The Bismarck tribune., 1934-09-13
Debt, DrOuth and Politics
(New York Herald-Tribune)

Big sections of the population of
North Dakota have for several years
been in q state Of mind that well
comes extravagant speech as well as
extravagant political and legislative
action. As farming community the
state was bankrupt long before the
drouth intervened to render much Of
its grain land unproductive and
worthless. It has steadily increased
its acreage of expensively grown
wheat through all the years that
prices have been falling: and during
those years the states political lead
ers have encouraged the farmer to
clamor for better prices, Ito raise
more hell" in the interest Of price
pegging, but never to curtail produc-
ton by abandoning the cultivation of
lands for which market prices would
not pay. Then came this years dev-
astating dry spell, and the actual
misery Of hunger and thirst sup
planted the long -drawn-out worry
about debts and mortgages In the
farmers mind and reduced the state
which not so long ago wanted to
have the northeastern states expelled
from the Union to what the federal
relief authorities say IS now more a
federal dependency than a state"
This sketchy and inadequate ac-
count OF North Dakota's troubles Is
the background essential to an un-
derstanding Of the bitter losing strug-
gle that Ex-Governor William LANCER
Is making to retain his title and
power in the face Of Washington's
determination to unseat him. All
through the many years that most
North Dakota farmers were produc-
ing at loss and accommodating debts,
William LANCER the politician was q
clarion-voiced champion Of their al
legged rights: and from the hour that
he took office as governor on Jan. /,
1888. he became q powerful official
enemy Of the bankrupt agriculturist's
creditors. His "moratoria" in the
farmers interest won him national
renown-of q kind. Two of them,
bans on the shipment from the state
OF wheat and beef cattle, were found
BY the federal courts to be in re-
straint Of interstate commerce, over
which the North Dakota legislature
could have no control: but others,
barring the attachment and sale Of
1armlands or equipment for debt,
barring the eviction Of tenants or the
sale Of their chattels for unpaid rent,
and barring the attachment and sale
OF business mems stock and equip
ment for debt. were within the gov
ernor's powers and redounded to his
political advantage.
His gestures" on behalf of the dis
grtntled farmer, as he once described
his measures. were almost invariably
supported by the dramatic. Hit
leresque device Of calling out the state
militia. It was because these gestures
ceased to have political value when
the drouth- -prostrated farmers were
no longer interested in grain prices
or debts that Governor LANCER found
ed . newspaper in his own support
and, according to the evidence that
convicted him, tried to exact contri-
buttons from CWA, PWA and other
beneficiaries Of federal relief to his
publicity fund. It was because the
tremendous popularity Of these "ges-
lures" fingered In the public men,
ory. however, that william LANCER,
sentenced to q federal prison term
and removed from office by his own
state supreme court, almost succeeded
IN having an extraordinary session OF
the legislature impeach the court and
IN fortifying himself in office through
another Of his resorts to martial law
The situation which he threatened
TO create was prematurely described
day or 50 ago by the federal relief
administrator in the state as "a min
lature civil war" It is through no
weakening Of william Langer's will
that the danger OF such a situation
seems to be passing, but through the
state senate's failure to summon q
quorum, the adjutant generals deser-
ton to the Olson camp and the fed
eral governments suspension Of re-
lief appropriations pending the col
lapse Of the LANCER dictatorship
William LANCER amassed his great
political capital by exploiting the Da.
kota farmers discomfort; but it is
now the farmers prostration and de.
pendence on relief that has enabled
Washington and the former COVER.
nor's local enemies to trip him ur
and cripple his powerful machine.
Flax markAfin0s This eao.n,, go !.