The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-11
IN N. OAK.
CONDITIONS IN THE FLICKERTAIL
STATE INDICATE SOME VERY
HOT CONTESTS
CANDIDATES ARE
MANY
La Meure and His Political Foes
WhettinG Their Knives
Three Aspirants for.
Congress.

AS a rule there is little interest in
politics unless there is a fight on. The
fercer the fight the greater the inter-
est. Judged by this rule the state of
North Dakota is politically one of the
most interesting states in the Union.
There have been campaigns which in
the early stages seemed to be devoid
of warfare, and consequently of inter-
est. But it has always been the case
that before a campaign closed interest
was lent to it by the effort of some
prominent politician to secure and hang
at his belt the scalp of some other
prominet politician. The present cam
paign promises to be no exception.
One of the counties in which there is
certain to be a fight of no small proper
lions is Walsh. That county has beer
the scene of many a struggle, but the
conditions which exist now seem to
point to one more bitter than the av-
erage. In the year 1898 Thomas Dris-
col, of that county, was nominated for
state treasurer by the Republican state
convention, being supported for that Of
flee by the delegation from his own
county, and his devoted friends and fell
low pioneers. Hon. Judson La Moure, of
Pembina county, and William Bulge, of
Grand Forks, among others. Driscoll
had never before held a state Office, but
he had been quite influential in the af-
fairs of the county, had attended nu-
merous state conventions, and was one
of the leaders in the Republican organi-
zation of Walsh county, a position which
he had held for many years. There was
another element, which included many
of the younger men of the county, which
fad become somewhat FESTIVE under the
control of the old-timers, and which de-
sired that some of the young men be
given a chance. However, Driscoll was
nominated and triumphantly elected, and
all was lovely until the meeting of the
state equalization board in the summer
of 1899. There are various statements
as to what particular action on the part
of the state treasurer offended the chief
of all the Penbinas, but something went
wrong, and La Moure,. as was his Gus
tom, vowed vengeance.
La Moure's Little Hammer.
His ambition was to secure the degra-
dation Of Driscoll in his own county by
getting a delegation to the state conven-
ton that would be against Driscoll, and
for that purpose he made several trips
to Walsh county and tried to get the
rebellious element united on some otner
candidate for a place on the ticket Local
sentiment was too strong, and the plan
was abandoned and the fight was carried
into the state at large. The state con-
vention came, and the Pembina man
found that he could take his choice be-
tween the punishment of -1riscoll and
several other things that he wanted. He
chose the former and Driscoll was left
lamenting.
1t is needless to say that this left sew
era1s sore spots in Walsh county. The
friends of Driseou were indignant at what
they considered the injustice that had
been done him. The element opposed to
Driscoll and the 'Old Guard said that
Walsh county had thrown away her
chances of securing a good place on the
state ticket by supporting DriscolI, and
the fight waxed bitter between them.
1t came up again in a very intense form
in the contest over the appointment of a
postmaster at Grafton. The term of the
Democratic incumbent expired, and the
Driscoll crowd supported Weageant for
the position while their opponents tried
to secure the appointment of Lieut.
TharaIdSon HanSbrough supported
Tharaldson and Congressman Spalding
worked for Weageant. Ed. Pierce, of the
Grafton Record, almost slipped in as
compromise candidate, but was held up
Finally TharaldSOn was appointed by
position. All this has not tended to pour
oil on the troubled waters. Driscoll, it is
announced, will be a candidate for the
state senate next year and If he Is elected
he may be expected to do his best to put
a spoke in the wheel of Senator Hans
brough, on whose reelection he will
have to vote. Opposed to him will be
Senator Cashel, the present Democratic
incumbent, who is a very strong man, so
that the chances of DriscoIl's success do
not appear to be the best in the world.
He will have strong opponent and can
expect little comfort from the Hans
brough people and may count on a little
missionary work from La Moure. TAX
ing it altogether there appears to be the
making of very pretty fight in Walsh
county.
Candidates for Congress.
So far there are three candidates for
congress and under the new apportion-
ment the state will elect two. At pres
ent there Is but one, Thomas Marshall,
of Cakes. He will be candidate for re-
election and the two others who are in
the field are B. F. Spalding, who was
elected in 1888 and served one term, and
Judson La Moure, state senator from
Pembina county. Spalding was conceded
a denomination last year until the even
ing before the state convention and there
was not delegate who expected to vote
for anyone else. But in the combina tons
made at that time Spalding was left out
of the winning one, because he would not
consent to some of the plans (which were
proposed to him. The head Of the Cass
county delegation was John Haggart,
Unied States marshal and for many years
q controlling element in the politics of