"THE FARMERS* LEGISLATURE" 



about the financing of the enterprise as would 

 have been utterly impossible in practice and 

 would have led the state to bankruptcy. 

 Another cunningly provided that the elevator 

 should be turned over to the Society of Equity, 

 evidently in the hope that this would cause a 

 division between the League and the Equity 

 adherents. One bill of this order, introduced 

 in the last moments of a busy and troubled 

 session, actually got through, but was promptly 

 spiked by the good sense of Governor Frazier, 

 who vetoed it; and the great issue of elevator 

 or no elevator was left still unsettled after six 

 years of agitation and three declarations from 

 the people. 



Yet it is only fair to say that while the 

 chief things in the League program were made 

 impossible, the legislature thus composed, 

 part reform and part reactionary, enacted 

 more advanced and reform laws than all the 

 other legislatures together that had met since 

 the state was launched. The reform majority 

 in the house continued always to pass reform 

 measures and the reactionary majority in the 

 senate to kill as many of these as it dared to 

 kill. But the reforms came too fast; it was 

 not in the courage of man to kill them all, 

 and not quite safe. After the deliberate 

 slaughter of one measure upon which the farm- 

 ers had set their hearts, it would be a bold 

 politician that went forth openly to kill 



2£5 



