The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 17, 1916, Page 5

- . e e s e THE NONPARTISAN LEADER - of ‘the 4 mills . and senators. te .t is strictly prehibited by the con- .Members of the Farmers' Nonpar- tisan Political league in Burleigh -eounty haye nifuped in the bud a sinister itical move in which they see the hand of E. @. Patterson, for -years the head and front of “old .gang” policies in Burleigh and now county commissioner. League mem- bers report strong intimations of an attempt on the part of Patterson and his lieutenants to use eertain Ariends they have in the Farmers’ union to influence other members of the union who are also members of the league, in an attempt to control the selection of delegates February 22 to represent the league members in their legislative district conven- tion of the Nonpartisan league. Henchmen In Union The Farmers” union in Burleigh county is a strong movement of pro- gressive farmers, banded together to cooperate in buying and selling and along educational lines, but it is a matter of record that Patterson has succeeded in put- ting some of his henchmen in important offices in the union, which is much resented by the rank and file of that organization. Large num- bers of the union members are also members of the Nonpartisan league E. G. PATTERSON and they rarticularly resent Patter- son’s influence in the union and his supposed intention of using that in- fluence to affect the selection of dele- gates of the league to the league’s convention. Violates Genstitution Members of the Farmers’ union point out the fact that its constitu- tion prohibits the union discussing or engaging in politics. Despite this reports of certain meetings of the ‘union are current stating that after the union meetings adjourn those present continue in session and that the discussion is along political lines. This is not reported as being tke usual policy of the union meet- ings, for the members as a whole are loyal to their constitution and keep to the rurposes for which the union was organized. Most members of the union-are either members or friends of the Nonpartisan league and look to that organization to obtain the “Putting It Over On the Constitution”-Everybody’s There is a merry pastime in North Dakota entitled “Putting It Over On the Constitution.” Everybody is do- ‘ing it in official circles, it seems. Some day there will be a popular refrain and it will run something like this: “You gotta quit kickin’ our eonstitutien around.” It vgxll be sung by the people and it will in- creatce in volume until it ratties t]xe windows of the state house at Bis- marck. Then divers public officials will have to seek the cyclone cellar. Here are a few ' unconstitutional things public ' officials .are doing or have ‘done: - Fp g Asgessing property theoretically at 25 per cent of its true value when the -constitution prevides for assess- ing it at 100 per cent. : Making a’state tax levy in excess provided in the con- stitution, which has been done every year of late. : Appointing state representatives 7 " public office when gtitution. { : " Bonds Worthless o As-if - tis wag'not-enough, recent Political Tricksters Seek to Corrupt Farmers’ Union in Bur- leigh County---Violate Constitution of Organization and Try to Head off Purposes of The Nonpartisan League-- Farmers are Awake and Watching. political action wanted by the farm- ers of Burleigh county and the state as a whole.. g Involved in Action lfatterson is the man who, post- office records show, is the owner of the Palladium, a weeklfr paper at Bismarck, which recently ~received - from the hands of Patterson and his associates on the county board the old as the political game itself. the farmers along economic lines. PALLADIUM. THE PALLADIUM Look at that chain—Old gang, Knappen, Riley. that way? up? be attempted. League members printing contracts for this year from the county. The Leader in a former issue reported.these facts and quot- ed the state law which makes it a misdemeanor for a public official to be individually interested in con- tracts he has to do.with lstting. As a result of this expose by the Leader the Palladium has been made party to a court action, just filed by the state’s attorney at Bismarck, which attempts to prevent the Palladium profiting by this alleged illegal con- tract. Shrewd Political Siroke H. P. Knappen, editor of the Palla- dium and for years a henchman of Patterson’s is state organizer of the Farmers’ union and until recently was secretary of the Bismarck local of the union. Knappen is not a farmer and