The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-09-16
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The Real Issue
One Of the questions to be deter
mined at the election Sept. 22-prob-
ably the most important-is that of
whether the voters Of North Dakota
can consistently be deceived.
Splendid examples are offered by
the current arguments being made
for two measures which the admin
istration Of Governor william LANCER
very much desires to see approved.
First, Of course, IS the sales tax
which will take millions from hard
pressed citizenry under the claim
that 1t will help the schools. No ref
eyence is made to the fact that the
people In every school district will
be forced to pay in cash far more
than they will receive In school aid.
No effort has been made by sales tax
protagonists to give the people true
picture and let them decide on the
basis Of the facts. Instead the voters
have been treated to q demonstra-
ton of Misrepresentation and down.
right falsehood unparalleled In this
states recent history.
Very often, with public men ar
Sayed on different sides Of ques-
ton, 1t is difficult to know whom to
believe. Leaders like Senator Nye,
r. H. Thoresen, p. B. Garberg, G. C..
Talbot and others assert the sales
tax is an unjust imposition; that the
campaign for 1t is one Of mtsrepre-
sentatton.
Governor william LANCER. Frank
vogel and their henchmen, the men
who will have charge Of spending the
money which they seek to collect. are
campaigning for the measure. Their
chief argument now is that 1t will
benefit the schools. The governor,
apparently. would empty the bellies
OF the people to cram their heads. It
is Z dangerous practice. for the aver
age mind is never keener than when
hunger and privation gnaw at the
vitals. Herbert Hoover found this out
to his sorrow less than . year ago.
Arthur E. Thompson is state SUI
perintendent Of public instruction.
He should know more about the
schools than the governor. And SO
when he says there has been too
much loose talk about how the
sales tax would benefit the schools
his words are worth considering.
When he warns against playing poll
tics with the schools and links the
statement with the effort to pass the
sales tax 1t can be construed as
nothing but = challenge to the hon
esty and veracity Of Governor LANCER.
\ + y
This issue Is one Of public policy
and not of personalities, but 1t ap-
pears impossible to keep personals
ties from entering into the argument.
They have been injected into it al
ready.
Opponents Of the sales tax should
be content that this is SO. II there
must be a test Of the repute in which
the people Of North Dakota hold var
ious public men, it may as we'll come
row. Unless there has been ire
mendcus change in sentiment since
last fall, the governor will find that
his effort to set up minor kingdom
in North Dakota was doomed to
failure in advance. A horde Of
hangers-on and sycophantic job hold
err win hardly deceive the average
voter. Each man can determine for
himself which side his bread is but
tered on. All but the blind can
SEQ the butter on the political ap-
pointee's big slice. Hence the fact
that no one is campaigning for the
sales tax, except Governor LANCER
ana the men whose jobs he controls
i. IN itself. warning.
n n -
Another illustration Is the cam
paien which i being made for the
measure which would Dust the re-
ceiver Of closed banks, substitute Tor
him . horde Of individual receiv.
en- with . multiplicity Of clerks and
TT attorneys fees for one lawyer to
each Of the 33s closed banks.
because DIVIDENDS from closed
banks have been u1ually small and
in9requent, an effort = being mads
70 caalse dissatisfaction with the pres
ent receivership system. People are
being told that, II the bill passes. the
affairs of these banks will be cleaned
up and the money divided.
1Gistory affords plenty Of light In
which to judge these representations
moae over the signature Of tie gov
.eraoe Ia . circular letter Of which
/ eo1oo have been ssnt out at tn pub.
lic expense. That Light y afforded
~ t1ae past record Of the governor
go 10 hny&efynes4 ~ their effort