The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-19
FIRST N. DAKOTA
REP. CONVENTION
INTERESTING Renaissance OF
BIG REPUBLICAN GATHER
ING BY I. c. WADE.

/ CUIueAAAt A1a.s NOV. 1Z.--IO Inc 6Or-
UNI: Agreeable TO your request / will
try and give you short "reminiscences
Of the first republican convention held
In Fargo, N. d., August, 1889.
The lamented death OF Sen. M. N.
Johnson makes an old-time recurrence
peculiarly appropriate inasmuch as he
was, by peculiar incident, brought
into prominence, as were also other
later senator's.
AL the old timers will remember the
political fight waged to control the
first state convention. Many of the
temperance people ERE brought into
1t for fear of that wha. was called
the old gang" would not stand by the
great moral question of temperance.
Hence, ] with hundreds of others was
drawn into the political whirlpool, and
we proceeded to invite all elements OPP
posed to "the old gang" Every coun-
ty was quietly worked. SO that 1t was
found upon assembling in Fargo for
the convention that, much to our re-
joicing, we had forty-t1ve delegates to
the good. But, as often the case, our
chickens were counted befor they
were hatched-or voted-in some cases
notably Trail county That Roger AL
len was supposed to control Also pro-
duced a man who was bound to be
nominated for Congress, and, in his
anxiety to get that plum, the delegates
fell easy victims to the Establishments
of the managers Of the old gang. This
with a few single defections, worked
moth -holes through our fabric that we
had SO neatly woven. So the leaders
were hastily gotten together in Room
80 Of 'the Columbia" and for two days
and all one night, work was did. y
1t finally settled on three of the
combination to suggest plans to work
out the deal. p. J. McCumber, George
Winship and myself were called upon
to produce the plan to regain our
standing. Cine great trouble was the
candidates. The men we wanted eth
er would not take 1T or were not avail
able, and before we could be sure of
an organization, some Of these posi-
lions had to be located. The men who
did want the job Of being governor
were not available and the balance of
our crowd would not stand for the
Trail county candidate for congress-
man. HI. G. Hansbrough, since so
prominent in North Dakota politics,
got his first start in the political way
by the manly manne1 in which he
spoke out in meeting. / well remem-
Der his words: Gentlemen, do not
consider my wishes in the matter in
any way. Use me wherever you can
to any advantage and without any
promise for a. ything for me-" He was
told to go out and hustle in the Cow
Counties, which he did 70 advantage
That speech of his then hustling made
him member of congress and later SEN
ator.
/ imagined George Winship wanted
to be governor and my old classmate
F. j. McCumber,-well, he preferred
something else. One Of them-I for
get which--suggeste take the gov
ernorship. The other seemed to heart
lily second it and both, with Hans
borough, urged me to take the chances.
But my circumstances were such that
/ did not want 1t. Besides, we needed
every inch Of timber we had to trade
for votes. A temperance governor was
what we were bound to have. sug-
gested John Miller. had become ac-
quainted with him when had the year
before appointed him judge of horses
at the state fair at Grand Forks, of
which was president at the time. He
was known as m mayer OF the Dwight
farms and young Dwight ws.3 on hand
and hustler beside. Miller was rec
ognized as an active temperance man.
This point decided, we concluded to
throw into the pot all tho other posi-
tions and get control of the conven-
ton by all going in and working for
the general good and each candidate
taking his chances-especially after
Hansborough's suggestion. We eau
cussed and found that on last count we
were barely even, and by six or eight
of these we had to keep hid out for
fear the old gang would capture them
AT o'clock the morning OF the con-
vention the mater was not settled
That old room, No. 80. had been the
scene of much talk and smoke. We
believed it was an epoch in our new
states history temperance or wide
open. Many were for throwing up the
sponge. The occasion was great. The
intensity of our wrought up feelings
no one can describe as 1t seemed we
were to fall short, for we well knew
If we ever went into convention even,
the shrewd man pulators of the pre-
vious gang would capture it. / went
below to refresh myself with fresh
cigar, drink of cool water, and talk
with Sam Mathews; and, while leaning
over the counter OF his ONCE talking
with SAM saw, stretched out at full
length, figure of man that saw
was M N. Johnsen-fast asleep. tt
flashed through my mind that here
was our only hope. We had just been
the Scandinavians and
there were two on the Cass county
delegation that were Scandinavians.
Johnson was Scandinavian: hence,
possibly available to get hold of these
two delegates to make our majority.
Most, If not all, of the Scandanavians
were our friends. I at once went to
him, shook him awake, and said to
him, MIR. Johnson, our side has been
talking over the differen. candidates
and we believe you would make the
best chairman and thereby receive
great honor by being elected as first
chairman Of the first republican state
ever held in North Dakota.
What do you think OF THAR" He at
once jumped up from where he was
reclining and, with great emphasis.
said, Yes indeed, II is an honor. What
can do for your slider" / very inno-
Gently and honestly answered that we
had not discussed as to that. (For in
deed we had not.) "But," say /,
There are two Scandinavians in the
Cass county delegation. Can you get
them pledged to our side? For the
delegation is against u.s." Yes, can