The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-02-24
Pioneer Decides To Conduct Short
Straw Vote For Purpose Of Lining
up Next State Legislator
PROMINENT MEN MENTIONED
Other Localities Of District Concede
Bemidji Office, Announcement Of
Candidacy Should Soon Be Made
MUCH DEPENDS ON NAN
Should Be Backed By Every Enter
prising Citizen And Have No
Political Strings Attached

Wanted A man who will repre-
sent this district in the state senate.
In order to find out whom the peo-
pie of Bemidji want, the Pioneer has
decided to conduct a short three or
four days straw vote campaign, Civ
ing them an opportunity of express
ing their First and Second choice for
man to fill this most important Of
flee.
1t is generally conceded and 50 UNI
derstood by other sections of this dis
trict that Bemidji should furnish the
senatorial timber, Koochiching coun-
ty a representative and the north
half of Beltrami county the other re-
preventative. It now remains for Be-
midi to decide upon the right man.
-.E Slow to Act
= Efforts have been made to gather
together men from various factions,
If factions you can call them, for the
purpose of getting together and pick
ing a man upon whom all can agree.
So far, nothing has been accomplish
ed. 80 : -
Why not then; leave this to the
citizens and voters of Bemidji to de-
eide. With this motive in view, alb
solutely nothing else, the Pioneer
feels that it is going to be of some as
sistance both to the prospective as
pirants, as we'll as to the public at
large in conducting a short straw
vote campaign. -
Given Two Choices
Beginning with Wednesday, the
Pioneer will print a short form bal
lot, permitting the voter to give~his
first and second choice, and also sign
ing his name to the ballot Every
ballot received will be recorded only
as to who ds the first and second
choice and Immediately destroyed,
thus keeping no record whatsoever of
who voted for who. Each and every
voter is entitled to but one vote. The
ballots will appear in the Wednesday
Thursday and Friday Pioneers, in
order to give those who might over
look the opportunity the first night,
other chances to cast their vote. ~
To Publish Vote
The result of the first days vote
will be published the following is
sue and on Saturday night, February
20, the total standing will appear. ;.
The man who is given the majority
in the straw vote contest, we believe,
will be guided somewhat by such.
public sentiment. If his services are
demanded, we believe he will be big
enough to give them. We also be-
lieve that the public will agree that
the man who goes down to the state
senate should go down with, absolute
" clean hands, and without strings at
tached. He has a duty to perform,
which is far from being an easy mat
ter. He will need the support and
cooperation of the citizens in his dis
,trict, not only at the polls, but at
ter he has been sent down there.
His work should not be handicapped
in the least. He should be backed
up all the time by every one inter
ested. This wins.
Those Mentioned
For the purpose of enlightenment
to those who have shown little, If
any, interest in the matter, we pub
lish a few names who are among
those already mentioned Tor this Inn
portant post:
E. J. swedback, F. s. Lycan, A.
P. White, w. N. Bowser, r. s.. Hay
ner, J. J. Opsahl, A. q. Wedge, James
Black, A. P. Rdtchie, w. B: Stewart,
Judge NJ. A. Spooner, and M. J.
Brown.
We mention these merely because
they have been mentioned. There
may also have been others mentioned
whose names we do not omit inten-
tionally. In fact, this contest may
bring out entirely new timber and
possibly the winning candidate.
Watch for the ballot in the next
three issues Of the Pioneer. When
you've voted, see that your, neighbor
has.