The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 1, 1917, Page 20

Jaw \mum—w HILLSBORO, N. D, Jan. 27, —There is no longer any doubt or dispute as to the attitude of . the people of Traill county, par- ticularly the farmers of Traill county, toward revision of the state constitution, : At a meeting in the opera house here today which was at- tended by five hundred persons written resolutions were adopted which indorse House Bill 44, the proposed new constitution for the state of North Dakota and call upon Senator John E. Paul- son to “support and work for said measure.” The resolutions reaffirm the attitude expressed by the ma- jority of those present at the meeting called by Senator Paul- son a week ago and in addition vigorously denounce the publica- tion of untrue stories which made it appear to those who did not have a knowledge of the facts that contrary action had . been taken. The demand of Traill county citizens that Senator Paulson support House Bill 44 is rein- forced by the further demand that “in case Senator Paulson is obligated to business concerns within or without the state ‘which make it impossible for him to serve the farmers of Traill county, it is the desire of his constituents, and it is our re- quest and demand, that he re- sign as our representative in the senate body, so as not to stand in the way or delay the enactment into law of those measures which . the people of -the state have long demanded.” FOUR HUNDRED FAVOR THE BILL The resolutions were adopted by a standing vote of the meeting at the end of three hours of discussion, dur- ing which both opponents and friends of the measure had been heard. At the time they were adopted approxi- mately one hundred farmers, who had ecome to Hillsboro by train and left, leaving slightly more than four hun- dred persons in the room. While the resolutions contain the words “we do " declare ourselves unanimously in favor of House Bill 44,” it should be stated in the interest of accuracy that there were fifteen persons in the crowd of four hundred who did not agree to ° the resolutions. i A. E. Bowen, chief clerk of the houso, who was one of the speakers at the meeting, put the resolutions and in order that he might be sure of count- ing every vote in opposition he called upon those standing in the rear of the opera house and unable to find seats, to show their hands if they opposed the resolution as read, Five-of them did 50, The fifteen persons who voted against the resolutions included A. Steenson and W. J. Burnett, both for- mer members of the house, who were among those who spoke against the new constitution, and Theodore K#ldor, * & Hillsboro.. attorney whose remark, “Well, go home- then,”” addressed to farmers in the audience, broke up the meeting called by Senator Paulson a week ago. g SIGN STATEMENT 3 REGARDING MEETING In addition to the stinging resolu- tions above cited, whose adoption was greeted with resounding cheers, all of the members of today’s audience who were present at Senator Paulson’s meeting a week ago agreed to a state- ment of what happened at that meet- ing which precisely upheld the story of the meeting printed in the Courier- News and disproved the false story printed in other newspapers. This statement was signed by 21 persons who were present at both meetings. The _statement was read before those present at today’'s meeting and those who were willing and able to verify its accuracy were asked to stand. A large number did 80. An op- 2 S portunity was given to any who wished to question its accuracy to stand .nd « make known their objections. Nomne did so. President Townley explained to the audience of farmers how it is neces- four we could stop the whole bunch. ‘We provide the machinery by which the people can exercise their own judgment. That's a damned sight more than they have ever been able ‘to.do yet. ‘They talk about a debt limit to «ptotect you. There is no limit now to the ability of the trusts te put you into debt. I am for a debt limit. Surel -I’am for a limit to the power of the plunderbund to rob youw.” Representative R. L. Fraser, of Garrison sary to adopt the proposed constitu- tion in order that the first steps in the program of state ownership might be carried out. “They have told you here,” he said, “that your constitution already gives you the authority to build a terminal elevator.. So it does. It gives you the authority, but not the means to & it. The state treasury has no funds that can be used to build a terminal eleva- tor. It has exceeded the limit of iis bonded indebtedness. What good does the right to build a $erminal elevator do you when you know you can not build it.” . TOWNLEY EXPLAINS MILL PROPOSITION Mr. Townley quoted from the resuits of the experiments of President Ladd of the agricultural college to show the immense profits made on “D feed” and similar low-grade wheat. These ex- periments have indicated ' a profit ‘spread of an even dollar between the low grade wheat and No. 1 northern, on which prices have been based. He called on’ members of the audience to verify the prices received. “We don’t believe co-operation be- tween farmers in a small way will ever succeed in the fight against the grain and milling trust,” he said. a state-owned industry on a scale big enough to have an effect on the mar- ket price you get for your grain. “They’re telling you that this plan of changing our constitution is not constitutional, There is nothing in the federal constitution that forbids it, nothing in the state constitution and nothing in your constitution, I am sure. “I"ll tell you whose constitution ‘it doesn’t agree with. It doesn’t -agree- with the . constitutions