The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-05
FUSION IN NORTH DAKOTA.
A Strong List of Candidates Which
Are Winners.

OF the fusion cOmmlIJee a nominating
committee consisting of one member from
each county was chosen to select slate
upon which the convention could vote and
choose standard bearers for the Offices
allotted them.
The nominating committee did their
work with great elaboration. for it was
o'clock before they. reported the follow
ing slate: Governor, r. B. Richardson.
Pembina; auditor, ]. T. Eager, Stutsman
secretary Of state. ]. E. Hodgson, Sar-
gent; railroad commissioners Oliver Knud-
son OF Nelson and f. l.. Walker of Dickey;
Commissioners of agriculture. G. S. Refs
hns. Ward; superintendent OF public in
struction, Laura j. Eisenhuth, Foster;
presidential electors, D.. F. Seigfried. of
Barnes. c. A. Digness Of Trail and Wild
er, of Morton.
The vote on presidential electors was
first taken and Ex-Governor Shortridge's
name substituted for that Of Wilder. who
wanted to enter the contest for state aud
itor. With the exception of the substitu-
ron of the name Of o. G. Majors Of Steele
county for railroad commissioner for hat
Of T. z. Walker Of Dickey the slate went
th.oukh
Hodgson, Reishus and Mrs Eisenhuth
were dominated by reclamation. On the
nomination for governor there was a live
ly contest Besides Richardson, DR.. Bent
ley OF Burleigh, e. NJ. Epson of Grand
Forks and L. A. Ueland of Lamoure
were placed In nomination. The first bal
lot settled 1t though as the combine car
ried with three votes to the good. Bent
ley of Burleigh was second with seventy
four votes and the feeling was so strong
that the motion to make Richardson S
nomination unanimous received number
of negative responses.
The convention adjourned to meet at
Grand Forks. Aug. -, the date Of the
democratic state convention.
The head OF the ticket IS an old settler
In the state q lumberman of Drayton,
Pembina county, noted for his integrity.
He was 2 member Of the constitutional
convention and the first legislative assem-
bly,. He Is not a brilliant man, is no
fonistS as campaigner. J. e. HOdgsOn
Of Sargent county and nominee for secre-
tary Of state is q young farmer, though
a populist of long standing He was a
member of the last legislature.
j. =. Eager, candidate for auditor, was
mayor Of Jamestown two years and was
defeated for reelection this spring by
Bailey Fuller. He is furniture dealer
In the asylum city.
G. H. Reishus for commissioner of
agriculture Is a Nell-known business man
Of Minot Ward county He was a dele
gate.to the recent republican state con-
ventiOn at Grand Forks and bolted it on
account of the flnacial plank
Mrs. Laura J. Eisenhuth, for superin-
tendent of public instruction, is from Fos-
ter county. was elected to that office when
fusion carried four years ago, and was
defeated two years. ago by Miss Bates.
Oliver Knudson, one Of the railroad
commissioners, has been sheriff Of Nelson
county for four years.
Bismarck, Nd. Aug. 3.-Special-In
nominating Hon. r. B. Richardson OF
Pembina county for governor on the fu-
sion ticket the Populists have selected as
their standard bearer q man whose repu-
ents at home. and the people at large
throughout the state, and If the Demo-
Gratis who will have the naming Of the
vacant places on the ticket, do as well
for the balance Of the ticket, the defeat
of the Republican ticket is an assured
fact.
Although the Populists had abundant
material from which to choose governor,
the selection Of Mr.. Richardson for this
honor secures them nominee whose per-
sonal and public record will bear the clos
est scrutiny, and who will go through
the campaign with record as bright as
the prospects Of free silver victory
The coming campaign in North Dakota
will be fought out on the merits of the
respective nominees on both tickets, and
the silver versus the gold standard. The
people are giving more than the usual at
tention to matters political. and will make
searching investigation, as to the fit
mes, and qualifications Of the various NOM
1nees who are willing to represent them
In positions of public trust.
The farmers are awakening to the fact
that the political bosses who have here
tofore manipulated the state conventions,
and put up men of doubtful reputation
and ability simply to use them when
elected, must be turned down If they desire
to have decent and economical admins
tration of state affairs.
The taxpayers and the farmers do not
take kindly to the slate put up by the
representatives Of the Northern Pacific.
ana Messrs. Robinson and Hughes will be
made to understand, in November, that
the common people do not endorse the
railroad ticket.
The Republican press Of the state have
little to say as to the winning qualities OF
the ticket put up by the combine, and the
rank and file of the G. o. p. is not calcu-
lated to impress one with the idea that
they are delighted with the ticket, or that
it will pull through
State Auditor F. A. Briggs, the Republi-
can nominee for governor, is well known
a. GA dALoUic duO ClGVcT gentleman, anu
10 popular as lone of the boys" In COM
pairing him with Mr.. Richardson, howev-
er, the comparison is anything but favor
able to Mr.. Briggs.
r is freely admitted among the poll
ticians that 1t is unfortunate that Mr..
Briggs was placed at the head Of the Re-
publican ticket, especially in a year like
the present. as his record as a member Of
the state board of equalization, and also
as member of the board Of University
and School Lands will not be q drawing
card, and will undoubtedly result in de-
feating both himself and the entire ticket.
Mr.. Briggs is q very smooth political
schether, and has the faculty of presenting
an exceedingly sauve and innocent exte-
r1or to the pblic, even under the most
trying and suspicious circumstances, and
1t would be surprising il he, OF all men,
would be guilty OF anything that would
reflect upon his reputation as a versatile
demagogue. Now, even though, Mr..
Briggs did vote as one Of the eight
against the amendment to raise the as
sessment of the Northern Pacific property,
and then had the minutes changed after
wards, whose business is it? He certainly
had the right to do so, and It seems hardly
right that the farmers who have to make
up the 100000 which the state was de-
frauded out of by the Judas actions of the
equalization board should feel SO indfg-
/ nant at this outrage, which the Republic
an nominee for governor IS to a great ex-
tent connected with.
Even admitting that the railroad people
| did promise to support Mr. Briggs for gov
ernor In SO for helping them out ON the
| equalization hoard deal, have they not
the right to do SO? OF course they have