The Washington herald., 1922-07-31
NONPARTSANS
Lose STATE GRIP
IN NORTH DAKOTA
Primary Returns Show
Passing of Economic Con-
troll to Opponents.

Control of the Nonpartfsan
Leagues economic program in
North Dakota has passed complete
ly opt Of the hands Of the league
supporters.
Sute enterprises such as q central
State bank. the huge new State
central elevator and flour mill at
Grand Forks. State insurance and
other farm enterprises. will be
managed In the future by the op-
ponents of the Nonpartisan League
which established them.
In other words. all of the eco
nomic experiments to help the
farmers of North Dakota out, and
to break the grasp which At was
claimed the big private millers Of
minneapolis had on the wheat
growers Of North Dakota, will now
pass into the hands of the enemies
Of the league for administration.
The economic program for the
agriculturist has been regarded as
the foundation stone of the league.
Shown BY Primary Returns.
Final returns from the recent
primary In North Dakota have
served to demonstrate the truth
of the foregoing. It was known
within three days after the primary
that the Nonpartisan League had
been successful In nominating its
candidate for United States Senator.
former Gov. Lynn ]. Frazier, while
II had failed to defeat Gov. R. A.
Nestos. anti-leaguer. In his race
for denomination.
AAr
days was 1t learned definitely that
control of the State Industrial
Commission. charged with admin
istration of the State enterprises,
passed out of the hands of the
Nonpartisan League. That was
the vital question in the State
economic experiment, and the
league believed for several days
after the primary that it had won
its fight.
Gives Control.
The final figures. however, show
that out of a total vote of more
than 225.00 in the State. the anti
league candidates won in both in
stances by a margin of approx
mately 1000. This gives the In
dependent Voters League complete
control of the governing board of
the State.
Transfer of administration from
pro-league to anti-league hands
does not mean an end of the farm
ers program. according to North
Dakotans who are in Washington.
On the contrary, 1t is pointed out
that Gov. Nestos and his colleagues
on the State ticket were pledged to
completion of the 100000 bushel
elevator and the day
flour mill. But what likely will re-
suit. 1t is believed here. will be a
toning down of the State program
to a more conservative basis with
some of the more experimental fea-
lures eliminated.
First Definite Setback
The first definite setback for the
league in North Dakota came in
the recall election eighteen months
ago. which removed Governor
Frazier and his officers by a COM
paratiVely narrow margin of about
1000 votes in the Statewide fight
and installed a slate headed by Gov
ernor Nestos. Now, Frazier has
been nominated for the United
States Senate while Nestos has been
renominated for the governorship.
When Frazier and his friends
were turned out of the State offices,
Nestos and his supporters pledged
themselves to continue the farm
ers' program Ar the same time
that the North Dakotans voted on
the Frazier administration 9 laws
were submitted to them under the
initiative; IL approved, these acts
would have materially restricted
the Socialistic experiments in the
State. Strangely enough the voters
defeated the laws but elected the
opponents of the league to office.
VIII Have Majority,
Now this paradoxical situation is
intensified. With the Republican
nomination generally regarded as
as equivalent to election. the league
will have a majority in the house
of representatives, and senate
control dependent upon one vote.
A recount will be necessary to de-
termine the selection of the men.
who will hold the balance of power
in the upper legislative body.
The farm program for the State
bank. the State elevator and the
state flour mill cannot be repealed
save by a vote of the legislature,
and In view of the fact the Nom
partisan League still has a safe
margin in the control of one house
at least. there is no danger of such
action being taken.
The general Interpretation placed
here on the muddled situation in
North Dakota is that the people of
the State are for the farmer pro-
gram but that 1t was being used
too much for the advantage of the
Nonpartisan League organization
instead of to benefit the farmer.
Met Only Hostility.
The fact that the leaguers met
only hostility in the financial world
when they attempted to finance the
s5.o00.o0o elevator project undoubt-
edly weighed in the states verdict.
For a time construction has to be
stopped because the State was un-
able to float its securities in Wall
street and the people of the State
were not in a position to buy them.
Many North Dakotans feel that
with officials not connected with
the league running the enterprises,
there was a better chance of the
experiments being viewed by out
siders on their merits, instead of
being as wild league stuff" 1t is
pretty well understood what the
antf-league administrators will do
with the State bank. They will
IL