The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-04
Nonpartisans to Circulate
Them Only Within
District
UNUSUAL FEATURE
IN STATE POLITICS
Convention Presided Over
by Nonresident, Con-
trolled by Outsiders

Petitions for the nomination OF
John Baer, Nonpa9tisan league
candidate for congress in the
First district, will not be circulat,
ed outside of the district, despite
the fact that the convention which
nominated him was controlled by
non-residents.
That the league forces intend tc
circulate petitions only within the
district is evident from announce.
ments made authoritatively by the
organizations publicity depart.
ment.
The spectacle of a political organiza-
ton asking the people of a congress
sional district to ratify by election It's
choice Of a candidate, named in
secretly conducted convention. secret
ly called and presided over by mar
not q resident of the state. and the
majority of the members of which were
not residents of the district for which
they named a candidate. is being pre-
scented to the people of North Dakota
at the present time, in the Nonpartisar
leagues campaign for John Baer fol
congress to succeed the late II. L
Helgesen.
Probably a most picturesque touch
is lent to the whole plan of cam
paign by the fact that the Non
partisans are going before the people
OF the district with a man named In
secret convention. called by Minnie
sofa resident, controlled by non district
members. while they, at the same time
seek to condemn the Republicans be-
cause the Republican party has declar-
ed its purpose of holding. a convention
to which delegates are being elected In
county conventions. properly constl-
tuted through the holding of precinct
caucuses. with all proceedings wide
open to the public.
Not only was the Nonpartisan league
convention call issued from st. Paul
from whence in halcyon days gf yoFe
il has been said that everything bad
in North Dakota politics en- anated. but
the purpose of the convention was
shrouded under the term, important
business"
'tThe convention was secretly called,
said a well known league man today,
because of the desire to avoid any
wire pulling in advance Of the time
fixed for the gathering. That Is why
none of the Nonpartisan newspapers
published anything about the meeting.
Important Precedent.
In the nomination of John Baer for
congress. and the development Of Will
liam Lemke, of Fargo, as a candidate
for the United States senate, in the
next election, precedents that will have
an important bearing upon the future
operations of the Nonpartisan league
are established.
Heretofore, Pres. A. G. Townley has
insisted that nobody identified with the
league organization work should be
brought forward as candidates, but the
Developments of the Friday last con-
yention in Fargo seem to indicate that
that is no longer a cardinal plank in
the organizations rule of procedure.
Parties Have No Place.
Still another striking incident in
connection with the coming election Is
the declaration of the attorney general
and the governor that parties have no
place in special elections in North
Dakota. Partisan elections have not
been abolished in North Dakota by the
agency the people have regularly es-
tablished to deal withA such issues,
namely, the legislature.
The petitions placed IN circulation
by the Nonpartisan league tor the
nomination Of Mr. Baer indicate to
what extremes an organization, which
absolutely dominates and controls the
machinery Of government, may go to
carpy out it's program.
Here is the manner in which they
expect to put Baer's name on the
ballot: