Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-11-29

CAPITALIZING PEssIMIsM


We read with much interest, the speech given in New
York short time ago by Governor Nestos, of North
Dakota in which he contradcted the statements OF the
past few years that the people of that state had gone
completely over to the doctrines of Communism, Social
ism and all other forms of extreme Radicaism, simply
because they took the affairs of state away from crowd
of politicians who had exploited them for years
We were freshly reminded of his remarks again the
other day in reading the comment made upon them Dy
the Christian Science Monitor, publication Tree from
political bias and it contains SO much that IS worthy OF
thought by every one that herewith copied entire:
In thoughtful address delivered last night on the
occasion of the Chamber of Commerce annual banquet
at the Hotel in New York. Governor Mes
tos of North Dakota took occasion to lnterpose an eo
quent and convincing plea in defense OF the poca ana
economic sanity of people of the middle western
states spoke particularly however in beaf OF those
the states where the prophets Of pessmism and dis
aster persuaded to the belief that their only
recourse is in resort divisions and class legis
ation 1t is interesting that in address delivered few
days previously by Senator LenrOot of Wisconsin before
the Wisconsin Society Of Chicago the Senator in
ing the query whats the matter with Wisconsin,? de-
cared that there is nothing the matter except the IDEAS
of some people who prougate them for their poltl
cal profit Although not quite tersely phrased tnls
essentially the Governor Nestos makes in be
half of his own State.
Governor Nestos has been careful student of poit-
cal affairs section of the country He elected
Governor Of North Dakotawhen the voters decided
call Governor Frazier, elected the candidate OF the
Nonpartisan League But these same voters later sent
former Governor Frazier the United States Senate
the colleague of Senator Ladd also avowed Nonparts
an though rated as Republican From this 1t may be
apparent that Governor Nestos observes, the people
lists nor Red Radicals They have simply opportunity
offered voted their convictions He not insist that
these convictions have always been wisely or even tenn
peratey arrived at He quite inclined to the opl
ion that they have not But there have been errors OF
judgment, he unhesitatngly ascrbes them to miscon
cepons alone the part of the voters who thus
at times Unexpectedly manifest their preudices but on
the part WELL of the people in other parts Of the coun
try who seemed to be unable to understand the econ
omic problems of the farmer And he thus observes:
itself Each be inter
all in each, fortunes are SO inextr
d0yun
am desire know about the
conduct of the business Of
great city welfare and the
pery of city would be promoted by wider knowledge
of development and
the problems of the northwest
} The Governor was quick to point the moral which
follows anaIogousy He recalls recent election Of
Magnus johnson United States Senator from Mime
sota whose choice he says he opposed He says # the
people of the eastern states had fully comprenended
the economic position of the people of the western sec
ton of the country, there would not have been this mani
festation of unrest He says plainly also that unless
these conditions corrected and the problems of the
American farmer solved many another man like Magnus
Johnson will be elected to sit with him in the United
States Senate.
Now Governor Nestos makes it perfectly plain that
he does not believe the farmers problems will be solved
by any such methods as those which they have been led
to adopt He outspoken in his demand that the farmer
be aided by special legislation at least by legislation
vouchsafing to him fair preferential rights in the
ter of protective tariffs and the extension of credits He
appears the special peader espousing the cause OF the
wheat farmer however, and careful analysis Of his
CACuOe1O
prejudice in behalf of those whose interests he seeks to
safeguard
Naturally enough the speaker solicitousy and quite
convncngy defends his constituents against what he
declares be the caumnies heaped upon them by rad
cal propagandsts who have sought and still seeking
to make appear that the voters OF North Dakota nave
been won over to Communism and Socialism The radi
cal leaders, he seeks to show made his State the testing
ground their great effort to sovetze the agricultural
sections of the United States They proceeded immed
atey proclaim the of their campaign following
the Nonpartisan League victory of 1916 But he says
fhoirc has
ingly he promises that when local disturbances ap
parent have subsidized the people of the east will know
that in no part of the American Union the economic
theories and political ideals sounder and conductive
to the welfare of the Republic than upon the plains of the
great northwest.