The Washington times., 1922-10-20

s. seems likely TO
4 Aaz continue to be
WILLIAM HARD. headed by an
Anti-Nonpartisan, League governor,
but the United. States seems likely
to acquire another, Nonpartisan
League Senator. g.. = q.
These two facts may seem contra
dictory and inconsistent and yet they
are not, After much talk here with
bankers and grain, growers and tory
lawyers and radical agitators and
neutral commercial gentlemen, ami
after reading the platform and
speeches OF the, contending local and
national factions. L think that the
following summary Of the situation Is
reasonably accurate:
This State is not opposed TO the
general drift Of the policies Of the
non-partisan league. 1t is not op!
owned bank or to the State-owned
elevator and flour mill. --
-Hrecallcd Lynn'J. Frazier from
the office OF governor last year. not
because II disagreed with his policies,
but because In the operation of thes.
policies the non-parrisan league Of
fice holders in State office had been
nianifestly% guilty of much ineffici-
ents standardization and OF much ad-
niinfstration very, loose, very political
and very costly
3-Mr.. Nestos, who was elected
governor last year in the same elec-
tlon In which Mr.. Frazier was re-
called from being governor, has
ardently continued to complete the
building OF the State-owned elevator
and flour min and has also ardently
developed the land mortgage loan
business Of the State-owned bank.
His argument for himslef 10 that
he does these things very. much bet
ter than Mr.. Frazier did them.
MIR. Frazier. however. although
he seemed to. be convicted Of in.
efficiency in the management of
North Dakota's- State-owned enter
prises, was never himself convicted
Of any direct personal dishonesty in
the management Of them; and since
he will not be obliged to manage any
Of them in the United States Senate.
1t seems to be likely to be thought
that, he might just as well go to the
United States Senate.
-t.' >
Such is the general political stu
alton. Lying still back OF II there
must pe considered the tragic gen.
eral economic situation of the great
grain growing lands in this whole
region. Thousands of acres which
used to grow wheat in this region
are now growing weeds. People
find II cheaper to let a lot Of
their land grow weeds than to
make It grow, wheat. L sat this
morning in the office Of a very
cool and very anti-non.partisan
league, banker and heard him say:
"if we cannot find some way
by which to close the gap between
the high level or what the farmer
has to. pay for his supplies and
for his labor and the low level Of
what he gets. for his products, It
viii not. be five. years before We
shall be looking at fields which
are empty of farmers. They will
not stay on the soil II things do
Bankers throughout this North.
west do not for one moment try
to make out that the farmers are
inflated and excessively prosperous
people who by means Of the Nom
partisan League and by means of
State banks and State flour mills
are trying still further to line
their fat pockets. On the contrary,
and In spite Of all the attacks
made upon them by the Non.parti.
san League, these bankers are in
truth entirely appreclative of the
difficulties Of the farmers. The
tragedy Of the situation Is that
the Mon partisan League, farmers
think that the bankers are part
OF a Wall Street conspiracy to ruin
them, which is ridiculous; and the
bankers for the most part think
that the Non-partisan League has
something or other to do with
Eenin and Trotzky, which in prac.
tice 'is equally ridiculous.
In practice both sides Of this
fight are trying to bring the people
of North Dakota back 20 prosperi-
ty, In spracuce here or anywhere
else the 5only radicalism Is adversi-
ty.h North, Dakota seems likely to
Keep RIA. Nestos in the office
Of : governor: I'm order that he may
flght sdyersity IN this State by ap.
plying, NofipartiSan League meas.
tires ,.Sfn a conservative. efficient
anti -Norif,artisan League manner:
and II seems consistently equally
likely 10 send MIR. Lynn 2. Frazier
to the ITnited states Senate in or.
der, that he may announce Non.
partisan League policies In a place
IN which he will not be Obliged 20
apply thnfn. but only TO announce
fhefn and ta yofe f0r than,