Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-02
REPUBLICANS
WILL STICK TO
CONVENTION
Nomination for Congress in
the First Will be Carried
to Court.
Townley's Secret Caucus"
Scheme Likely to be a
Boomerang.

With Geo. A. Bangs chosen a. the
Baer the N~onpartisan league candt-
date. interest In the election to choose
a successor to the late Congressman
H. T. Helgesen centers In the action
OF the Republican convention, called
for Grand Forks June 20.
AZ matters now stand. the election
question undoubtedly will go to the
supreme court for a nnal ruling on
the statutes covering special elections.
parent that there il no disposition
among the Republicans to forego the
convention and nominate by petition.
With the exception of H. H. Aaker.
the Notwithstanding Q. B. Burt
ness Of this city and Fred T. Cuthbert
Of Devils Lake-have agreed that
they will stand by the action Of the
convention. and. while there have
been many requests that they circu-
practically decided that they will not
do SO.
To Rush to Supreme Court.
The convention will be held "a
planned. and a representative of that
body probably will leave on Train No.
80, June 20 with a certificate Of nom-
4iIdt1OAA AOT olSIIl6ICh. IL SOCISV0Ey VI
State Hall refuses h certificate, q
mandamus action will be instituted in
the supreme court. It Is believed that
the court will make the writ return
able by the following Monday, June
rs, and an immediate decision will be
asked. Inasmuch as it is only q mat
ter Of interpreting the statutes. 1t is
believed that a decision will be forth
coming within ~ hours.
. In order that the convention NOM
inee might have every advantage pos
sible. he will begin his campaign i'm
mediately after the meeting, acting.
Of course. on the assumption that his
certificate will be upheld.
1t has been suggested that all Of the
Republican candidates circulate petit
tons and file them thirty days before
the election and then have the unsuc-
cessful ones at the convention with
draw. There are legal difficulties in
the way, however. The statutes re-
quire notices Of withdrawal at least
thirty days before the election, and.
II this plan should be followed, the
convention action would be void, for
all the candidates would be on the
ballot.
Baer is 'Townley's Man"
The nomination Of J. NJ. Baer by
sAAS WAN 6ONASe SduSA0 SAIu0 III q
great surprise to local Republicans
and Democrats. 1t showed the firm
hand with which Townley runs the
league, and his utter disregard. when
personal matters are considered. Of
the Of the farmer. local Re-
publicans point out that when the first
big office. outside Of governor, comes
up, Townley disregards the farmer
and forces as a candidate a man who
never had anything to do with farm
ing.
ut is n Of the worst political
plumbers Townley has made.'' said q
we'll known North Dakota Republican
today. II do not mean by that that
they will fail in electing Baer. but.
farmers will begin to realize that they
are not being considered and that
Townley refused to take one Of their
own men. They will realize that Baer
wat agreed upon first by men outside
the First district. They also Will real
lie that Baer is almost foreign to the
district. having lived in it only a lit
tie over a ear and having absolutely
no interests here.