Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-01
is 1T ALANDSLIDE?
Big Democratic Landslide is Now
Predicted in North Dakota
by Republicans.
HAS THAT APPEARANCE.
A General Stampede Really Started
from Rank and File of Republican
Party-Can the Old Guard Stop 1t
the Grand Forks Herald Says No.

viii the protest against the domina-
ton OF the republican party in this
state by coterie of professional bosses
be expressed by general falling off in
the vote of the republican candidates,
the practically certain election of Judge
Fisk to the supreme court, and a close
race for Sarles, or is it now assuming
the proportions of landslide that will
jeopardize the entire republican state
ticket, with the exception of one candi-
date who is unopposed? There are
evidences that general movement such
as is commonly called a landslide has
begun. and this movement is so general.
and its indications so manifest that
good many people are with good reason
predicting the election of several demo
cratic state candidates.
That such condition could exist no
one few months ago believed possible.
But it is found that good many unex-
pected things are possible in politics,
and the state machine in North Dakota
has by its own action tied it's own hands
and made possible it's own defeat. Dur.
ing the campaign we have had a num-
Der of political meetings addressed by
members of the republican party, resi-
dents of North Dakota, and in some
cases by republicans from a distance.
And at these meetings what has been
the topic? The civil war, the tariff,
Grover Cleveland, Lincoln and the slave
question. That is a fair table of con-
tents of most of the republican address
ses delivered under the auspices of the
state committee. Governor Sarles has
been commended for change in certain
details of bookkeeping, and the rest of
the state officials have been lauded
because they have employed clerks who
have added up columns of figures cor
rectly. That is really what it amounts
to. But discuss local issues? Not if
the machine knows it,
! The voters will attend good many
of these meetings before they will hear
anything about the opposition of the
machine to the primary election law:
of the manner in which the political
representative of two great railroads
manages the affairs of the republican
party Ia this state, dictates its action
and picks its candidates: of the capitol
commission bill and the manner in
which it was sought to be put into eff
feet to the certain loss to the state of
immense sums: of the necessity for sub
mitting every bill to the inspection and
receiving the appreciation of the "big
chief before it can be considered in
house or senate; of the whole system of
outrages and scandals which have been
perpetrated during long series ofyears
and of what is proposed shall be done
about it. These things are carefully let
alone at meetings for which the state
machine is responsible, and instead the
voters are treated to lmmense doses of
lukewarm bran mash. No wonder audi
ences are small. No wonder that a
Steele county meeting bad to be called
off because not a solitary person turned
out to listen.
From all over the state come assur-
ances that the people are awake, and
are interested. One man has character
lied their attitude as one of stubborn
ness. "It is no use arguing with them
he said. 'They will listen if they are
obliged to, but they do not warm up
You might as we'll address a lot of
stones. They seem to have gone over
the case and made up their minds, and
you can't bulge them There is
less than week left before election.
If Landslide has started, and things
} now have that appearance, We will
know more about it inside a week.
And if such general movement has
really started. nothing that the old
guard can do will stop it.-Grand Forks
| Herald