The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, January 25, 1917, Page 4

| | { AT~ enators Learn People’s Desire Farmers’ Constitution Plan Gains Strength— Leglslature ISMARCK, N. D., Jan. 19.—With word coming in from all parts of North Dakota indicating that the people are a unit in demanding the adoption of House Bill 44, the new con- stitution which the farmers’ represent- atives want submitted to the people in June, the situation is looking somewhat brighter from the farmers’' standpoint. But the farmers’ cause is not “out of the woods” in this legislature by any means. Letters, petitions and resolutions from all parts of the state demand- ing action by the senate on the League constitution plan are now rolling in on every train. The demonstration bids fair to surpass anything of the kind known during a legislative session. There have been demands by the people to legislatures. Legislators have been flooded with petitions and letters. But before the present stream of indorsements of the League repre- sentatives’ plans stops, it promises to eclipse all past performances. An observer of the situation here is blind indeed if he thinks it is going to be an easy matter for the senators to ignore this universal demand by the people for the passage of House Bill 44. What would you do if you were a hold-over senator, elected before the Nonpartisan League was organized, or a senator elected last fall without the League indorsement? Would you fol- low what you knew to be the almost unanimous wishes of your constituents and vote for Bill 44? Or would you, perhaps being personally 'inclined against the League program or peti- tivned Ly a few business interests to vote against it, turn down your con- stituents? That is the question the senators not elected by ~ the League must debate. What their decision will be can not be known. But it would be folly to argue that the shower of peti- tions, resolutions and letters from all parts of the state have not materially strengthened the position of the League majority in the house and the 19 i.eague senators in the senate. ILFGAlL. PHASE CLEARED BY DEVELOPMENTS Much depends on the people making this demonstration of their desires even more emphatic. Friends of the League program are urging that the letter writing, the petitions and the resolutions be kept up. One observer put it thus: “If the senate does finally turn down House Bill 44, it will have to do so after swimming to the top of a deep sea of petitions of the people and there tread water while casting its vote.” The League massmeetings last week and the flock of petitions and letters to the senate are not the only boosts the League constitutional plan has re- Flooded With Petitions and Resolutions Here is a view of the Nonpartisan League members of the legislature at work in caucus on house and senate mea- sures. This is the only photograph of the League caucus that has been taken. It was made expressly for the Nonpartisan Leader, and shows the scene that occurs every night from 7:30 to 10 or 11 o’clock. is seen sitting just behind the table. Chief Clerk Bowen is seen reading a paper just in front of the white post. Anthony Walton, caucus chairman, Sitting beside Mr.-Bowen is Speaker Wood. League senators and representatives here discuss the merits of all important bills, and decide whether they are good or bad for the welfare of their constituents. ceived. The League has materially strengthened its position in regard to the legal phases of its plan, which some senators have been inclined to criticize. Attorney James Manahan of St. Paul, well known lawyer of the Equity society, who toured North Da- kota before the primaries making speeches for the Nonpartisan League candidates, has been here. At a meet- ing of Nonpartisan League senators and members of the house he said that the procedure for constitutional revi- sion called for in Bill 44 is legal and correct. . Attorney Manahan pointed to specific sections of the present state constitution reserving all power to the people and maintain- ed that the people at any time could adopt such a constitution as they pleased, no matter by what procedure it was ‘drafted and sub- mitted. He cited the Nebraska constitution adoption procedure as being in point. He also pointed out that the constitution framed by the, League senators and representa- tives is in direct line with the de- mands of the people. At the’ samef meeting Judge A. T. Cole of Fargo gave-an address in which he stated that the Nonpartisan League program ultimately would prove of vast benefit to all classes of people, not alone farmers. He showed how fool- ish were the statements that the League movement was a ‘‘class” move- ment in any sense of the word. House Bill 44, the League measure, is now in the hands of the state affairs committee of the house, which will re- port it favorably for passage with a few minor amendments to correct oversights in the original draft. That it will be reported this week by the committee and passed practically unanimously by the house there now seems no doubt. 3 The senate has taken a three-day ad- Jjournment, which it is permitted to do without the consent of the house, but the League majority in the house re- fused to lose any time by adjournment and the house has been on the job right along. When the senate reconvenes this week it will doubtless receive Bill 44 from the house, when it will be referred to committee and the real fight to get it passed, putting the new constitution up to the people in June, will begin. In considering the possibilities of .the bill passing the- senate the effect of Governor Frazier's message must not be under estimated. - The" governor’s message, appearing in full on Page 5 of this issue of the Leader, has also maferially strengthened the League position. - In plain, clean-cut language the governor urges the necessity . of adopting this bill. His prestige and influence in the state is undoubted. He has the confidence of the people and the farmers are loyal to him