Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-10-01

In the person OF the Wahpeton.
statesman is offered to the voters of
North Dakota a man who is keenly
alive to the needs and requirements Of
its people. a close student of national
affairs and one who by virtue of his
political affiliations and personal ac-
quaintance with President Wilson,,
would perhaps be able to secure more
for his state at this time when his par.
ty is in power. J
1t was at the general upheaval of tho
Ballinger land scanG IS in Alaska that
Senator Purcell mac his advent into
national affairs. Though a member Of
the minority side Of Inc house, the new
North Dakota senator made his pres.
ence SO keenly felt III the upper house
OF Congress within a few days after
he took his seat that he was appointed
to an important post on the joint con
~gressional commission which investi-
gated the charges against Sec. of Inter-
ior Ballinger Of the Taft cabinet.
The readers Of HarDer's Weekly are
already familiar with Norman Hap
goods editorial on Senator Purcell's
work Oh that now famous investigating
commission. Mr.. Hapgood says:
"The downfall of Paynter through
proof Of his borrowing from the Lori.
mer bank recalls another episode in
his career. When the PinchOt-Balling.
er case was beginning to attract atten-
ton, it was quietly agreed by the con.
%gressional junta then in absolute
control, to have a nice whitewashing
in vncfipatin1 orI Two rpor,hore of th1
investigating committee were virtually
appointed before the resolution requir-
ing the investigation was adopted, and
Paynter was one of the minority mem
bers from the Senate. But the House
unexpectedly rebelled and won its first
victory over the Cannon regime by
agreeing that the majority and minor
ity in caucus should elect their own
representatives on the Investigating
committee. The Democrats chose as
one Of their representatives Ollie James
whereat there arose an u%navailing
howl of protest. James was Senator
Paynter's rival for the senatorial NOM
ination in Kentucky.
"Paynter sat with the committee sew
eral times, found himself incapable of
carrying out his part of the program
and resigned. The same day Senator
Purcell of North Dakota took his seat
by appointment of the governor, and
was asked to take the place Paynter
had given up. Purcell proved himself
a master in cross examination, and it
was largely due to him and Ollie James
and Representative Graham of the
House that the facts were brought out
which eventually caused Secretary
Ballinger's resignation and started the
movement which resulted in President
Taft's securing eight electoral votes
In the following presidential contest in
1912. Now Ollie James sits in Payn
ter's seat in the United States Senate
and Purcell is a candidate for the
U. S. Senate from North Dakota.
SO it is in a very large measure due
to a North Dakota man that the wide
sweeping change in the political com.
plexion of the country was brough'
about. And thus it will be seen tina
Senator Purcell of North Dakota was
largely responsible for the Inaugural
ton of progressive principles through
out the nation and at Washington
When it became known that mem
oers Of the Ballinger investigating com
mission were not going to agree, inter
est became tense. Senator Root O.
New York, Colonel Roosevelt's secfe
tary of state, was considered a power
full influence favoring Mr.. Ballingef',
exoneration. Just what would be tn
attitude of the new North Dakota sen
ator was unknown. Consequently hi
masterful speech in the Senate o.
Jan. II, 1911, in which he announced
his uncompromising position of pro
tecting the peoples interests, mad
him a national figure.
Mr.. Purcell was a delegate from THU
state to the now famous Democratic
convention at Baltimore in 1912 whicl
nominated Woodrow Wilson, witt
whom he has been personally acquaint
Cd for more than Is years,