The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1906-05-18
AN OPEN LETTER.
EDITOR LEADER

Liz good government
league has been holding meetings
through the. county for some time
and in speeches and resolutions
have praised Roosevelt, Governor
Sarles,; the states U. s. senators
and congressman and have other
wise given the impression that
their object was only the promotion
of good government and Ethe in
dorsement of capable men for Of
fee. When it comes to the Sc
lection of delegates to the state
convention it appears there is
something else behind the league
and that it's object is apparently to
push the interests of a few men
without regard to the welfare of
the party. It seems to me that be-
fore the members of this league,
controlled by a few men with griev-
ances, go before the people asking
votes they should state who they
intend to support at the state con-
vention. The so-called league has
given out that it intended to clean
out the court house from top to
bottom, but I see by the ticket
they support that they have fallen
down on that proposition for they
have taken at least one man into
the league who has held office since
the day he came to the county and
from all reports has attended to it
the least. The good government
league has been trading every since
it got into business, making a slate
at one meeting and changing it the
next-a sort of pass the hat ar
rangement to see who would put
up the most to the support of the
good government" crowd. Orig
inally they had Lamb on the slate,
and then he was taken off and
Olgierson Of Underwood substitu-
ted-a clean cut and capable man.
But Olgierson had to be taken off
and Lamb put back on. It is in
order to explain these changes to
the voters and if the Leader does
not I will state that it looks to me
like child's play and an arrange
ment whereby the nominees are
shifted about to see who will put
up the most money to pay the
fiddler.
Last week the Leader called this
the Good Government league, but
it seems to me that the proper
name for it is the grievance COM
.mittee. The majority of the So
called committee we're men with
grievances. One of the leading
spirits is Christ Herr of Martin,
who would not compromise and di-
vide up the delegation according
to the votes cast, for the reason
that he wanted four delegates for
Martin where they were not en-
titled to two. Martin cast ITS
votes; Strausberg cast lO7, but the
committee would not give that pre-
cinct any delegates. It was the
same with Wittmayer with 165
votes and other precincts. Only a
few of the committee that had the
most grievances wanted all the del
egates for their precincts and want
ed to leave the other precincts
without representation. Christ
Herr had the postoflce at Martin
for some time but was in continual
trouble with his patrons and the
postoface department. and the Office
was finally taken away from him.
That is his grievance and he want
ed the Republicans of the county
to give him four delegates to en-
able him to use them for the pur-
pose Of getting the p~ostofice back.
He wa, a candidate against the
last appointee but. was not recog-
nized. His interest in good gov
eminent is to enable him to get
something for himself and he wants
the republicans of the county to
help him carry out his owndesires.
Christ was also a candidate for
treasurer in his neighborhoods and
received a dattering home endorse
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