to a man. ‘Will the senate choose to xgnore the recommendations of a governor elected with the biggest vote ever given a gov- ernor of North Dakota? Will it turn down a man who, more than any other individual in the state, voices the will of the people. OPPOSITION ALSO ! BRINGS PRESSURE 3 As remarked at the start, the League constitution is not “out of the woods.” All the letters, resolutions and peti- tions possibkle should be sent to Bis- marck by those who approve the League plan. But it can not be denied that the universal demand of the peo- ple, the message of the governor, the clearing up of the legal phases of the matter and the farmers’ massmeetings have had an effect, and it is looking brighter than a week ago-for the League program to go through the senate. Great pressure, of course, is being brought on the senate by interests op=- posed to the farmers. It is even hint- ed that the adjournment of the senate for three days was a move by a few anti-League senators to get senators back home for a few days to confer with interests opposed to the farmers and to work up a counter demonstra- tion to the one being made - for the passage of the bill by the common people of the state. If this is true, the importance of continued pressure on ' the senate from the people to get fave orable acnon is seen. Will Investlgate Mine Taxes in Montana . Farmer’s Resolution in Legislature Also Provides for Probing Bv Special Correspondent ELENA, Mont., Jan. 20.—The In- Ii visible Government’s machine in the house of representatives of the legislature has received its first smashing defeat. By the decisive vote of 60 to 29 it was jolted out of its no- tion that it was in control of that body. The echoes of that crushing verdict will be heard until the end of the ses- sion, and the free press of the state has been filled with the story. It came about because of an attempt to forestall a prompt investigation of the tax-dodging of the big mines and the -public utility corporations of the state, all of which have been gorging themselves with unexampled profits for - these many years. Representative- White, a farmer member from Fergus county, offered a resolution providing for the appoint- ment of a select committee to investi- gate and report to the house on or be- fore the 25th day on the taxes Yeceived by ‘the state from the sources referred to. The Invisible, Government machine promptly offered an” amendment to in- clude an investigation of the taxes paid by all other classes of property. Then the battle was on.' IT WAS GREAT DAY FOR.JUST PLAIN FOLKS The sturdy fa ner member, and a leader of the progressive Democrats, was joined by Republican Minority Leader Higgins, The two, standing side by side in the main aisle of the house, fought the tax-dodgers’ machine in a sizzling style and to what was very much of a frazzling finish, as the enormous majority showed. It was a great day in the house for just plain folks. It was the first time in the history of Montana legislatures that the “big fellows” had been put to utter rout. It was also an exhibition of the force and value of nonpartisanship —in fact, the victory was only made possible by the ignoring of party lines. ‘Within less.than 24 hours the forces of Invisible Government had switched its entire program. It recognized the hand-writing of defeat. It began to plead .for “reasonableness.” *“We are willing to pay more taxes, only don’t be too hard on us,” was the plain- tive wail. THIS VICTORY MEANS MUCH TO FARMERS And so the first big fight has been practically won. The people's repre- sentatives know their power, and noth- ing on earth can prevent its exercise in this matter. The principle of tax- . ing corporate incomes on the principle that those interests that enjoy special privileges shall bear a special share ot FOUR 3 et mmm e A A, i the burdens of governmentgwill be written into the public policy 6f Mon- tana. And once the people of the state have come to know what that princi- ple really means to them, it will be a fixture—as fixed as the laws of the Medes and the Persians. This smashing . victory: will be full of meaning to the farmers of Montana in other ways, also. It will clear the decks for some con- structive legislation in the inter- ests of the state’s agricultural de- velopment. It means that the re- presentatives of the tax dodgers can no longer play the old game of threatening to cut down appropria- tions if the members from the counties having state institutions .do not vote “right” when:Big Busi- ness crooks its finger; it will mean that members ‘from the farming counties can not be ‘any longer lined up and voted like sheep upon the threat that bills in the farmer interest will be killed if the mem- bers are not ‘“good” as to the de- mands of the tax-dodgers. Of course there are in cértain pros- pect ‘a number of lively. fights over other matters, notably over measures designed to take the throttling hands of the various combines off the throats The grain thieves’ of the farmers Corporation Taxes—Gang Machine Hit plunderbund .is organized, as is the flour milling trust.” Their representae’ tives are here, some on the outside and a few on the inside of the assembly. But they are being carefully card- ins dexed for future reference, and the! are in for some rough house fighting, if it becomes necessary. ) +_————+ GODSPEED | Here's to Governor Frazier, the l | Man of Destiny. The hopes and | fears of a hundred thousand voters g | are anxiously following his course. | May he be prudent, bold and wise. l | May he succeed in making North | | Dakota a better state to live in. | | We do not believe we exaggerate | | when we. say that 95 per cent of | | the people of this state wish him | well. The Bulletin bids him god- } speed. — LITCHFIELD (N. D) BULLETIN, NO PARTY NONSENSE The Nonpartisan members of the present legislature give any one “the laugh” who suggests “party” super=. stition and the use of “the party lash.” The members are nonpartisan.— NORTH DAKOTA CA.PITA.L. JAMES«= TOWN.