Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-01-12

capitol is perhaps the most interesting. in
the history of the state. 1t involves the
political fate of Congressman NJ. n.
Johnson, who has been prominently iaI-
tilted with state affairs since the admits
sion of the state. beginning with the con-
stitutional convention, and either to con-
time by election to the highest and most
desirable office within the gift of the
people OF the state. through their repre-
sentatives in the legislature. or to cnt by
permanent rci=gation 20 private life. 1t
has been stated that if johnson is beaten
for the senate at this session he is likely
to become prominent candidate for gov
ernor at the next state convention. This
is not at all Likely With the two sena-
tors i'll the upper h:'.i=;e, of congress NUM-
bered among the enemies of the congress
nan in political. matters and with the
state administration anG the machinery of
the Republican ra1ty against MIN. 1t will
be a powerful and peculiar combination
of circumstances that will enable the
congressman ever TO overcome the forces
that will inevitably be arrayed against
him whenever he may come up for Office
The congressman is fighting for political
existence, and it is expected that he Will
make the sterEest struggle of which he
and his forces are capable. If he is elected
it will be in the face Of the bitterest and
most relentless opposition that has ever
confronted a SEA- :crial candidate any,
where and will eT.:irie Johnson to distinc-
ton as the strongest individual IN tire
political field CT the state. 1t will be
victory of which any man might be proud,
and 1t will indicate that Johnson is what
has been always strenuously claimed by
his supporters and as vigorously denied
by his political opponents-the choice Of
the people Of the state for the highest
honor that can be bestowed.
The leaders who are opposed to Johnson
make no secret of the prime OBJECT of
their efforts. 1t is to shelve JohGt:,on-to
remove him altogether as figure in the
political field of .nc state and to do 1T
so effectually that there will be no pos
sibility of his returning to tie front. 1t
is in this determination tiii. +i.e congress-
man must expect to find '.is strongest
element of opposition in tnc contest. We're
johnson a candidate in a field Of ca::di-
dates such as there is at present. and
with his present strength as candidate
among candidates, all of whom were
| working on an equal footing for selection,
there is no doubt he would be a strong
fayorite in the betting. But as the situ-
| with perhaps thirty yc.es at the outside
out of total Republican strength of
seventy-sevcn, against whom is arraJed
a field of candidates, each of who"t has
less strength, but all of wsa'2, are u'.>;od
against the congressman an. ali u vase
supporters are behaved to 80: uncnali&se-
! able in their opposition to him as cam
didate. To win o::t lie must win FER
| from the opposition at least fifteen votes.
If this is DONE it will be through the
| shrewdest political management ever ex-
perienced in a senatorial contest in North
| Dakota.
| Notwithstanding this array of circum-
stances and conditions that must be sue
cessfully conbated. the supporters OF
| Johnson profess the utmost confidence
as to the outcome OF the tight. Col.
Robinson, his manager, states shat John
son has reserve strength of which no
! one is aware and that when the time
| comes it will show in the battle for the
congressman. If this is the case, some of
| the men who are counted on confidently
by the field candidates are playing
double game, and the leaders OF the OPP
position are working, with false assur-
| ances.
In the opening of the struggle the
| forces of the congressman. after having
| taken precautions against the stamped
! ing of their forces. appear to be playing
a waiting game. What this portends it
remains for the balloting to develop, il
! it is Significant for an unexpected source
of strength. The opposition secured con-
| troll of the organization of the two
| houses of the legislature before the sena-
torial contest had fairly opened. The
anti-Johnson hustlers were active and the
Johnson men, after discovering that the
opposition candidate for speaker had
| ,,;tx Of Ia
| laid down. 1t is stated that the johnson
| candidate for speaker. Sargent of Cass
county, was not originally impressed
with the idea of making the race and was
not pronounced Johnson man. but that
| he was persuaded by some of the con-
gressman's supporters that the organiza-
| ton of the house by the johnson forces
was assured and that he should make
haste to get in on the ground floor. And
| in this connection was circulated the re-
port that there was a list OF forty-1ve
! members of the house and senate Repub-
licans who were practically assured in
support of Johnson. AS there are not
to exceed eight senators who can rea-
sonably be relied upon as Johnson men,
according to the Johnson claims at the
outset of the struggle, there were more
than majority of the Republicans of
the house in the johnson camp and the
| organization would have been easy. When
the test of strength came Johnson had
not to exceed twenty members of the
house, who We're with him on the ques-
ton of organization.
In the senate the president pro tenn is
a pronounced anti-Johnson man, A. c.
McGllivary of Stark county. McGilliv-
ray has always worked with the political
elements that have offered Johnson the
bitterest opposition.
OF the opposition candidates to john
son, it is a question which is the
strongest. Tom Marshall of Dickey
county is making a hard fight. He be-
lieves, with the rest of the field leaders
and candidates. that Johnson is beaten.
Marshall's ultimate strength will depend
largely on the portion Of the favorite son
vote he will receive after the compliment
tary candidates have dropped out of the
race. McCumber Is not generally con-
sidered as candidate who will be in at
the finish. but there are several members
who will vote for McCumber whose
strength would be valuable to Marshall
or Little. who seem to be conceded as
the leaders in the race against johnson.
Both Mcl.umber and Marshall come from
the Fourth district and If there Is rivalry
between them for political preferment in