Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-07-21
EDITOR KELLOGG DISCUSSES THE
POLITICAL SITUATION.

The following article in regard to
state politics appears in The James
town Alert, and it is readable:
Farmers and business men of North
Dakota and all others engaged in
their chosen occupations, are busy
with their affairs. AS far as heard
from all seem to be unusually pros
porous. The business prospects for
1905 are favorable, lands are continu.
ing to rise in value, the states popu.
lation is rapidly increasing, the homes
are growing and there is in reality no
cloud On the horizon of our business
or agricultural prospects.
While this state of affairs is self
evident there is occasionally heard the
voice of the politician, generally some
| raven voice, whose owner is out of a
steady job, through the natural pro-
cess of political changes. These dis
NAL forebodings are sounded to create
discomfort for which no good reason
exists, and also for the purpose of re-
storing the aforesaid politician to the
salary list again. These forebodings
Of trouble do not come from the PEG.
pie, but from a very few individuals
whose vocal utterances grow louder
and more frequent the longer they re-
main outside the public crib.
Among those who now seem to be
actively attempting to organize a fac
ton and create political discomfort
throughout the state is Hon. Joe De.
vine, formerly of LaMoure county
and more recently of Ward county.
He made speech the other day, at
farmers picnic, on the problems
OF the day" in which he began by
complimenting the past management
of the state school fund, which h.
predicted would reach the enormous
sum of $50,000,0OO, the interest and
income of which will go far to sup.
port the public schools of the state.
Mr.. Devine is also quoted as saying
THAT he believed in the principles
of the republican party, but did not
believe In the men who controlled and
directed the party in the state and
that for fifteen years state tickets
were nominated at the Merchants
hotel in st. Paul, and always and for.
ever in the interest of certain legisla-
ton, the passage of which would be
against the best interests of the state"
And yet, in the face of the foregoing
statement that he now makes, Mr..
Devine accepted the Office of lieuten.
ant governor for two terms from 1897
to 1900, and then only gave way to
accept the Office of superintendent Of
public instruction, which Office he held
during the years of 1900 and 1902,
making him in Office for six years con-
secutively out of the fifteen years in
which he claimed that the state
tickets were nominated at the Mer-
chants hotel in St. Paul Gin the inter-
ests OF certain legislation the passage
OF which would be against the best in.
terests of the state"
Everyone who knows anything about
the passage of laws in the legislature
knows that the position of lieutenant
governor, whose duties are mainly to
preside over the senate, and appoint
the committees, is the chief factor in
shaping and controlling legislation.
II this statement is correct, that state
tickets have been nominated at the
Merchants hotel and that the results
OF such nominations have proved in.
furious "to the best interests Of the
state Mr.. Devine must have been
party to any such alleged arrange.
ments, and should now, when out of
ONCE, assume his share of RESPONSE.
bility for the injuries alleged to have
been done to the state by bad legis.
lation caused by such nominations.
The people will naturally look
deeper for his real reasons in oppos.
ing the present management of the
dominant party, than those he sets
forth, viz: "the best interests of the
state" -. .f@.~
The sound OF another rayenlike
voice has also; been heard since
March 4 last, when, the present con.
gress adjourned and Congressman
Spalding retired sine die, after four
years OF Office. Mr.. Spalding has, it
appears, recently discovered some.
thing radically wrong with the man.
agement Of state affairs. more particu.
iarly since last July when the republi.
can nominating convention failed to
renominate him for what would have