The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-30
Press Comment

North Dakot Democrat: BoSSiSm
in American politics has been explod-
ed all over the country, and has been
relegated to the rear and made a
matter of the past seemingly In al
most every state except North Da-
kota.
1t was to free the people from the
yoke Of bossism hat the democratic
party was voted into power six years
ago, and yet that party, now practi-
cally in control of the state, Is sad
died with one of the most audacious
bosses that has exer usurped the
power of the people and taken over
the reins of a dictatorship in the his
tory Of this country since the civil
war. ss,.as
The free and independent voters
Of the republican IN and democratic
parties of North Dakota can decry
the days of Aleck Mckenzie in tones
that smite the sky, yet the rule Of
the old stalwart leader, bad as we
know it was, was in no manner to be
deplored like the t~reacherous reign
Of bossism of the present democrat
state chairman, who has inch by inch
grabbed onto everything within
reach, until he is now in complete
control Of the whole party machinery.
Boss Macarthur must be given
some credit for the manner in which
he worked his friends for the past
two years, having landed for himself
the state Craftsmanship in his sleek
p~ussy-footing way ESQ well known to
all flickertail politicians.1 He was
then content to leave the entire man
agement Of the last campaign to Fred
Mclean, secretary of the state or
~ganization, and then went to sleep.
Afterwards a sop was thrown to Nc
Lean by his appointment as chief
game warden. Macarthur pledged
his support when he became a cam
didate for national committeeman,
hoping by so doing to keep the reins
of power in his control.
The democratic boss went about
this Systematically and secured he
endorsement of John Bruegger Of
| Williston for Mr.. Mclean. When Sen.
George e. Duis of Grand Forks
appeared on the horizon 1T looked
very much over the state that the
chief game warden's defeat was as
sured and MI. Duis would be elected.
Afraid Of this Boss Macarthur in
duced Mr.. Bruegger to announce
himself at the last moment and threw
the whole weight of the machine he
had built up to elect the Williston
man. All this in face OF his previ-
GUS support of Mr.. Mclean and of
MI. Bruegger's previous announce
ment for the game warden.
Should there be a democratic presi-
dent next year. it will be the ma
| tional committeeman who will have
the distribution Of federal patronage,
and Boss Macarthur would like to
keep himself in position to say who
shall receive the big plums that drop
in North Dakota. 1t is rumored
that he has his own eye on the Fargo
~postoffice and u, S. marshal, and in
some quarters it has been said he has
considered the possibility himself of
becoming warden of the state peni-
tertiary in case a democrat is elected
governor and a loss Of the national
election.
Such tactics as have been practiced
by this sly, oily, would-be political
ruler, who is seemingly such a pleas
ant, in~offensive, and not over
intellectual sort of a man when
engaged in ordinary conversation.
are no longer in vogue in this state.
The people are onto that kind OF a
boss, just as they are onto Roosevelt
and his ambition to rule or ruin.
The methods he used against the
various candidates for national COM
mitteeman in order to elect Mr..
Bruegger, in the closing hours OF the
campaign just over, were despicable
and low. We hardly believe Mr..
Bruegger would have consented to
have his opponents character assassi-
mated for the purpose OF securing his
own election. We have d high opin-
ion of the new national committee
man, and do not think he would fav-
or STOPPING to anything so contempt