The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-09
COMMITTEE is
CHARGED WITH
D0DGING issue
William Lemke Leads Fight to
Favor Establishment Of
Branches Of n. D. Bank
AMENDMENT DEFEATED
Thoresen Now Believed 10
Hold Lead in Race For Gov.
ernorship Nomination

Efforts to inject into the Nom
partisan state platform . plank
specifically calling for the estab-
lishment of branches Of the Bank Of
North Dakota in every county
which demands them by I majority
vote, failed ut the convention here
today.
As presented by the committee,
the platform declared for the ex.
pansion Of the Bank Of North Dako-
ia and its operation rs peoples
bank"
William Lcmke, Fargo, led the
fight to place in the platform 4
definite plank committing the con-
vention to the establishment Of
branch banks and charged the plat
form committee with lodging the
issue. Among those who supported
Lemke's proposal were DR.. L. S.
Plateau, Fsrgo; Senator G. J. Oh
son, Barnes county; F. A. vogel,
Coleharbor; Fred ArgAst, Burleigh
county, and Adam Lefor Of Lefor,
N. D.
The fight against the Lemke
amendment was led by J. A. Gray,
Ransom county; r. E. Swendseid.
Mountrail county, and. Senator Dell
Patterson, Renville county.
On roll call vote the Lemke
amendment lost, Is to 7s, and the
provision contained in the platform
as presented was adopted.
Many Support Lemke
A general discussion lasting al
most an hour found many delegates
anxious to talk on the subject.
Many supported Lemke's contention
that the Bank Of North Dakota has
not functioned in the interests of
the farmer and that Z definite
statement that branch banks are
desirable should be contained in the
platform.
+. A. vogel, Coleharbor, said
that branch banks have become re-
spectacle since the. passage. Of .
federal law permitting branch bank
ing and predicted that North Da.
kota bankers will be asking for
state law permitting branch bank
ing in the near future.
Many speakers pointed out that
the control of the industrial COM
mission is all that is necessary To-
make the Bank of North Dakota
function in the manner intended in
the original Nonpartisan league
program.
Some speakers contended that
adoption Of the proposed change
would make it impossible to elect
q majority of Nonpartisan members
to the state house Of representative
and state senate. Among these
were Swenseid and Senator Dell
Patterson Of Renville county.
Another Move Started
When the convention adjourned at
noon Lemke had started another
move to amend the platform. To the
provision asking the establishment
Of more state-owned elevators, he
wanted to add plank which would
place the Nonpartisan League on
record as favoring the operation of
the state mill and elevator at Grand
Forks rs q peoples enterprise, inde-
pendent Of and in competition with.
mills and elevators outside the state.
It also would pledge the Nonparti-
sans to institute a grain terminal
market within the state which would
compete with other terminals.
In some circles this was taken as
an indirect slap at the administra-
ton of the state mill and elevator
by Governor A. G. Sorlie. Opposi-
tion to the Lemke amsndment had
taken no definite form when the con-
vention recessed upon motion by
Gray, member Of the platform
committee. Lemke and his support
ers Immediately went into q huddle
(Continued on page tWol