The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 15, 1917, Page 14

< e pa——. = SRS WA ey R U U S W Estimates of Your Legislature Friends and Pohtlcal Enemies Both Praise Earnest and Honest Work of Leaguers IGH praise for the first Non- partisan League legislature that ever sat in any state in the -union, with emphasis on the earnest work it did, came from several sources during the last day or two of the session at Bis- marck. Even some of the League’s opponents at North Dakota’s capitol is summing up the progress of the whole session admitted that it had been a “pretty good legislature.” That this legislature only blazed the way, and that the bat- tle to accomplish what the League set out to accomplish, must continue through the two years that will inter- vene before another session, was ex- pressed by several who are interested in its”success. Dr. A. McG. Beede, a pioneer of North Dakota, and Episcopalian mis- sionary to the Indians for nearly 20 years, had this to say by way of sum- marizing the session’'s achievements, and outlining what remains to be done: “It has been a profitable session. It has taught the people to study their ADVERTISEMENTS Adjustable Harness Hangers - THE MOST VALUABLE DEVICE EVER ADDED TO BARN EQUIPMENT Built with strength. Modern and neat in ap- pearance. Autematic and positive locking de- vice in any position. No bolts, rivets, screws, ropes or rachets. Im- possible to get out of order. Saves your fly-covers. Saves your harness— keeps them uyp at the full height of your barn. Eliminates reachimg. 5-year guarantee. 30 Days Free Trial Write today for prices and free trial offer. Niles Adjustable Hanger Company 17, 8th St. S. FARGO, N D. problems, and they will be in a position to do much better next time. All movements have their reactions, but I think the reaction in this case has been arrested by the defeat of House Bill 44, and that the conflict will continue dur- ing the next two years. MUST FIGHT MONEY POWER SAYS MISSIONARY BEEDE “I think the League will have a big influence in the selection of the next presidential candidate, four years from now. That will be particularly true if you get a balance of power in congress, through the organization of other states. But I do not think it will be an easy victory. “This Nonpartisan movement will be fought by the financial interests in Wall street. They will not be slow to . recognize in it the coming overthrow of their power, and they will spend millions to defeat it in other states. You have had your fight here in North Dakota and you have won. Your next fight will be with the greatest money power in this country, and it will be in many states.” Tax Commissioner Packard, who has seen a number of sessions, believes the League eliminated the strongest men in its North Dakota opposition during the primaries and the election last fall, and that the rest will go at the election of 1918. He said: “This has been the most earnest and hardworking legislature | have ever seen. The farmers have ADVERTISEMENTS Send Your Broken Pipes to Us " WE'LL FIX 'EM_ MALL THEM TO USby PARCEL POST Headquarters Nonpartisan League #Frederick Hotel - Grand Fork's Finest Hotel demonstrated that'they can make faws as well as the lawyers and doctors and business men. “But it is almost impossible to speak of the legislature as a whole. One must differentiate between the two houses. In the senate, which the League did not control, most of the strong men had been elimin- ated, and the Old Guard that was in control was weak, and has made many mistakes—mistakes from a political standpoint of preserving its power. But a good deal of good legislation has got by in spite of the conditions that have pre- vailed.” “PROUD OF THE BOYS” SAYS JOHN HAGAN “I am mighty proud of the way the boys have stuck,” commented Commis- sioner of Agriculture and Labor John N. Hagan. “They have come closer together during the last few weeks, and the effort of some to bring about divisions in the ranks has only re- sulted in cementing them closer. That has done me more good than all the bills they have passed, for it shows that we grow stronger as we fight.” In educational matters, the Nonpar- tisan League wing of the legislature especially distinguished itself by the Jbills it approved, in the opinion of Su- perintendent of -Public Instruction, N. C. Macdonald, although some of these bills never got by the senate. “The house passed the best educa- tional measures, especially. for rural schools, that have ever passed a North Dakota legislative body,” he said. *“It has given aid to the rural schools, pro- vided for better teachers, and has doubled the appropriations. It was said that the farmers would not stand for progressive educational laws, but this session has disproved that charge. Heretofore it has generally been the house which blocked such measures, while the senate has generally been liberal, but this time, it was thé house that was progressive, and the senate, which blocked the good bills. The leg- islature