The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-18
Press Comment

orship, and it was said that Mr.. john
son was considering the advisability of
declaring his candidacy, but many
people thought twice at bat would be
SUFFICIENT for the astute Johnson. But
in this 1t seems they were mistaken.
II there was any great bowling need
Of Mr.. johnson becoming a candidate
for a third time we could not see the
improperly OF the move he is max
ing, but up to date we have not heard
that he is absolutely necessary to save
the great republican party of the state
Of North Dakota. In fact, it seems
to a great many OF us that his candi-
dacy is to say the least poor form.
When a man is defeated twice for
this high office and during the period
between the last defeat and this writ
ing has done nothing to make him act
as the savior of his party, we believe
that Mr.. Johnson shows the very poor
est taste possible. If it is a move to
elect a democratic governor this fall,
he has certainly taken the right way
to bring this about. We always
thought Mr.. Johnson was a republican,
but We are led to believe that we were
mistaken.
Harvey Herald: C. a. johnson has
again entered the gubernatorial race
and we are sore put to it to determine
the whyfore of the whichness. With
Hanna and Buchanan the acknowledg-
ed leaders of their respective factions,
it would look very much as If it was a
scheme to benefit Mr.. Hanna by cut
ting down the first choice votes Of Bu-
chanan, in which case Hanna might be
able to bring home the bacon with the
first and second choice vote route.
Antler American: The guberna-
torial situation In North Dakota be-
gins to look interesting at the present
time. Since the presidential preference
in March, L. B. Hanna, who was the
first to announce his candidacy, has
hardly been heard from. j. A. Blu
c~hanan, the insurgent republican can
didate, has been doing some campaign
ing, but it has been quiet and no
great splash has been made. Recent
ly h name of N. 3. Black, general
manager of The Times-HeraId Print
ing Co. at Grand Forks, has been
brought forth by some of his many
~ II dS a SOIL Oh compromise +Cdn~
didate between Hanna and Buchanan,
and still more recently j. A. Johnson,
twice defeated candidate for the Office,
Is having his petitions circulated. The
last named ran as a stalwart on both
previous occasions, but just where he
is placed now we are unable to say.
He can hardly be identified with that
Organization in this campaign, as L.
B. Hanna has probably more support
from the leaders of that branch Of the
party than either Black or Johnson
could command, even though Black
has been identified with The Times,
one of the leading stalwart newspa-
pers in the state. Buchanan has rep
resented the insurgents andis endorsed
by their leaders, so Johnson can hardly
look for support from that branch, al
though he is said to have progressive
views on many things. Just what OBJ
ject those who are influential in
bringing Johnson out have in mind
we are unable to see, unless it is to
make the candidacy of the democratic
aspirant, F, o, Hellstrom, a little cas-
Ter.
# ANL III OOhAA O. ~ 0pnCd1S ~ a.
J%ohnson's candidacy for the governor
ship is wholly receptive; his petitions
are being circulated, and with an ear
to the ground he is to construe senti-
ment as 1t appeals to him, if there is
sufficient demand for his candidacy
or not to venture into the open. AS he
has the bug in the s~uperlative degree
it is easy to conjecture he will grasp
at h slightest encouragement and
blossom out as a full fledged candi-
date. What effect his candidacy will
have or the fortunes of Messrs. Han
ma and Buchanan is the interesting
query, and we are of the opinion his
candidacy will be a big factor. In the
aggregate back of Mr.. Buchanan
stands the big Scandinavian vote of
this state, that Johnson hopes to cut
into materially-and he will. He will
have few Of the leaders with him, but
nevertheless, out Of the rank and file,
he will secure quite a respectable per
cent. Then, again, Johnson in his
former campaigns was accredited a
stalwart, but this time will pose as a
red-hot progressive ~insurging clean up
to the hilt against his former confed-
crates. That ought to wash him clean
as snow. 1t follows he will get votes
on the two counts, that OF securing
votes because he is the only Scandi-
navian of the three candidates, and
because of his new adherence to the
progressive faction. The proportion of
votes he will draw from Mr.. Hanna
viii be the few whom, for personal
reasons. would vote otherwise for Mr..
Buchanan. This is a reasonable view
Of what strength Mr.. Johnson can
hope to develop, with no chance of
besting either maj for first choice,
though creeping in on Buchanan sup
port considerably. This would get
him nothing, as the saying is, unless
it is he delights in fishing with q pin.
Plaza Pioneer: At any rate there is
no chance for Andy Miller making the
supreme court change its decision as to
the voter telling his party afiliation
to the assessor. It will be necessary
hereafter for voters to stay inside
their party lines. In as much as this
law is merely the enforcement of the
intentions Of the primary law, it seems
only fair a republican take care of
his troubles at the primaries and the
democrats the same and let Andy run
on the democratic ticket Ii he wants
to.
Monango Journal: 1t is reported
that Congressman Hanna viii be in
state the middle ~ fha uvoek ana viii