EXPANSION AND DECLINE 201 



and its tributary territory, a right to use local resources for the purpose 

 of maintaining in their midst, one or more independent newspapers." A 

 law was also asked restoring to the office of superintendent of public in- 

 struction many of the records, duties, and powers that had been taken 

 away from it by the board of administration. 



In this election the opposition to the League, having failed in its at- 

 tempt to devise an original and alternative program, had accepted in 

 effect a platform that approved the principles of the League, demanding 

 a fair trial for the industrial program, with some changes in the law and 

 administration to make it "workable and efficient" and to "drive the 

 leaders of the League from the public crib." The public's acceptance of 

 this program adopted from the League was one reason that the I.V.A. 

 captured control of the lower house. 41 



But the I.V.A., despite its glowing promises, had made plans to emascu- 

 late the industrial program, as its attack on the bond issue soon demon- 

 strated. The $17,000,000 bond issue had been authorized by the legislature 

 of 1917, and after having been attacked in the state and federal courts, was 

 finally upheld as constitutional by the United States Supreme Court. A 

 compromise agreement was arranged between the independents and the 

 League with the hope of helping the industrial commission dispose of 

 the bonds ; but the compromise was broken when a committee of bankers 

 who, in consideration for financial aid, demanded that the state "not . . . 

 enter . . . any more Socialistic enterprises," meaning in effect that the 

 bank was to become nothing more than a rural-credits institution. Failure 

 to float this bond issue was immediately charged to the opposition of the 

 I.V.A. H. G. Teigan wrote a fellow Leaguer: "The I.V.A.'s saw that if 

 the deal went through and six million dollars of North Dakota bonds 

 were sold their political prospects would not be any too rosy in North 

 Dakota. Consequently the bankers refused to go on with the negotiations 

 until things settled down . . . somewhat. Just when the settling down will 

 take place I am sure I do not know." 42 



Shortly after the elections of 1920, investigations of the industrial com- 

 mission by senate and house committees followed. The house committee, 



41. Oliver S. Morris, "What is Happening in North Dakota," The Nation, CXII 

 (March 9, 1921), pp. 367-68. 



42. H. G. Teigan to O. M. Thomason, February 27, 1921. 



