Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1905-07-20
WHY THEY KICK"
Two ex.Offlc'als and Their Objections
to the So-called Political MA
chine'' in North Dakota.

: chine" in North Dakota.
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
owns are growing and there is in
reality no cloud on the horlzon..of our
business or agricultural prospects.
While this state Of affairs Is self
evident there is occasionally heard
the voice of some politician, gener-
ally some ravens voice whose owner
is out of steady job, thru the nat
ural process of political changes.
These dismal forebodings are sounded
to create discomfort for which no
good reason exists, and also for the
purpose of restoring the aforesaid
politician to the salary list again.
These forebodings of trouble do not
come from the people, but from a
verv few individuals whose vocal
utterances grow louder and more tre-
quent the longer they remain outside
the public crib. ..~
Among those who now seem 10 oe
actively attem mpting to organize a fac-
tion and create political discomfort
thruout the state is Hon. Joe De-
vine, formerly of LaMoure county
and more recently of Ward county.
He made a 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 ne
predicted would reach the enormous
sum Of CSC, ,000. 900, the interest and
income of which will 60 far to sup
port the public schools Of the state:
Nj. De7ine 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 tick
cts were nominated at the Merchants
hotel in St. Paul, and always and
forever IN the interest of certain leg
islation, 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 1901 and 2, making him in Office
for six years consecutively out Of. the
: fifteen years in which. he claimed
that the state tickets were nomi.
mated ut the Merchants hotel IN st.
Paul 'in the interests of certain
legislation the passage Of which
would pe against the best interests OF
the state.'
Every one who knows anything
about the passage Of laws In the legls-
lature knows that the position OF
lieutenant governor, whose duties are
mainly to preside over the senate,
and appoint the committees, is the
chief factor III shaping and controll-
ing legislation. II this statement Is
correct, that state tickets have been
nominated at the Merchants hotel
and that the results Of such nomin-
ations have proved Injurious ito the
best interests Of the state.'' Mr.. De-
vine must have been party to any
such alleged arrangements, and
should now, when out Of Office, as
sumo his share Of responsibility for
the injuries alleged to have been done
to the state BY bad legislation caused
by such nominations. Ss 7.
The people will naturally look
deeper for his real reasons in oppos-
Ing the present management Of the 9
dominant party, than those he sets
forth, viz:" the best interests Of the
state" ~ A:
The sound Of another ravenlike
voice has also been heard since
March 4. last, when the present con-
press adjourned and Congressman
/ spaulding retired sine die. after fonr;
years Of on1ce. Nj. spauldinG has. Ia
appears recently discovered some
{ thing:.1adically wrong with the man.
agement Of state..a ahairs, more parttcss
ula1ly since last July when the rspub-
lican nominal tlpg aonx xeDtjQ on faaled.
IS renominat ssslhim hi what would
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