The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-05
IN
NORTH DAKOTA
SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT AMONG
THE SOANDINAVIANS.
Republican Rank and File Determined
That the State. Shall Be Counted
for Roosevelt at Chicago The Nc
Kinley Machine Not Fully Trusted
and the Reason Why.

had political movement SO signifi-
cant as the organization OF the Scan
dinavtans Of the state into local Scan
dinavian leagues, which is now in
progress.
Back of this movement is the desire
Of the leading Scandinavians that
North Dakota send to the national re-
publican convention a delegation tied /
up tight by strict instructions for
Roosevelt. Incidental to this Is the
desire for better Scandinavian rep
resentation in republican councils and
on republican state tickets.
This Scandinavian organization |
movement is not exactly a new thing
in North Dakota affairs but the move
ment has received such an impetus
during the past few weeks as to make
it worth while for the republican man
ayers to 'sit up and look" at it. The
fear in the minds Of many people
that North Dakota will not send an In
.structed delegation to the national
convention If the matter is left too
much in the hands of party managers
has furnished the inspiration. In other
words conditions in North Dakota re-
publican politics are such that the
rank and file. is becoming suspicious
of the party managers in this particu-
lar.
With Alexander Mckenzie, the ma
tional committeeman, and State SEN
ator Jud LaMoure the controlling fac
tors in republican councils, it is be-
lieved there is a chance that the strong
sentiment for Roosevelt in North Da-
kota may not be given proper express
sion., The fact that President James
J. Hill Of the Great Northern and the
Northern Securities company has gone
on record as . bitterly opposed to
Roosevelt has not been lost on the
rank and file of the republican party
in this state. Mckenzie and LaMoure
are Great Northern ;slieutenants and
thru those two men a large number of
active workers = in the party are held
in line. During the past six years a
splendid working machine under the
domination Of Mckenzie and LaMoure
has been built up. 1t has controlled
the last three republican conventions.
There is an item of interest in this
Scandinavian league movement for the
two =. senators from North Dakota
Many of their friends in this section of
the state believe it is time for them
to come forward and declare for an in
structed delegation. This: may mean
more to Senator McCumber than to
Senator Hansbrough, as the former
must run the gauntlet again at the
next session of the legislature and he
can afford to make no mistakes. :,
The rank and file Of the republican
party accepts without debate the fact
that the two senators are closely all
lied with Mckenzie and LaMoure in
the handling Of the republican ma
chine. Whether the Great Northern
influence extends to them or not a
great many people think it does, and
for that reason the ban of suspicion in
| this particular rests on them. In this
connection a newspaper article has
played a part.
moo 1yco or q
| The Minneapolis Journal an article
written by W. w. Jermane, T h
| J u a. S Washington cOrrespOn-
dent, regarding the tremendous infiu-.
ence of United States senators in ma
tional conventions. T h e ] u a rs
big constituency in North Dakota read:
| this article with much interest and
many Roosevelt men began to apply:
it locally They knew that the infiua,
ence Of the two senators in party af-
| fairs was such as to land them on the
| delegation. if they SO desired. Coupled
with that was their utilization with the
J two chief lieutenants Of the. Great
| Northern which was ant-Roosevelt:.
If the senators, along with the senat-s
! ors from other states, were seeking to-
maintain their prestige by practically
/ representing North Dakota republic
cans in national councils, what would
| be their position on Roosevelt? Would
i It not be better to make sure and tie
1 the thing up tight in the state con-
vention? So the Scandinavian league
| movement: was given a new start and
by the time the first conventions are
held the local Scandinavian leagues
expect to be in shape to do effective
i work as Roosevelt minute men.
i If, the men known to be active in the
| republican machine would declare for
an instructed delegation the political
atmosphere surrounding the delegate
| convention would be clarified imme-
diately. No one knows where the
leaders are on that point, and the as
pirations Of two Rockefeller attorneys
/ for places. on the Minnesota delega-
4 5tion, has made North Dakota repub-
Town delegation than they might other
&1Wises have been.
Il Referring to the general situation
! the Grand Forks Herald the most in
+ fluertia1 paper in the state, says:
his is, something for the people Of
.I:Dakota IS for. Roosevelt. The men
IsWho go to- the national convention
should be Roosevelt men themselves
! and men who can be depended upon
! to be for Roosevelt under all circum-
stances. <: Everything now points to
the nomination Of the president with
5 out opposition. But appearances are
i often deeepttve. Roosevelt has made
enemiesStn high places, and these enc
/ mics would like nothing better than
s. the doWnfal1:sof the man now at the
Z head Of the nation. tits possible that
prudence may prevent a display Of this
hostility and that no opposition to re-
nomination will be made. On the
other hand it is. possible that there
will be need Of every Roosevelt vote
Fin the convention. North Dakota
4 must be prepared to deliver the
goods"