The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-11-12


the Independent once the other day doing little
kicking because this paper has had good deal
to say in favor Of home trade The Independent
believes that our stand on this subject Is plain.
We do believe in home trade and It makes us feel
badly that conditions often such that farmers
are tempted to patronize the cataiog houses. We
3 do not always blame the farmers tho we feel
certain that they could often do better by leaving
their money at home We believe that there are
certain merchants over the northwest who are as
much to blame as the farmers. The merchants
who charges fair price and lets the farmers know
abour it thru his local paper viii do more to keep
trade at home than columns Of abuse heaped upon
The mail order patrons thru the newspapers. The
farmers work hard for their money and We don't
blame them one bit for not desiring to be skinned
by some avaricious merchant There are plenty
cf business men, however in all lines, In the north
west, who not only willing to meet the cata
logue house prices but considering the quality OF
goods will do even better The merchants and the
farmers should get together. We believe that they
understand one another better than ever, and we
actually believe that there is less mail order buy
ing than there was in former years.
NJ N. Johnson has been nominated for the Unit
cd States Senate from North Dakota, his majority
over Thos Marshall being from two to three
hundred votes. This shows the relative strength
Of the two men, Johnson winning out easily, al
though it is quite certain that Marshall had the
support OF great many Democrats According
to a decision of the supreme courtmore Democrats
were favorable to the election of Marshall than
Johnson, and M. N. Johnsons majority was cut
do.p materially by these votes Right here in
Minot many Democrats voted these ballots If the
inspectors to be believed. Inn many precincts
these ballots were handed out promiscuously BY the
judges and inspectors no questions being asked
This part of the primary election law should be
remedied in some manner. The Democrats shoul
not be allowed to assist in the nomination OF tie
publican United States Senator's any more than
Republicans should lend assistance to the Demo
Gratis in that particular
M. N. Johnson has been fairly Nominated for the
u. S. Senate by the Republicans Of North Dakota,
and in all probability will be elected by the iegis.
lature. Nevertheless according to the decision rem
derel recently by the supreme court, he may still
have scrap his hands. The supreme court
abrogated the pledged feature of the members of
the legislature. The Independent has heard
rumors that Henry G. HansbroAgh would more than
likely make effort to be reelected by the iegis-
ature There is absolutely no legal reason why the
legislature could not select Hansbrough anyone
elss if they SO desired Marshall however is
practically out of the race for he declared prior
to the election that if NJ. N. Johnson had major
iy OF votes, he would not continue in the light
under any circumstances.
"Unless te federal constitution is amended states
legislature must continue to eject senators. The
method by which a constitutional amendment must
be passed is difficult and intricate. that such
amendments are adopted only under stress Of al
most unanimous sentiment, the result of a
great conflict like the civil war The opposition of
js nuit natl
circumstances. is an effective bar to direct cleo
ton amendment. 1t necestates the use of the al
tentative method Of securing the favorable vote Of
two-thirds OF the state legislatures as the first
STEP. and the final ratification of threefourths OF
the states Hope of formally amending the federal
constitution has therefore been almost abandoned
by the friends Of direct election OF senator's.
Residents Of the proposed Renyilie and burke
counties about to bring contest against the
Kenmare vote according to report 1t is claimed
by residents of those portions Of Ward county
that there was much illegal voting in Kenmare on
the county division proposition. Whether this ale
cation is or is not true, is matter to be decided
by the courts, if the matter is brought up at all
It is claimed that at the primaries 400 votes we're
cast while 619 votes were cast on Nov. 2, on the
county division question. There were more votes
cast for county division than for the generaleect
ion, but the Kenmare residents explain this by the
fact that the general ballots ran shy before all
had an opportunity to vote, but that there were
plenty OF county division ballots.
The decision Of the supreme court Of North Da-
kota that the legislature cannot be deprived of its
constitutional privilege to elect the states repre-
sentatives in the United States senate was to have
been expected That privilege and duty is express
y conferred on the legislatures Of the states by
the federal constitution. It naturally follows that