The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, January 18, 1917, Page 4

° ® o — ‘ A Constitution Now or Never Senators and Representatives Elected by the Farmers in North Dakota Give Their Views on the Subject (By Ralph L. Harmon, Staff Corre« spondent of the Leader.) ISMARCK, Jan. 11.— Nothing B but a half-dozen senators stands in the way of making a quick finish of the present legislative session and putting the program of the Non- partison League indorsed by over- whelming votes at the November elec- tion into effect. In the house, the op- position is practically negligible. In the senate there are 19 senators signed up to the League program, two of whom have signed since the session convened, and were not indorsed by the League, an dthese 19 out of a mem- bership of 49 are for a constitutional convention by the quickest and best plan, although three or four of them would be stronger for the League method if they were to hear from home. The proposal of the League house and senate members is that the pres- ent legislature resolve itself into a con- stitutional convention, which it has full legal authority to do, work out a new constitution and put it up to the peo- ple. The sentiment of the legislature is more than two-thirds heartily in favor of this method. But in the senate, where hold-over senators are in the majority, tactics looking toward block- ing such a procedure are being formu- lated. It would require a change in the position of only three or four sena- tors to enable a measure authorizing this sort of a convention to pass. Every one won over to the League position would be & vote gained for that posi- tion, and a vote lost for the opposition. If the people are held up in their de- sires, which they have so strongly in- dicated by their votes in the June primaries and the November general election, then the odium of their fail- ure will rest upon the leading senators who stand in the way. SOME -ARE DEFYING WISHES OF PEOPLE It will but show more clearly than anything else how a few men are able to flout the opinion of 100,000 voters because if a constitution that makes this possible. Some of these stand- patters declare they will fight to the last trench, and never expect to come back to the legislature. They know they couldn’t come - back, but they crave glory of dying (politically) fight- ing the battle of Big Business and In- terlocked Politics. They snap their fingers and laugh at anything like a verdict from their constituents. They are here, and they expect ,to stand guard to a finish for the old order of things. They trust to some new com- bination of circumstances, hope for a rift in the League solidarity, and fer- vently pray for the aid of Reactionism to hold together .the honey-combed constitution, and defeat a modern one. Some of the strongest League mem- bers are already urging the papers in their home -towns. to take up the con- stitutional fight editorially. One re- presentative has written his home edi- tor, who- strongly favors the entire League program, suggesting that he print a coupon in every issue inviting subscribers to fill it in and send it to their senators and representatives. __ The League members are not afraid to hear from home. They want to hear from home on this constitutional ques- tion. Several have declared they. would not dare return without making the fight of their lives for a new constitution now and here by a quick, sure method. Nearly all are agreed that without this the whole program that has been the chief topic of con- versation, of newspaper articles, and of meetings in North Dakota for the past two years, will fall to the ground. They do not intend it shall fall. They intend to make good. If they are pre- vented from yielding a full measure of the expected service to their home peo- ple, they intend the latter shall know who and how this was prevented. Here is what some members are saying of the present overshadowing issue: LEAGUE SENATORS EXPRESS OPINIONS Senator D. H. Hamilton (hold-over) said: “A constitutional convention is needed. Our present constitution was made years ago and the state has outgrown it. For the last 10 years, at least, we have been voting on consti- tutional amendments, at every election, but this process is too slow—too much chance of not getting what the people want. Our constitution should be made modern.” Senator E. H. Sikes, (hold-over, but with the League program) said: “A new constitution is the only chance there is to enact the League program. The only other way to do it would be to wait for four years, until this legislature recommended a consti- tution, it had been approved by the next legislature, and then voted on by the people. I am for the League pro- gram, and I favor-resolving the present legislature into a constitutional con- vention. That is the quickest way to do it—it has to go to the people any way for their approval or rejection.” Senator Thomas Pendray (League) expressed his opinion thus: “Some say that the League proposal for a constitutional convention is revolution- ary—lacks precedent. Well, if noth- ing had ever been done without pre- cedent Adam and Eve would have had a pretty hard time. We would still all be running around as unclad savages. There wouldn’t have been any declara- tion of independence, or any magna charta, nor any emancipation procla- mation. “If nothing had ever started without precedent there would never have been a golden rule in a land where the law was a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye. Nearly everyone is in favor of a constitutional convention of ‘some kind, but some of them want it the old, slow way. Some are opposed to the means by which the League pro- poses to get a new constitution. They say six or eight years is a short time in the life of a state. That may be so, but it is not such a short time in the life of a man, and we want to fix it so we can enjoy the benefits of our consti- tution while here.” REPRESENTATIVES ALSO FAVOR QUICK ACTION Representative Bryans (League) was vigorously in favor of a new constitu- tion to be obtained by the means ad- vocated by the League. He said: “The only way we can get the things we want is to hold a constitutional convention and adopt a mew constitu- tion. If I went home to my people and told them I voted against such a thing, I - believe they would kick me out of the district—and they ought to. I was talking with a member of the senate who is opposed to the League program, and who argued against our proposed constitutional convention, but he told me he was in favor of a new constitu- tion by the old method.” . Representative A. A. Liederback of Dunn county thinks there is no other way 'of putting the will of the people as expressed at the last election into effect, except by a new constitution soon. He said: “If we are not able to put across the constitutional convention our efforts and the progress we have made for state control of enterprises, up to this time, will be a failure. When the con- stitution was drafted, it was perhaps applicable to the conditions that exist- ed at that time. Perhaps it was