The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-01-07
Ceuriosity Kill
ed The cat
Governor Hanna is Not Repre-
seating the People Of No.
Dakota Abroad
ILLUMINATED FROM POLITICS
Ford Started out With a High
1deA But Was Unable to Ac-
~. complish I'd

J.. compllsh 1u
Away back, in childhood;s
days, l was told the story Of the
cat who permitted her curiosity
to get the better Of her good
jud.! ment and the fatal result
that ensued.
The stony is recalled by Gov
ernor Hannais s present predica-.
ment. His curiosity appears to-
have placed him in most ridic4!
ulous light in the eyes of the:
world, ard it has, without a
doubt, killed off any chances he
might have cherished for po-
litical preferment.
The governor has at his back
one Of the most perfect politi cal
machines, and he maintains one
Of the greatest press agent bu-
reaus in America; and, when he.
determined to accompany the
Ford expedition, that fact was
heralded far and wide. The
of the state Of North Dakota,
but as a private citizen, was not,
mentioned at that time. 1t was
q 6rst-class chance to get into,
the Gmelight, and he took it,.
The fact that no other state ex,
eoutive had accepted Mr.. Ford s,
Invitation only made his position
the stronger. His discretion ap-,
pearv to have been blinded bly,
the desire for notoriety.
Then dissension arose in the;
peace Iarty. The ship had;
scarcely left the shores of Ameri'
ca before the 'incompatibles"
as they have been called, began
quarreling. L. B. Hanna, as the
only governor on board, occupied
commanding position.
The disagreement kept up until
Henry Ford realized the fntility!
Of the while scheme as it had.
been carried out, and concluded.
to make the best Of q bad bargain
by quitting. The moment he
was out of the way, all be-
came chaos on the ''peace" ship.
Nobody Knows exactly how it
hap .anedI but somebody must
have advised Mr.. Hanna that he:
was in an equ;vscal POSITION, to-
say the least, and Mr.. Hanna ap-
pears to have walked up.
Now we are RECALLED with a
lot Of slush about his leaving;
the party in a huff because the
other members had endeavored
to take undue advantage Of his
title; that as a member Of the.
peace party, he was Prisates1it- +.
.i7en L.:sB. Hanna, and that he
left his. title Of governor at.
home, etc.
. It is safe to bet that he took
his decorat on along with him.
Mr.. Fcrd is adk, which is no.
more than should be expected.
He started out with a high ideal
which was incapable Of aecom1
Hlistment, and we should look
with charity upon its failure.
He appears to have come to the
conclusion that he is not as big
man in International affairs,
as he is in the automobile world
But L. B. Hanna s position is.
different The declaration that
he LETT his title at home carries
little weight. When a man irl
elected to the gubernatorial chair
he is expected to represent the.
people of his state, and he can
not throw aside that RESPONSE
bility by his mere say-so, and
the people of other nations have
a RIGHT to conclude that he ac7.
companied the expedition in. an
official capacity. As the only.
governor present, he doubtless
expected to occupy the spot-
light most of the time.
His action las caused North
Dakota to be ridiculed from one
end ofs the naticn to the others
the intelligence Of the state has
been measured bV that Of the
governor5in becoming a member
Of the patty. And the truth Of.
the matter is that =. b Hanna
no more -represents the senti7
'ment Of the sts:te than the intel.
ligence Of the inmates Of the
insane asylum at .Jame estOWn re-
presents the intelligence Of the.
ma.ses Of the people Of North
Dakota.
There is one good feature Of