The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-02

never been any complaint made as to
the personnel of such tickets, but the
complaint has been in the manner OF
selection. The primary election law
was passed to remedy this so-called
abuse. This law was enacted through
the efforts of certain men who sought
earnestly this reform. The question
is often asked, has it accomplished its
purpose? Assuredly not. Why has
It not? Because certain men who de-
sire ONCE were not content to act in
accordance with its spirit. The first
violation of this law took place at
Grand Forks when a convention was
called by Tom Marshall and certain
Of his ilS to obtain for Mr.. Marshall
an endorsement for senator. On the
floor of the convention, judge Lauder
who Is now sleeping in the same mol
ltical bed with Marshall, he being a
candidate for congress on the ticket
selected by the elimination commit
tee, arose and in the most scathins
terms denounced the attitude OF the
convention as contrary to the letter
and spirit of the primary law. In
almost unprintable terms, he de-.
nounced Tom Marshall and the air
was Vitrolized by his oratorical ont
bursts against the rank impostor Tom
Marshall. He used all the epithets.
he could Gull from his catalogue Of
BlIlngsgate to characterize Mar
shalls actions. Notwithstanding
Ladders protest the insurgent con-
Vent1on at that time made the en-
dersement of Marshall. This was the
nrst real violation of the primary
law. Lauder was opposed to en-
dorsements then, but now he has
shown change of heart. Since he
was endorsed at Valley City for con-
gress such actions of conventions
take on different color in his ewes
1t always depends on whose OK is
peng gored. Now Lauder has been
taken under the wing of The insurgent
posses, and he has now become a.
part of the family of Tom. Now he
changes front Now it is all right for
few men to pick out ticket. Now.
that he is one of the men picked out
and who did the picking, it is all
right, before it was rank anarchy.
Politics and the primary elect on law
make strange bed fellows. The same
town or state would not hold Lauder
and Marshall two years ago. Now
they can sleep on sanitary couch
clasped in each others loving poIiti-
cal arms, and there would be no
crowding. 1t Tom was bad then. if
he was political trickster then. and
Lauder said he was, il Tom was q
renegade then, and Mack sliding
gangster, and Lauder said he was
now comes it that Lauder is now sing
ing his praises? Has Tom changed or
has Lauder changed? Both of these
men met two years ago, used terms
concerning each other which most
newspapers would decline to print.
Ought not the people now take as
true the estimate that each of the
men placed on the other two years
ago?
The second real violation of the
primary law was evidenced when
few men gathered at Valley City ana
called themselves insurgents, and Sc
lected ticket. A bunch of twenty
one men decided and determined vino
should bear the name insurgent and
who should be entitled to insurgent
support. What was done there was
nothing more than sample of the
old gang rule. Under the old system
Delegates from different precincts in
the various counties met In county
convention and selected delegates to
state convention and such state con-
vention composed of five or six hun
dred representative men selected
ticket. Under the present system a
few men who want office get together
and select a ticket They are self
appointed. They call themselves in
BY what authority they
usurp that name no one can tell. No
one gave them the authority. They
simply assume such authority without
consulting anyone. 1t Is very ques-
tionable whether the primary law will
long remain on the statue books, by
reason OF the fact that both its spirit
and letter are violated now. and have
been even since its adoption. The
representative system OF political
government is certainly preferable;
unless some means are adopted to
prevent the. direct violation Of the
provisions OF the primary law
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