The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-05-31
Do Not Let Old
Gang Rule Again
Buchanan and Norton are in the
Fight for the Betterment Of
the State

| The LidgerwOod Broadaxe gives the
voters few pointers about the candi-
dates for governor and congress in the
following words:
If this portion of the 7th chapter of
Matthew's gospel could be placed. be-
fore every voter before the coming pri-
mary, June 26th, it would be the best
campaign document that they could
read: Beware of false prophets who
come to you in sleeps clothing, but in
wardly are ravening wolves. BY their
fruits We shall know them. Do men
gather grapes of thorns or figs of this
ties? Even so, every good tree bring
eth forth good fruit; but the corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neith-
er can corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit. Every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down and cast
into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits
We shall know them.
A good many people lay great stress
upon the Importance of the result Of the
fight between Buchanan and Hanna for
the governorship, And there certainly
is serious aspect to the contest, for
the defeat of Buchanan would place the
state once more under the domination
of Alex Mckenzie and his railroad
machine. We. escaped corporation
domination other years by electing a
democrat. But we have not John
Burke this year to turn to. Without
disparaging either of the democratic
candidates for the governorship, we
can say with all honesty that neither of
them measures up to John Burke's,
standard, either in the campaign or as
possible executive.
But even were Hanna successful in
winning back for the corporations he
serves the state, and even were the
stalwart machine successful in securing
the nomination for every one of its
candidates on the state ticket, the loss
would be a modicum, as far as the in
terests of the whole people are con-
cerned, with the loss of the Congress
man.
Congress must be progressive if we
are to get relief from the intolerable
burdens that Tariff mad machine has
put upon our shoulders. Congress
must be more responsive to the needs
of the great majority of the people and
less responsive to the demands of the
great corporations and interests. We
need not flatter ourselves that our,
state is too small to be noticed by the
powers that see a.fight waged against
them and desire; by every means, to
stay at the: helm ofsstate for the money
there is in it for them. Let US consid-
er the situation in the three districts
that now comprise the state.
And the Third District is worse yet.
p. D. Norton announced his candidacy
some time ago, as progressive repub-
lican. 1t was no word of mouth claim
he laid to the name. He was the first
secretary Of the Good Government
League when it organized in this state
in 1905 and he's been in the fight for
better things ever since. He is a man
of pronounced ideas, of strong will, Of
purpose and ability. He is not whip
ped about by every wind Of doctrine. :"
His record as a progressive speaks loud
er than any word, written or spoken.
Wouldn't you think that would be suf-
ficient7 Not atall. Here comes Joe|
Devine, also progressive, who stands
behind Norton's shadow and pipes out
.'Me Too" in plaintive fashion. His scan-
didacy will split the progressive vote.
His ambition to get Office once more is
destructive Of what judgement he pos
sesses. But the real ridiculous claim
10 that put up by Leslie Simpson, who
poses as . progressive! Simpson has
been In the G. N. machine in this state
for 26 years, and an important cogin
/ it. But, he knows that he cannot be
elected @ . standpatter. Therefore
he il . Progressive for Office only. I'll
makes no difference about his disbar-
msnt by the Supreme Court Simpson
u not . man to BE modest about 81
facer such a. thet. He wants the Of
fics and he ii nseded by the boys down
|at Washingten. An almost parallel
|caadidaey 81 his i that Of Alfred Rlais- {
|dsll. When nlaiidell was secretaiy 80
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