The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 15, 1918, Page 6

onpartisan Teader Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League—Every Week . Entered as second-class matter September 8, 1915, at the postoffice at St. Paul, Minnesota, under the Act of March 3, 1879. OLIVER S. MORRIS, EDITOR Advertising rates on application. Subscription, one year, in advance, $2.50; six months, $1.50. Communications should be addressed to the Nonpartisan Leader, Box 575, St. Paul, Minn. ey s T i B A e e e MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS THE S. C. BECKWITH SPECIAL AGENCY, Advertising Representatives, New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City. Quack, fraudulent and irresponsible firms are not knowingly advertised, and we will take it as a favor if any readers will advise us promptly should they have occasion to doubt or question the reliability of any firm which patronizes our advertising columns. . CLEARING FOR ACTION , HE opening of this year’s political campaign in North Da- kota finds the farmers waging an entirely different kind of a fight than the farmers of Minnesota—not for a differ- ent object or different principles, but under different ciréumstances. The state convention of the Nonpartisan league, held at Fargo a week ago, did not have to-consider questions arising from:the sup- precsion of League meetings and mobbing of League members, speakers and organizers, as the Minnesota convention, whic met a week prior, did. The constitution and laws of North Dakota and those of the United States still have full effect in North Dakota, and are vigorously enforced. Peaceful assemblage and free speech are mot ‘interfered with there. The ~ League is holding several meet- ings a day and its members, when they come to, town for these events, are welcomed by the townspeople. They are pro- vided with comfortable- halls and often free entertainment by the commercial clubs. The : ' result is that the people of North Dakota are united and peaceable, and able to bend every effort in helping to win the war. There will be a monster crop in North Dakota this year, an oversubscription of the Liberty loans and continued heavy backing for the Red Cross and other war activities. - : The North Dakota farmers have not yet started to carry out the main, fundamental measures of the organized farmers’ pro- gram. The chief planks of that program were defeated by the old political crowd’s majority of a few votes in the senate of the last legislature. This hostile senate majority could not be reached by the North Dakota farmers two years ago, because only half the senate is elected each biennium, and the other half holds over. The state, and particularly agriculture, has benefited materially under the farmers’ regime of the last two years. Many much needed, wholesome and progressive laws were forced by the League sena- tors and representatives through the gang senate, and Governor Frazier and his administration have done their work well. The League’s work in North Dakota this year is to clean out the last of the old political gang which still holds sway in the state senate—and that will be done gently but forcefully at the June primaries and November election. . To make sure of the constitu~ - tional changes which are mecessary before the League economic program can be enacted, the North Dakota farmers are initiating ' the amendments by petition, for a vote by the people this fall. Thus . the state will have a brand new, progressive constitution when the | next legislature meets in January, 1919—a legislature that will be “farmer”’ throughout, including the senate, the stronghold of the . gang. That legislature can then proceed to pass the necessary acts ' to make a start-an the main planks of the organized farmers’ pro- . gram. The prospect in North Dakota contempla.ted by the Lea_gjue convention at Fargo was indeed encouraging. IN NORTH DAKOTA \HE “good men and true” elected by the Nonpartisan }eague - to state office in North Dakota two years ago have been in- 12 dorsed again for the campaign this year. The League state convention has just completed its work. There were one or: two minor changes on the state ticket and threée men were indorsed for /@} g ty, i Yy R /II/ D véz, v%/» /M ///”/5 -,é,/,/// PAGE-SIX * = gy, /’gfi N\ N N\ N\ 274 / 2 the three places in the national congress to which the state is en- titled. Two years ago the League in North Dakota took no part .in the congressional campaigns. ' : Congressman- Baer, the only present League ‘congressman, was elected at a special election last year. Never were men put forward for office more positive of over- whelming majorities. Governor Frazier and his administration have been in office nearly two years and it is safe to say that the state never had a governor and an administration more popular with the people. The League numbers over 50,000 active farmer members in the state today. At the election two years ago it numbered less than 100 over 40,000. The League opposition in North Dakota has dwindled away to a few sorehead politicians and a couple of discredited daily newspapers, whose only stock in trade is abuse and vilification of the farmer state officials and the leaders of the League. This opposition has not the slightest hope of defeating the League ticket and freely admits it. Two years’ trial of this people’s administration has dis- credited every enemy of the farmers in the state. - : L In their selecticns for eongress the farmers of North Dakota displayed a keen appreciation of the fitness of available timber. In the first district Congressman Baer is of course reindorsed. In the second district George M. Young was indorsed. Mr. Young is now congressman and while not hitherto elected by the League has steadfastly supported the farmers in their fight. In indorsing him ,the farmers” showed their lack of animosity for officeholders not elected by the League, when such officeholders have been faithful to their trust and to the cause of the people. In the third district the farmers have indorsed James H. Sinclair, member of the legis- - lature, a warm supporter and fighter for League principles. He will oppose Congressman Norton, who lined up against the farmers two years ago and whose position in regard to the farmers’ move- ment since has been rather ambiguous. : ANOTHER LEAGUE PLATFORM HE official platform for the campaign this year of the Non- partisan league in North Dakota, adopted at the recent : delegate convention of the farmers at Fargo, appears in full in this issue of the Leader. There are three outstanding features in the platform. The farmers of North Dakota have a record of accomplishment to point to—the state has had two years of administration by a : Nonpartisan league governor and a farmer legislature (League-elected, except for a small majority in the senate). A large part of the platform therefore details the progress oy two years of farmer rule. This ought to be of utmost interest in the states where the League has not yet gone through an - election.. Here are concrete re- sults that all can see and un- derstand. The passages” of the North: Dakota platform that deal with - the war and the position of the farmers and the League on the war deserve especial attention. The people of North bakota can be proud—and are—of this lofty expression of the loyalty and I { patriotism which fills their hearts during these trying times. ’ ' . The third important feature-of the North Dakota ph_j;forixL'is its pledge of the farmers of North Dakota to their brothers in other states, battling for the same principles through the same organiza- -. tion. - There is no little pride in North Dakota that the great move- ment for democracy and. justice which originated in their state has spread to 15 states and has beeome the hope and inspiration of American farmers as a whole. The following reference to the Minnesota situation is especially noteworthy: ; L We deplore the acts of lawlessness and violence which have been committed against members and officers of the League in other states and condemn all public officials who have connived at them, encour- aged and permitted them. At the same time we praise the people of our own state that they are law-abiding and loyal, and we commend the: officers of ;our. state for: their enforcement of the law. : that has been made during the . - :