6/28/2011:
Nowadays the word “socialism” can cause quite a stir, but there was a time when it was a little less controversial to North Dakotans. On this date in 1903, the socialist Carl D. Thompson spoke to a rapt crowd of hundreds at Fargo’s city park. Thompson later became well known as a lecturer and organizer of the Socialist Party of America. The Fargo Forum described him as a “good stump speaker” – he “succeeded in entertaining his hearers from beginning to end.” The paper’s words are not surprising, since his speech came at a time when socialist ideas were budding in North Dakota.
Much of North Dakota’s immigration came from Norway, “don’cha know.” And at the turn of the Twentieth Century, socialism was a rural phenomenon in Norway. It’s no surprise then that the first North Dakota “socialist club” was founded in 1900. Farmworkers wanted a fair shake, and they were willing to fight a long battle for it.
Their dreams came to fruition in 1915 when Arthur C. Townley formed the Non-Partisan League. Farmworkers were feeling exploited by out-of-state organizations. The last straw was a rumor that state legislator Treadwell Twitchell had told farmers to stay out of politics and “go home and slop the hogs.” Twitchell later said his statement was misinterpreted, but it still became a defiant rally cry. This kicked off North Dakota’s “great socialist experiment.”
The Non Partisan League or “NPL” first worked as a part of the Republican Party. In this arrangement they elected farmer Lynn Frazier as governor in 1916 with 79% of the vote. They also gained control of the state legislature. Among their achievements were a state-run bank, railroads, and the Grand Forks mill and elevator.
Their success, however, was short lived. As the twenties rolled around there was an agricultural depression that cause much of their agenda to fail. There was also corruption that tarnished their image, and newspapers began to portray them less favorably. Finally, Lynn Frazier was recalled as governor. After that, the Nonpartisan League ceased to exist as an independent political party, although people prominent in the NPL still got elected under other party labels. Among these was Governor William “Wild Bill” Langer who served from 1933 to 1934 and 1937 to 1939. Some legacies of the league also live on, such as North Dakota’s unique state-run bank, occasionally giving rise to the notion of North Dakota being “the most socialist state.” Whether or not you agree with that label and wherever you fall on the political spectrum, socialism played an important part in North Dakota’s history.
Dakota Datebook written by Leewana Thomas
Sources:
Carl D. Thompson Socialist speech in 1903—The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, June 29, 1903 (printed)
http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=37994
History of North Dakota by Elwyn B. Robinson.