Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1914-05-07

iHk udy, oatuFuay, was the 1lnai uay
for filing petitions. While we
would have favored the men who
were to be put forward, we heartily
disfavored the manner Of trying to
secure their election. The next
morning we did not hesitate to tell
every man we met the fact that
petitions for candidates must be
filed that day or not at all.
The result was that a mass.meet-
ing was hurriedly called that after
noon. Fifty votes were cast at that
meeting. despite the fact that it had
to be held in the afternoon which
is not the best time for such meet
ing. AT that time X. j. Grain de-
feated Scott Cameron % to 20 and
p. G. Rocks defeated H. N. Turner
SO to II. The rest of the ticket
chosen was elected without opposi-
ton.
Despite the fact that fifty votes
were cast Mt the mass-meeting Mr..
Grain only secured 4G on election
day. This means that men who
voted at the mass-mceting repudiat-
ed their own action and voted
against the findings of the meeting.
The writer has stated before that
he has nothing but the best Of feel
ing for Mr.. Jones and Mr.. SchiIling.
However. he is absolutely opposed
to the methods used to secure their
election 1t is easy to see the mo-
tive that inspired the men who put
them forward as candidates. After
the action of the mass-meeting they
Withdrew the other candidates they
proposed to place in nomination and
centered their efforts to electing the
mayor and city treasurer and there
were very good reasons why they
should. The mayor holds the bal
ancc of power as well as the appoint
i've power and the treasurer has the
banking of the funds.
The control of the last-named is
the key to the situation. The First
National Bank has had the municip-
al funds on deposit for years and
they did not propose to sec the same
go elsewhere without using all
means, fair or foul, to prevent it..
And that is why f. j. Pietz, of that
bank, was so active in fomenting the
trouble and disrupting any feeling
Of unity or cooperation that might
be apparent in the town. 1t was he,
with the help of f.. d. Fogle, that
shattered all the provisions of the
corrupt-practices act and carted
voters to the polls and electionecred
from the time the polls opened until
they closed despite that act. In one
instance. Lintonites who were work
ing on the ketchum farm, several
miles west of town, were brought
to town, voted, and returned to
their work. 1t was Mr.. Piet2
primarily that for the sake of
securing the deposit of few hun.
dred dollars. without interest, of
CITY money was willing to work all
means to put through" framed.
up ticket. His efforts had much to
do with fomenting the trouble and
certain unfortunate conditions did
the rest.
The writer does not believe that
the majority Of the voters Of this
town sanction methods that were
used to secure the election of the
mayor and treasurer and had not
certain personal matters entered in
| it is not probable that they will be
successful.
| The editor of the Record has been
placed in peculiar position MS a re-
suit of this election. We have
gained the ill-will of Mr.. Jones
and perhaps Mr.. Schiling, as
well as certain others. We have had
to oppose men that we would natur-
ally support and support men whom
we have never had any desire to
support. Nevertheless, we do not re-
gret our action in the least. We
frankly admit opposing the methods
used and the candidates put forward
through those methods. The fact
that they succeeded in making them
stick" makes not the least bit of diff
ference.
As to Mr.. Schilling. We believe he
is the same upright business man
and honorable citizen that we have
always considered him and is only at
fault in allowing an INSCRIPTIONS
manipulation to make him cats
paw. Mr.. Jones is an old-timer in