Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-01-16
Worst, Cashel, Kuhn and Lowry is a
strong one. ...-t
A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT ARGUMENT.

How little the people of North Dakota
seem to realize the Importance of the
election of a United States senator. How
sadly derelict has the press been in dis
cussing the relative merits of the candi-
dates for this high office. How much
froth, how little solid. How much dis
hon esty, how much insincerity. No
principle seems to be involved, no issue
is being discussed; the effect of the re-
suit on the state and its standing before
the nation does not seem to be consid-
cred; in fact. an entire absence of that
deep and conscientious concern that
ought to characterize every conflict of
so much Importance as this is noticeable.
The friends of Hon. Gilbert A. Pierce,
the most prominent and conspicuous
candidate, are not urging his candidacy
so much on the ground of his statesman
like qualities, his ability and integrity, as
upon the theory that he's to be "loved
for the enemies he has made" politically,
and that he should be reelected because
it would be particularly distasteful to
ONE of the "old gang" as many are
wont to call the majority of the old resi-
dents of this state. His support by the
press has been neither dignifed nor CON
vincing and the opposition to him for
sectional and personal reasons has been
neither just nor decent, and it's prece-
dent, if followed, will result only in
and the selection of men for high
position wholly lacking in ability and
fitness.
When will this personal scramble for
power or destruction in North Dakota
politics cease?
How long is the intelligence of this
people and their chosen representatives
to be insulted by the acknowledgement
of corporation favor or opposition, or the
whims and whang-doodle of alleged farm
ers, whose scheming and adroitness at
alliance gatherings results in foolish and
impractical resolutions and whose spout
ings start the wave upon which they ex-
pect to ride in triumph on the political
sea to d haven of personal rest?
Shame on a condition of affairs that
necessitates the absence from Washing
ton at this time-when such important
of national interest are under
consideration-of two of the new states
honored representatives. Shame on a
condition of politics that brings them
back to get down to the level of the
ward-worker along with the army of po-
Iitical crumb-pickers.
OF course it is impossible to do other
wise under the present condition of af-
fairs, and these gentlemen are not to be
censured for it, but how much more digni-
fed for the state we're it possible for the
friends of Senator Pierce to say of him
"He is in his seat in the United
States senate, rising to discuss the
issues of the day as they come up and
recording the sentiment of his state upon
the call of the roll. He has represented
the state faithfully and we'll; his honesty
is only equalled by his earnestness and
through his craftsmanship and personal
attachments he has succeeded in bring
ing til" interests of the new state we'll to
the fore in the counsels of the nation.
Having honored the state, let the state
honor him-not because he has repre-
sented a section but because he has rep
resented a state" But his friends do
not talk this way, and the articles writ
ten in his behalf have not brought out his
sentiment. On the contrary. it is insisted
that the ''old gang must be downed. In
another section it is claimed that being a
resident of the Missouri slope it would
be little short of criminal to have oppo-
sltion from this section. Still other
articles insist that the report of the
Northern Pacific's opposition is false;
and with an air of mystery it is claimed
that "things will be all right" and the
railroad corporations will be for him."
Such trash is positively injurious and
supremely ridiculous.
Then let us look at the opposition to
Pierce. is it digniied o, convincing?
It is not set forth that North Dakota has
among her residents men who have spent
the best years of their lives in the up
building of this state-have devoted
their energies and their income to the
advancement of the interests of North
Dakota; men whose sagacity and incor-
ruptable devotion to North Dakota, years
ago, in the establishment of duplicate in
situations and the gaining for this Sec
ton the then territory of Dakota, her
rights and proper recognition; men
whose enterprise and zeal built up a
state and made it possible for ambitious
men to rise from obscurity to the r~ealiza-
ton of their brightest political dreams.
There would be sense in the claim that,
all things being equal, preference should
be given the old citizens of the state,
when It comes to political preferment.