted the prices for everything
they consumed. the farmers, united
in De militant Nonpartisan league.
took possession OF all branches Of
theastate government in 1915.
They proceeded to inaugurate
staA ownership Of terminal eleva-
tor4 -four mills. packing houses
andS cold storage plants. State in
spedion OF grain and grain dock
ages exemption Of farm improve
metts from taxation. State hail in
suranee on the acreage tax basis
and rural credit banks to be op-
erasd' at cost
Chain stores EstabIished.
THen they established chains OF
CO. apera tive stores. founded news
papArs. ,Nhey sunk millions.
4 Couple OF years ago IL began &c
be perceived that the experiment
was not working out successfully.
UndertakfnEs in the operating
stage showed loss and waste.
PoIitIcal manipulation Of the State
Industrial funds for privat" benefit
and various rakc-offs were exposed.
Taxes Increased Credit OF the
State suffered.
Reaction against Townleyism cul-
minated last October in the recall
OF the members of the state Indus
trial Commission. Chief Of these
was Gov. Lynn Frazier. TIE pro-
gram of Stats socialistic ventures
was not repHdiated. But the new
governor. T. A. Nestos. and other
members OF the new industrial COM
a
eliminate waste and graft and re-
store State industries to business
basis.
The SonpaTtisan league fight
ing to regain full power. The cx-
treme opposition would wipe out
the whole league program Ui
liquidste State industries. Gov.
Sestos $ taking a moderate stand.
He would complete the State eleva-
tor and flour mill under construc-
tfon and transform the State bank
into a purely rural credit institu-
tion.
Petitions for New LEws.
A new element has been plunged
into the situation by the appear
ance Of petitions for the initiation
of eleven new lows. proposed by
Judge Robinson. of the Supreme
Court, who was elected as a Nom
partisan league candidate. Judge
Robinson would repeal numerous
laws and make new ones. includ-
ing one providing that all unDaid
real estate taxes for the past three
years be reduced so per cent. all
interest penalties and costs can-
celled. and property tax sales In the
past two years. except to bona hde
purchasers. be declared void.
The Nestos administration has re-
ported that a loss of about $3.50. 900
on State undertakings has been dis
covered, up,to date The governor
expfsssed the opinion that the State
hail Insurance institution is the
only feature of the league program
that has worked out satisfactorily
80 far.