The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-04-14
The Leopard's Spots
(Valley City Times-Record)

Gan leopard Cnange ltS SpOtSS
Ordinarily We would say nay. nay,
Pauline. but If it comes down to our
governor we would say that the
change might come about If some ar
fist or politician had the job Of doing
the changing. We listened to Gov.
LANCER last night tell how the state
mill and elevator was going to do
things and save money for the people
in the price of lowered flour products.
He said he and his fellows on the in
dustrial board were going to make
that mill pay and at the same time
give flour to the people at a lower
cost. We have no quarrel with the
governor on that score. But in the
end the lowered cost of flour to the
average farmer will be offset by the
added tax cost to pay the deficit that
is bound to come. He told the farm
ers last night that they could ex-
change their wheat for flour, being
allowed 60c per bushel for their grain.
That sounds nice but how are all the
farmers Of Barnes county going to
get their wheat needed for what flour
they want to the big mill at Grand
Forks? That puts us in mind Of q
story we heard once Of bum who
went into saloon and asked the
saloonkeeper to give him schooner
Of beer. The bartender said no.
Then, said the bum, Il will work for
q schooner and II you will give 1t to
me, I will kill all the flies you have
in this saloon" The barkeeper fell
for the buns talk, drew off q big
schooner Of the beer. which was
promptly downed by the bum, who
rolled up his sleeves and said: Now
bring me the flies and I will kill
them" The moral can be seen with
out further argument.
We sincerely hope that the mill and
elevator will pay, but it never has.
When Gov. LANCER was q candidate
on the I. v. A. ticket some years ago
he attacked the mill management
under league rule as hard as he Is
hammering the Shafer management
at this time. That's why we are ask
ing: Can the leopard change its
spots? The thing we dislike about
the governors broadcasting Is the
continual cracking it to the indepen-
dent millerS and his accusations
about them trying to hold people up
Many years ago when this county
was young and just being developed
the farmers wanted . flour mill, In
fact 1t was thought that q flour mill
would be the finest addition to this
community. After due exertion the
Russell Miller Milling co. finally
started . small mill whore farmers
could 60 and exchange wheat TOT
flour, ETC.. then this mill kept growing
and growing until ct one time over
eighty people were employed and
much was done to the building ur
Of this community from this enter.
prise. Then came the deluge and the
mill and elevator ct Grand Forks
came into being and millions have
been spent Of the peoples money try
Ing to make white elephant pay
but It hasn't paid--but It has resulted
II putting the biggest enterprise thil
county has had almost into the dis.
card. What the average citizen want.
to know right now Is: how can Z
white elephant b changed into . cole
mine, and how much broadcastina
win It take to wipe out the profitl
made on that 9lour3 It costs none,
to talk through . mike" ana tn
profit of 50 sacks Of flour will soog
b eaten up BY hot air-figurins tina
fifteen minute broadcast would cos
about what the profit would be o.
that fifty sacks Of flour.