of those who have been-making this “extra dollar a bushel profit out of Feed D wheat. “I am rniot talking as a lawyer here today. The lawyers can argue all one’ day on one side of a question and ail the next day on the other. These things are man made—these constitu- tions, and what man has made man can Kkeep- on making. UP TO THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE MATTER “Now Wwe are not proposing that the state shall go-into all kinds of busi- ness. The ‘people of the state don’t have to go into any kind of business unless they want to go into it. There's no chance of that. The choice always . will rest with the people. “But so long as we can pick 81 good men for the legislature and make a mistake on only four we think we will be safe. But we have fixed it so that if we did make a mistake on more than “We want Representative E. E. Cole, 3 of Fargo Representative Walter J. Maddock, . of Plaza Jan. 27, 1917. HILLSBORO, N. D., Be It Resolved, That we, the farmers, here assembled, in mass- convention, ! ~do hereby join with the farmers who attended a; meeting at Hillsboro on' the night of January 20, called by Senator Paulson, in DENOUNCING AND CON- DEMNING THE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE GRAND FORKS HERALD, Wwherein it was stated that the farmers of Traill county opposeéd, and passed resolutions opposing, House Bill 44 which would give to the people a new constitution to be voted upon this year; and . Be It Further Resolved, That we censure, denounce and condemn the writer of the said articles, Mr. Davies, editor of the said Grand Forks Herald, because he knowingly-wrote and ‘published said articles complained of, and knew them to be false and untrue at the time of - their publication;: and Be It Further Resolved, That we hereby. DENOUNCE ,AND CONDEMN THE SAID GRAND FORKS HERALD which contained said articles, and for other false and malicious articles published-against the farmers’ organization, its officers and members, and for its attacks,“unfair, unjust and untrue state- ments against the Nonpartisan League representatives at: Bismarck whom we believe are doing their best to carry out the wishes of the people of the state as expressed at the polls; certain article in the issue and further that we particularly complain of one of that paper of January 23rd, headed: “House Members Act Like Sheep” and “Vote. Like Sheep,” and that same is an insult to the farmer members of the legislature .and to the farmers of the state; and Be It Further Resolved, That we have every confidence in the League ' members of the house and senate, and in. their ability, and in thir sincerity in carrying out the wishes of the 87,000 voters who voted for the enactment into law of the League program; and further that we have every confidence in the officers of the Nonpartisan League .and its president, Mr. A. C. Townley, and his co-workers who are working for the interests of the producers cI the state; and 3 Be It Further Resolved, That we do fiei-eby declare ourselves unanimously in favor of House Bill 44,. which would submit to the people of the state thia year a new . constitution, enabling 'the legislature to carry out the League program, and we do further by this resolution, urge upon and demand that Senator Paulson support and vote for said measure in the senate body; and Be It Further Resolved, That we demand and insist that Senator Paulson should represent the citizens and farmers. of. Traill county in the senate, rather than to support the activities of the Grand Forks Herald, which we believe to be a publicity agent of big business interests outside the state; and we further wish to remind Senator Paulson:of his oath of office, his pledge to represent his constituents in Traill county; and ) 1 Be It Further Resolved, That it ig the sense of this mass meeting, "that in case Senator Paulson is obligated to -business concerns within. or ‘without . the state which make it-impossible— for: him to serve the farmers -of Traill county, it is the desire of his constituents, and it is our request and demand that he resign as our representative in the senate bedy, so as not to stand in the way or delay the enactment into. of the state have long demdnded; and law of those measures which the people Be It Further Resolved, ‘“That a copy~of ‘this res’olut.lqn be mailed to the secretary -of the-senate to-be-brought.to the ‘attention of that body and to the particular attention of senators, and that: a.copy be mailed to the Commercial Club of Grand Forks, asking that they repudiate the Grand Forks ‘Herald in publishing the articles complained of misrepresenting the farmers of Traill’ ‘county, and further that these resolutions be published-in' the:Fargo Forum, Fargo: Courier-News and Nonpartisan Lieader, and that these resolutions be signed by a committee selected at this imass .conyention. E : 3 LEADER AN EYE-OPENER Neche, N. D. Editor Nonpartisan Leader:- ¢ Permit me" to congratulate you for the good work that the Leader has done for the. people of North Dakota. Cer- tainly the League has -been an eye- opener for people of North Dakota. With. its good organizers and the way it has been managed it seems to me as a farmer that the farmers of North Dakota are on the way to prosperity. One thing I am very proud of is the southwest corner’' of° Pembina county. ‘We have found a man suitable to. be~ come: the governor of North Dakota and on November 7 elected him with the biggest majority of any governog elected in North Dakota. In order to keep track of the good work to be done in the house senate send me’ the Courler-News fi find check for $4 for same, o JOSEPH MORIN. -