The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1891-11-14
REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE.
About Fifty of the Representative Repub.
ttcans of North DAKOTA met In Fargo to
talk Politics.

| ABOUT Fifty of the Representative Repuh
| iicans of North Dakota met In Fargo {
talk Politics.
A party of fifty of the Representative
republicans of North Dakota met in th
parlors of the Columbia Hotel yester
day morning. Ike party resolved itsel
into republican conference and dis
cussed the political situation in tn
state. and the needs of the various dis
tricts. suggestions being offered to til
central committee as to how to NEE
them.
Acting President George F. Goodwi,
of the central committee called the con
ference to order and in few we'll chose1
words briefly outlined the object of the
meeting. He said that the conference
was called by the courtesy of the state
committee for the purpose of discover
ing the various needs of the different
localities. If any of those present de
sired any assistance from the committee
hey should make known their wants
He had received letters from all faction,
VII expressed wish to harmonize on
the campaign of 80. A mum.
Der of good suggestions for the
welfare of the party had beer
offered, chief of which was the 5istribu
tion broadcast of republican literature,
especially among the foreign element oil
the state. There are many men, he
said, who have come to the country this
year, and who are wholly unacquainted
with our politics. The majority of these
could he won over to the party, if the
principles of truth and republicanism
were only set before them. In conclu.
sion he said that the first thing in order
was the appointment of chairman fol
the conference. Mr. Goodwin was unan
imously chosen by the meeting to pre-
side.
Mr.. Harris, president of the state re-
publican league, spoke ut some length
on the subject of perfecting state or
ganization. He thought that q republi
can club should organize in each county
in the state at least, and in every votine
precinct if possible. The influence of /
live, working republican club, he said
would bring many over who mr..
undecided now, into the party
Mr.. Oliver thought that the
time to organize these leagues was i'm.
mediately, as more work could be done
during the winter months than in sum
mer, when everyone was busy. The
league, he said, would never amount tc
much without some head organization
to report to. Mr.. Harris informed the
conference that the old organization
,t;lI nv;.%,l ,,d oo,ll ~ ,.tt,>,, - L.
working order in ten days. Mr.. Potte,
then moved that it be suggested to the
central committee to organize at least
one republican club in each county
and the motion was carried. MIR.
Underhill said that the particular thing
his county was in need of was little
missionary work among the foreigners
There were many of these people in his
section who had been coaxed into voting
the democratic ticket by the Infamous
lies circulated among them, and if the
truth were ouly shown them they could
be brought back into the fold. Mr.
Spalding and Mr.. Tuttle thought the
same Mr.. Packard said that it wasn't
the foreign element in his section thai
needed missionary work so much as the
Americans. The prohibition plank il
the republican platform had alienated
many from the party.
Mr.. johnson then threw what many
expressed as the first firebrand into the
conference by making lengthy speech
on the prohibition issue. He urged
that many of the Scandinavians, ninety
five per cent. of whom were prohibition
lists, we're leaving the party because
they were told it favored whiskey, and
were going over to the independents
The republican party must come ou
square for prohibition, or it will ge
down. They must not be frightened by
the result in Iowa. If they turn theil
back On prohibition now they will never
carry the next election. He suggested
that the central committee draft a set O
resolutions declaring in favor of prohi
several jumped to their feet at once
Each expressed the opinion that The
party would make fatal mistake il
bringing up the prohibition issue in the
next campaign. There was no more
need of it than of declaring in favor o
the abolition of slavery. Prohibit, IL i,
not national issue, and all the party
needed to do was to declare in favor ol
enforcing the law as it now stands.
Mr. Potter then threw the second fire
brand into the conference, by introduc.
ing o resolution declaring it the sense
of the conference and the convention
that they desired that Minneapolis bt
chosen as the place of holding the mex
national republican convention, anG
that the resolution be forwarded to Sen
ator Hansbrough. This created grea
CONSERVATION and before he could be
seated a doz,n members were on theil
feet. The chair recognized MIR. Wallace
who said he considered the central com.
mittee and Mr.. Hansbrough we'll able tc
manage the affairs entrusted to then
without outside dictation. Severa
others spoke in the same strain. Mr.
Fleming thought Senator Hansbrougl
would like to know the sentiments o
his constituents. 1t was moved that thu
words which would bind the central
committee be stricken out. making the
resolution the sense of the conference
only. The motion was carried and
the Objectionable words striker
out Mr.. Sutherland remarked tc
the effect that Senator Hansbrougl
had not ought to be hampered by any
such resolution. The senator knew ii
which place it was for the best interests
of the national republican party to have
the national convention beld. The con
ference had been called by the centra
committee to advise and suggest. ant
not to dictate. Mr.. Wallace said tha
the harmony of the meeting had beer
destroyed by Mr.. Potter's frebrand, !, ant
he thought the resolution was wholly
out of place. North Dakota politics, ht
said, had been dictated from Minneapo
lis long enough. Several other gentle
men were on their feet toprotest agains
the resolution, 30 Mr. Potter wisely hat
it withdrawn, and harmony was one
more restored Mr.. Sutherland sug
gested they had better adjourn befor'
further harm was done, and his sugges
tion was adopted.
In the afternoon the central commit
tee held its regular meeting and all tn
difficulties of the conference was al
ranged. The matter of the dissimina
tion of republican literature was takel
up and it was decided to flood th
country with it.