Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-15
From, al, Editorial In
Normanden
Thursday, June IA, 1912.
When the oaiee
Seeks the Man

Some Of our political gresnhorn
leaders are just now stalking around
in the district emitting vast volumes
of nonsense to the effect that the time
when the voters allowed the man to
seek the Office, 10 q thing of the past.
Now, they say, It is the office which
must look for the man IL things are
to 60 Alright.
"It sounds quite nice. this talk
about the ONCE seeking the man. And,
yet. 1t is perhaps the most foolish poll
teal nonsense that has been heard
of late, that 10: Nonsense when con-
sidered in the light of practical ma
terialization.
Can you. dear reader. imagine to
yourself the picture Of ''The Once
walking around looking for q proper
man? We have Townley's words to
the effect that this is actually what
happened when . candidate for con-
gress from tho. First North Dakote
''Ihe Once started out on a still
hunt for the man. Whence 1t started
has not been definitely determined
but 1t made its choice in Fargo. A
quiet young fellow who had no knowl-
edge whatever Of the needs of the dis
trict was the best material THE OF.
fce" was able to hnd.
"There is, Of course no one who
seriously believes this even though Mr.
Townley says it. and even though the
"Courier-News'' in Fargo obediently
repeats 1t. But. alas. there is moth
seeks the man, in that sense. 1t wa.
ever thus. in: this country since the
days when the Union was established
''The ONCE" is an aristocratic fellow
who docs not .condescend to perform
his own tasks but leaves them t.
others. AS errand boy 1.-The Office
has always made use Of. and still
makes use Of, the nearest politica
boss within reaching distance. And
as a rule, the boss chooses a modest
humble and coy fellow who, although
he knows very little about the move
ments Of the age or about the will o
the people and the voters. still has 8,
much sense left that he realizes tina
of the political boss. For this reasol
he also knows whom he must obey IL
the interest Of the ONCE.
"Does onyone actually believe, 70
instance. that the members Of tn
Nonpartisan league in the First dis
trict would have nominated John M
Baer as it's candidate to fill the vacan
cy after the excellent Norwegian
American Henry T. Helgesen-if
had been left to them? Not by a lon
shot! No ono would have been think
ing Of the cartoonist in connection
with this ONCE.
"But the ONCE seeks, tho man, sa
Townley and the Courier News
unanimously, they add. For the sew
enty delegates present At the oonven
tton nominated hin for the league
candidate without protests. 4,
There is no doubt about thii
They are very ''unanimous," thes
league ''representatives." They ais
sent Unanimous" vote Of thanks
Governor Frazier because he vetoe
the very same terminal elevator bi
which they Unanimously" adopted
the closing days of the legislature.
"1f "The Office" goes on to seek tn
man in this manner. we ought to
consistent and abolish the privilee
of voting. For, when 1.-THE Of1ce
at first has had SO great trouble 1
finding its man. the voters should M
be given an opportunity for doin
foolish things on election day. VIII
knows but that they might make ar
other aelection than the one a1read