The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-09-29
Politics and the People

ton.
Politics and the People
In the upward struggle Of the
American people there have been re-
curing times Of crises in which
events of far-reaching importance to
posterity have been recorded.
These are such days. Nationally
We have seen the launching Of the
most tremendous political experiments
since the world was set by the ears q
century and q half ago by the de-
velopment Of q new kind Of state on
Z uttle-known continent.
What the outcome Of these new
experiments will be remains to be
seen. All Of US hope they will be
good and that the results will prove
the genius Of our nation for meeting
new conditions with new remedies.
In our state government. also. we
are confronted with q crisis, and the
need for constructive treatment Of
the problems which confront us. The
common desire is to retain all that
was good In the old order, seek to
change those things which have not
been beneficial.
The mood Of the state as well as
Of the nation Is frankly experiment
tai We have gone through an eco
nomic 0ethsemane and the common
determination is that the misery and
tears Of untold thousands shall not
have been in vain.
But. in assaying the various RENEE
dies which are offered for our COM
mon ills, there are certain principles
which must guide us. There is no
disposition to scrap the old merely
because 1t is old. or to accept the new
merely because it Is new. The rules
Of common sense require first an i'm
partial search for the facts and then
. sound application Of those facts to
the problems In hand.
The vast bulk Of our problems are
economic. Too many of our people
exist on q minimum living scale. That
condition must and will be changed
II all Of US express a will to change
it.
First Of all, we need conservation
Of the water we have and the de-
velopment Of more water resources.
II this need takes us into the political
field. We must remember that the
end, rather than the means, is the
important thing. Compared with 1t.
personalities are unimportant.
We must have unquestioned honesty
In government. Without 1t initia-
tive Is dulled. energy Is handicapped,
civic duty becomes q mockery and
the entire fabric Of the state becomes
moth
We must have strict observance Of
the constitution. the basic law OF the
state ana nation, and honest in
depreciation Of that document.
This means we must have a free
and untrammeled judiciary with no
allegiance other than that to the
people as Z whole. Political domino
ton Of our courts must be rejected,
else all viii become pawns Of the
state and justice become . myth.
Honest courts are the foundation Of
the American system Of government.
They are absolutely necessary to our
community well-being.
The people Of North Dakota need
to review their problems in the light
Of the facts with regard to their own
needs and not the desires Of any po-
litical group. They must take seri-
Gus and unprecedented counsel with
each other, for policies adopted now
may be difficult to change in the
future.
II. for example, corrupt political
machine Is installed In office at the
coming election, It may take years tt
get rid Of it. If our supreme court
Is made subservient to the whims Of
political dictator, the wells Of jus.
tice will become polluted and it ma,
take years to cleanse them. II ".
miss opportunities to win advantage!
for the state through cooperation
with the national government, ",
must bid them goodbye, for they ma,
never come again.
These are the real questions in tn,
current economic situation and tn,
: attendant political crisis which i
merely IN evidence Of the larger is
sue. They place North Dakotas citi
zenship under test. The name
In which We meet 1t will, to q larg
extent, determine our future.
; Fraunce's Tavern. where the Son
Of the Revolution made their head
. quarters, Is the oldest house stu
] standing in Manhattan. Brooklyn ha
! = small cottage at the corner Of Az
enue v and 63rd street. which IS man,
years Older. but unmarked