was not chosen to the job he now holds by the members of the union. He was appointed by the national or- delving into records at Bizmarck brings forth the fact tkat the state has floated hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of unconstitutional bonds which have been sold to the public school endowment fund of the state. As a3 matter of fact ‘there exists today at least $120,000 in ab- solutely uneonstitutional state bonds, held by the permanent fund of the North Dakota common schools. When the state wants money badly, ‘which it can’t get from the tax revenue, it is popular among state offieials or the legislature to issue a few hundred thousand dollars in. unconstitutional and hence wcrthless bonds—worthless beeause anybcdy who would protest them ceuld knoclk them out in court. ' Of course private bond buyers or hrokers would not take these bonds, but wh'at‘ is easier than to palm them off on the reo- ple’s schools fund, dedicated to the sacred cause of free education in North Dakota? Nobody would pro- test these bonds, of course, so those elected to office think, because no- body wants to “stick” the school Up to Their Old Tricks Again The tricks disclosed in this story, of the attempted corruption ‘of the Farmers’ union in Burleigh county, are not new. They are as Here is a farmers’ organization that is doing heroic work for ization is J. H. Riley, county commissioner, who voted with Patterson on giving county printing to Patterson’s paper. KNAPPEN, STATE ORGANIZER. TERSON IS THE CLOSE ASSOCIATE OF ALEX McKENZIE. ®e- KENZIE IS THE NOTORIOUS POLITICAL BOSS OF NORTH DAKOTA AND HEAD OF THE OLD GANG AT BISWARCK. Or baclk the other way—Riley, Knappen, Palladium, Patterson, McKenzie, old gang. On one end of the chain 4is the old gang, on the other end is Riley who tries to control Farmers’ Union. Does anyone suppose that that ckain came about by accident?. Does anyone doubt but what that chain was purposely kinked up just Does anyone doubt the imsidious purposes of such linking All of which confirms the predictions and justifies the warnings of the Nonpartisan Leader. Finding that they cannot kill a farmers’ organization by outside attacks these tricksters wili worm their in- sidious way to the inside and seek to prostitute it to their own purposes and mace it the servile tool of their own selfish ends. Burleigh county is not the only place in which such a trick will warned to be strictly on their guard and should crush, as they would - a viper, all moves that look shady and suspicious. : 3 ganization of the Farmers’ union. He is a member of the union by virtue of the fact that the organization in a special provision permits newspa- per men to be members. His-appoint- ment as state organizer and activity in the local union’s affairs have always been considered a most shrewd po- litical stroke by Patterson. Statements of farmers who are members of both the union and Non- At the head of the county organ- OVER HIN IS H. P. KNAPPEN S EDITOR CF THE BELONGS TO PATTERSON. PAT- McKenzie, Patterson, Palladium, thieoughout the state are solelnnly partisan leaguc make it clear that the membersiin of the union roscnts Patterson’s atiemrtzd conticl of the union and at the same time show the . rank and file of the Nonpartisan league are alive to the situation and that the utmost care will be exercised in Burleigh county that the League’s delegates chosen February 22 will be free from influence of all kinds, es- pecially any indirect influence coming from Patterson, through Knapgen, state organizer of the Farmers’ union and their friends in the union. * Attempt Will Fail “I have long suspected. Patterson’s attempt to control the union through Knappen,” said George N. Varnum of Menoken, local organizer of the union and an enthusiatic member of the Nongartisan league. “I believe this suspected attempt will fail for the reason the members of the union as a whole realize the purposes for which fund, which would be the loser if it went to court. Another Day Goming Some day it will be considered a dirty, low-down trick in North Da- kota to put school meney in worth- less, unconstitutional paper. Some day it will not be left to the honor of the people to refrain from pre- testing these bonds in order to keep the school endowment intact—honesty will begin in ‘the -state house gnd. school nds will be invested only in %ilt-edged securities. : The constitution prohibits a state bonded irdebtedness = in -excess of $200,000 not counting the indebted- ness of the territory hefore state- hood. = There are mnow outstanding