Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-06
Pro BuncO PubLicO

A short time ago there was held in the city of
Fargo one Of the most entertaining and interesting
political meetings. which have been pulled off in the
state in quite a while. A small gathering of dis
gruntled politicians, with a select s~prinkling of the
fortunate and envied few who have their shouts in
the public trough, gathered in the metropolitan city,
to select for the people Of this great commonwealth
the statesmen whom they desire TO- be at the helm OF
our good ship of state. ~ 4 ..t
From the reports of the meeting, it is reasonable
to conclude that the selection of captain was the
crucial problem; in fact, it was evidently "a most
momentous problem. And the mental agony of the
selfconstituted crew who felt themselves selected
and qualified by nature to name the said captain
must have been excruciating until that noble politi-
cal reformer, F. r. Packard, member of the mon
partisan" tax commission, CALAMITY came to the res
cue and offered the happy solution, for, when the
meeting was on the point Of adjourning without in
dorsing the political savlosr from Williston, Usher
L:E BqrdickaB for governor, the said Packard of the
"non.partisan" tax commission, rose nobly to the
occasion and delivered an impassioned harangue" on
the man Of the hour" Making telling use of his
former ecclesiastical experience, he finally requested
all who were ip favor of indorsing "Ush' to arise. A
number of unconverted sinners remained seated,
however, in spite Of Packard's putrid eloquence. But
finally the pathos, of the non:partisan tax commits
sioner's appeal, coupled with the persuasion of those
who were standing was too much, even for them,
and they reluctantly arose, and Ush had been "unan.
imously endorsed for governor" 4
In 1905, the Legislature, in response to the express.
ed wish of the people, enacted the primary election
law, the fundamental purpose of which was to sub
4sttnte in place @of the old >slate:making caucus, the
now we'll khoWnpprimary method of nominating can.
didates. The object Of that law was. to give every
aspirant for public office an equal c~hanfesto. run on
his merits by. doing away with slate-makins.E> The
law did not accomplish this well-intentioned purpose,
howeveryshence, in 1911, the legislature supplemented
It with q corrupt practices act.
Now the public is confronted with the spectacle
of certain sef-constituted %insurgent leaders resorting
to the same tactics which were used in the old slate
making days. The proceedings of this meeting were
absolutely contrary to the spirit of the primary cleo
ton. law, and they render the corrupt practices act
primarily null.
The coterie Of politicians who gathered at Fargo
loudly talk about reform and government by the
people, but their actions speak louder than words.
There were undoubtedly honest and well-intentioncd
men at that meeting. but they were duped by the
selfconstituted leaders. Who were some Of those
leaders. The press report Of the meeting is at hand.
There is the name of all exstate official, whom the
supreme court compelled to restore over $1,000 to the
state treasury, which he had illegally converted to
his own use. There Is the name OF the nOn-partisan
tax commissioner, whose duty the law p%rescribes to
be the devising OF a more equitable system OF tax
Nation, but who devotes a large share Of his time to.
the political propaganda. What a harmonious gath
efing it would have been had Bickford been there!!
Yet a banner be made and presented this crew
insdqibed-,
PRO N PUBLICO
OK. +. +. p.