has also passed measures that will greatly aid the small town as well as the rural schools.” TOM HALL PRAISES SOBRIETY AND ORDER Comments upon the good character of the members and upon their sobriety and ingustry began to be made shortly after the session opened, and a similar sentiment was voiced by Secretary of State Thomas Hall, the last mght of the session. “This was the most orderly session I ever saw,” he said. “They attended to business throughout the whole 60 days. By this time on many previous last days (it was then 11 p. rh.) the floor would be knee-deep in paper and there would be a whiskey bottle in every waste basket. Tonight you see the desks in order, most of the mem- bers on duty, and not a bottle has been brought into the building.” Something like this was the opinion also of R. S. Lewis, retiring chairman of the board of control, who has been regarded as one of the strong oppo- \ nents of the League from its ince'pi tion. Mr. Lewis had this to say: “Aside from some radical legislation, which I suppose they were in a way pledged to support, such as House Bill 44, it has been about as good a legis- ° lature as has ever sat in the house.” Lieutenant Governor Kraabel, who, as presiding officer of the senate had his observations largely centered on that body, where it was nip and tuck between League dnd anti-League, with the latter holding the balance of power, said that he had never seen a more determined body. “I don't know what the public will think of the record, but I believe a body of men more determined to do what each thought was right, never sat in this chamber,” he said. “There have been strong differences of opin- fon and every one has shown by his work that he wanted to do what was right.” ARE YOU WITH US? (Editorial in the Sleepy Eye (Minn.) Progressive) But just to make it uncomfortable for some of the Twin City millionaire- politicians, some of us “country buben” may launch out anyway, in a small, un~ pretentious, submarine fashion. In North Dakota, the plain people, the farmers’ Nonpartisan League, raised a reasonable campaign fund and elected their whole ticket last fall. As soon ag the farmers of Minnesota- become as intelligent and as progressive, then other interests besides Big Grafting will be represented in our national law- making bodies. Then the producer and consumer will shape the regulations of trade; with fairness and equality for all; then ex- penditures for farm improvements, in- stead of being highly taxed, will be exempt from taxation; -iron ore and coal taken from the leased school lands will be taxed on a- tonnage basis; a rural credit banking system operated at cost instead of being operated for private greed, will be instituted; state terminal elevators and warehouses will be established, co-operative mills, stockyards, packing houses, and cold- storage plants, will be established, and the gambling by commercial speculat- ors will be prohibited by law; a state crop insurance bureau against hail, storm, fire, etc., will be created, at little or no private cost for such state insurance; state super- vision of dockage as well as of inspection, of grain; there will also be enacted a measure for equal taxa- tion on the value of the property of lumbering mills, railroads, mining com- panies, telegraph and telephone come panies, electric light and power com- panies, "and all public property and public utilities will be taxed “on an equal basis with that of private prop« erty owners. ‘of course, the now special-privileged “predatory interests” affected by such a movement and such transforming laws, would “chip together” and spend TEN MILLION DOLLARS, in order to try and defeat such a progressive peo= ple’s nonpartisan program. But with the united help of every wide-awake FARMER'S CLUB in this state, - we can do in Minnesota in 1918 what the people of North Dakota did in : the campaign of 1916, but the campaign’ must be started-at once, and there must be no let-up in the agitation until the last backwoods farmer is signed up as a fighting member in this epoch-make | ing cause. Are you with us? IOWA WATCHES LEAGUE (Editorial in The Kanawha (Ia.) Rec« ord) The Farmers’ Nonpartisan League has swooped down on Neorth Dakota and also has cast its shadow on Mine nesota. - Newspaper reports say it hasg struck consternation in the souls of the members of the legislature of the latter state to such an extent that they are afraid to vote on rending measures unless they have received the O. K. of the agricultural organ- ization. Politicians aver that the movement is growing, and that the time is not afar when it will enmesh the middle western states. The time has about arrived when the farmer. is going to come into his own. .. He is going to protect his ine terests in the state legislature with the same assiduity that the lawyers, doctors and dentists have. He 13°® seeking a larger measure of freedom and g bigger slice of the world’s ree wards for industry., ‘Why shouldn’t he? e L e . e et b A Al eS8 @ S i ()