nine hond issues representing terri- torial indebtedness; being refunding. bonds issued to take up old terri- torial bond issues. Outside of these there were on Jsnuary 1, 1915, five other bond issues outstanding, total- ing §320,000, representing new indeht- edness since statehood and = being- ~$120,000 in excess of the constitu- tionsl limit. v The supreme court has ruled on the constitutional ‘debt limit in 12.N. D. .2 20-year issue bearing 4 - auditor, are - tax schedule . This and in-justice to Mr. Burnham the . * Leader makes “this correction, - FIVB Bismarck Politicians Seek to Control 'Farmers the union was organized and will keep out of politics, as provided by r constitution. The union is an. - economic. organization pure and sim- ple, doing great work for the farmers. and we members of the union are looking to the Nonpartisan league for the expression of our political power. The league is organized and equipred for that purpose solely and is making good. ith the means of rublicity we now have to expose the hands of Patterson, Knappen and political manipulators of their stamp, and with the League members on guard, no influence can be successful- Iy brought on the selection of the League’s delegates.” Tony Neugebauer of Menoken is an- other member of both the League and the union who feels the same way. Cannot Be Corrupted “Members of the union have long asked why Knappen is in the union,” said Mr. Neugebauer. “He is not a farmer and his relation to Patterson is known. The union is doing a sue- cessful work as far as it goes and it has my support, but the League is or- ganized for a different puropse. Poli- tics and especially the influence of Patterson and Knappen, must be kept out of the union and will be if I understand the sentiment of the members rightly, and I think I do. Why is Knappen in the union, if not because Patterson wants him there for the influence he will have in get- ting Patterson what he wants? I think the League cannot be corrupt- ed by any indirect influence through Knappen’s association with the union. We must all work and fight to keep the League to its purpose—to keep it united and uninfluenced so it will win.” Conflict of Neotings : Recently two meetings of locals o the Farmers’ union were schedulea at Moffit and Sterling, Burleigh coun- ty, for February 22, the date when members of the League are scheduled. to ‘meet to name delegates to the League’s legislative conventions, and of course conflicting with the League’s meetings. This arrangement of the local unions- was proposed by J. H. Riley, one of the local organizers of the Farmers’ union but not a member of the League.” Mr. Riley is a county commissioner and- one -~ of the few farmers of Burleigh county who og- pose the League. His record as county commissioner shows he almost always votes with Patterson on the county board. He voted with Patterson to give the county printing to the Pal- ladium, now under judicial investiga- tion, alleged to be a violation of law. Aims Defeated . Mr. Riley’s purpose was not carried out. Members of the Farmers union who were also members of the League protested and succeeded: in getting the meeting dates of the union chang- ed =0 as not to conflict with the League’s primaries. 2 The facts brought out in this article are now.well known to all mem-+ bers of the League in the county, and if there have been any sinister motives at work they are-doomed to failure, members of the League uni- versally state. The latter are on their guard and Burleigh county promises to elect a League delegation . to the legislative convention faithful to the League’s purpose and uninflu- enced from the outside. Doing It Now. reports, 280-314, and holds the con« stitutional limit valid and binding. School Fund Goat It is remarkable that while most of the state’s legal bonded indebted- ness is held by parties other than tke state’s own permanent funds, all of its illegal indebtedness is held by the school fund. : The issue of bonds which put the state ‘indebtedness eover the legal limit was made in July, 1905, being er cent and all taken up by the school en- dowment, the January 1 report of the state “revenue’ bonds and were issued for “extraerdinary state exgen.s'e.” ; he ‘amount of illegal' indebtedness at times amounted to many hundreds of thousands of dollars, but has been reduced now to $120,000. ° . A CORRECTION In our issue of February 3, it was stated that State’s Attorney Burn- of Foster county had offered his services to bring suit against the is was ‘an .error, These bords, acecordingto’ ;t g | I t £