suffi- cient for the few people who then in- habited the state. A large part of the state produced nothing but buffalo bbnes, furs and pelts, and pasture for great herds of cattle, and a home for wild animals. As our people drifted west they had to overcome the obsta- cles that the pioneer constitution threw in their path by passing constitutional amendments, which they never would have had to pass if the constitution had been adapted to the needs of the people at first. Z “Now it is so patched up that there is no place to put on any more patches unless we put ‘one patch on top of another. The time is more than ripe for a change. The section I represent is still nearer to the primitive condi- tions that existed when the old consti- tution was.adopted, than any other A senator (not elected with the: League indorsement, by the way) has in- troduced a bill in the North Dakota legislature to compel farmers to rotate crops. Here is"a picture of the North Dakota commissioner of agriculture enforcing the law against a farmer—that is, if the law -passes, which it won’t. 3 Read President Townley’s statement in this issue. Read the appeal of your senators and representatives at Bismarck, in this issue. Now is the time to stick. Now is the time to act. Much depends on what you people at home can do. Your representatives do not think you will be found wanting in this new, great test. 2 - Write them your desires at once. WANT QUICK ACTION (Editorial in Devils Lake (N. D.) Journal.) There can be little question in the mind of any man, capable of thinking intelligently, as to the majority senti- ment of the voters of North Dakota. That sentiment was so forcibly ex- pressed at both the primary and gener- al elections as to be intelligible even unto the wooden Indian in front of a. cigar store. The voters, by a majority which staggered the time-servers, have gone on record in favor of the Non- partisan program. - The one thing which stands in the way of carrying out a single material thing in their program is the present state constitution. To change the con- stitution without calling a constitu- tional convention, requires at least four, and possibly five years. Many of the men who have been working for the league program, the farmers who are expected to benefit from it, will have died and gone to their eternal reward before the object of their lab- ors will have been achieved under our present slow and cumbersome method of adding to or taking from our pres- ent constitution. ! It is not strange therefore that there is an insistent, urgent and earnest de- ' mand for the immediate convening of a/ constitutional convention for ' the purpose of changing the constitution so as to admit of the legislation pro- posed. After the constitution has been ‘ changed it must be submitted to the voters for ratification, after which, in the event of its adoption, the legisla- ture may convene and enact the legis- lation the people have demanded. FOUR section of the state, but I don’t think my people would let me come back and lve there if I @idn't work for a consti- tutional convention that will improve conditions, and do it soon.” “OLD RING” LIKES PRESENT CONSTITUTION Representative Nathan of Sheridan county (League) thinks the people are now in bondage to a political ring through the old constitution. He said: ‘“The old ring has got us penned up s0 we can't get out. We must have a new constitution, so we can have something to say in future about the way our state is to be governed. The constitution was made before the peo- ple of this territory were taking any interest in constitutions. But Big Biz was busy even then, and we must now undo the work that it did. “A banker said to me that the cost of the things the League wants would be too great. I told him that if the state was bonded for any improve- ments, such as state owned flour mills, packing houses and warehouses, it would be the real estate of the farmers that would stand back of it, and if he didn’t like the new conditions, he could take his loose money, which isn’t real estate, and go where he is better satis- fied. He said he had lived through the hard times .in this state, and had camped out of doors and eaten frozen bread. Maybe he did. Probably he was out on a fishing trip and got caught in that fix. So have I eaten frozen bread, and I have done it when 1 had to work for 35 cents a day. We must have the constitutional conven- tion, and carry out the program that the people voted for.” Senator Mostad of Ward county (League) says a constitutional con- vention is the only solution of the ise sues the people have raised. “There is no other way” said he, “of putting through the League program. The people sent us here to put that program through and I am satisfied that my district is for this eonvention. The vote was so overwhelming for the program that there is only one thing to do—enact it into law. The people expect those reforms, and they expect us to find a way to bring them about. They did not know all the difficulties we would meet, but they expected us to solve those difficulties in the best way possible; and now we find there is only one way—a constitutional con- vention.” LEVANG FOR QUICK - ACTION ON CHANGE Senator Christ Levang (League) is an enthusiast for constitutional revi- sion, and that quickly. Said he: - ‘“We've got to put the League pro- gram through. ‘ You know what that means. If the constitution stands in the way, we must make a new consti- tution. We want a new constitution on a workable basis. But if in any way the League members of the legislature are blocked in putting the program the people voted for into effect, then it is up to us to go through with it piece= meal—that is, by 'voting for each thing as a separate constitutional amend- ment, to show our good faith, and that we mean tio do what the people want. Then we can go back home with a clear record and show up the opposi- tion. But anyhow, we must carry out their wishes and go as far as we can with the program.” 5 Senator Charles Drown of Cass county (League) is strong for a con- stitutional convention without delay. He said: “The legislature is here to try to do something, and the avenue through which these changes have got to come’ is actually blocked by an outworn con- stitution. In order to get the benefits we desire and have worked for so long, it is necessary to change that constitu- tion. And the question confronting the legislature, and everyone is agreed on this, is as to the method. All are in favor of the changes, but differ on the method. ‘“‘Shall this legislature resolve itself into a constitutional convention along with other delegates to be appointed by the governor, or shall we vote a new election to elect delegates to a consti- tutional “convention? If the latter course were pursued the best time for such an election would be in the spring when other local elections are taking place. I am for the constitutional con- vention by the first method if it is legal (and we are advised by counsel that it ig), but if not by this method, then by the method of a special ele¢c- tion this spring.”