Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-01-03
DR.. Seehus Objects to League.

III SSSuuS OuJCNtc W LCoSuS.
County Auditor /. Linnevold hands
us copy of the Mayville, N. D..
Tribune, which contains a letter
from DR.. .. M. Seehus, of Hatton,
". D., formerly resident of High
landville in this county, in opposition
to the Scandinavian League, an or
ganization which has been formed in
trolling the politics of the country.
Fortunately there is no such organiza-
ton in this county. Mr.. Linneyold
thinks it properly represents the SEN
timents of the many citizens of
Scandinavian birth and descent in
this county, and We are glad to re-
print it, especially inasmuch as DR..
Seehus is we'll known here.
Scandinavian League; this is
misnomer. There are no Scandinavian
voters in this country. All Scandi-
navians who have the right to vote
are Americans, as they have forsworn
all allegiance to the kings of Sweden
Norway and Denmark. They are Of
Scandinavian descent. This reform
league uses this name to catch voters
of Scandinavian birth, which this
league deems to do to perfection, not
with the intention of lettering the
condition Of the individual members
or Of instructing them in reform
politics but to get their support in the
furtherance of the aims of some of
the leaders.
"There are in this so-called Scanda-
navian League number of aspirants
for public Office and lot of sore heads
who have not received what they ex-
pected from the republican party,
and hence want to revenge themselves
on the more fortunate leaders of the
party. Thew form this league by
talking reform to their countrymen
and get them to believe that they
actully mean reform, which is very
far from the leaders intentions. :. !.
Their object is to get revenge on
the leaders of the old party, and to
gain Office for themselves. BY repre-
senting the great strength of this
league they try to force the old party
to put them ON the band wagon.
There are no doubt politicians among
the members of this league, but they
take the wrong method of pushing
themselves to the front. If they for
instance started reform league in
the republican party with the inten-
tion OF actual reform and allowed any
republican voter to become member
regardless of whether he was of Scan
dinayian descent or not it would be
we'll and good, and they would do a
great work, but this Scandinav ianism
smacks to much of clannishness and
not OF the right spirit of an American
citizen. lt is OF course very laudable
for every American citizen to see
that we have clean politics and to
band themselves together in league
to obtain this reform, but it is a
mistake to suppose that of all the in
telligent voters of North Dakota, there
should be only a few Scandinavian
descent to perceive the necessity of
reform.
am Scandinavian by birth,
having been born in Norway. 1 do
not aspire for political honor, in fact
would not take in Office as a gift, but
IN case | was in politics l would feel
myself disgraced for all time if
was put in office by clannish clique
OF Scandinavians instead OF majority
OF intelligent voters.
II know none of the members of
the Scandinavian League of North
Dakota. They may all be good
members. / object to the methods of
che Scandinavians of the league. If /
was in politics and had influence
enough to nominate candidates for the
different offices, l should first of all
allow none as candidates who were
themselves members of the Scandina-
Wan league or any other clannish or
ganization. 1t is my belief that the
political strength of this Scandinavian
league is ere wind. and is br ought
forward as a wholesale bluff.
"There are too many voters of
Scandinavian descent that are in
telligent enough to Judge politics for
themselves and who will not be led by
any clannish Scandinavian league
If we are giong to have reform politics
it will never be obtained by clan
nishness, but by the united strength
of all voters regardless of nationality. -
DIR. o. NJ. SEEHUS,
Hatton, N. ID.
Mrs. f. r. Payne, who lives in
Minnesota i'm resDOnse To fine advar-