Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-08
DIVET RECALLS
ATTITUDE OF
GOV. FRAZIER

wv. IlAAAdAL ]
Cites Declaration that Eco
nomic Changes Would be
Considered Separately.
Jamestown, N. D.. Oct. s.-Hon. A.
G. Divet. a prominent Republican
and legislator Of Fargo, de-
livered an address at jamestown last
night, in which he called attention
to the fact that prior to the election
of two years ago, Governor FidHier
publicly promised that the many
progressive and. more or. less radical
.stitution by the Nonpartisan league
program, would be taken up n at
a time. and in the regular way pro-
vided for amending the constitution.
and that on the strength Of these pre-
election promises, men who were
more or less unconvinced of the wis
dom Of the proposed program, gave
Frazier their hearty support and 81
tremendous majority was rolled up
" AAAAAl oI S44S 6CAAVA oil ClVSSAOIsE ~ ..
Mr.. Divet charged that an effort
was made to get all members of the
legislature for 1917 to commit thenl-
selves in favor of the passage Of
House Bill "A before they had even
an opportunity to read the bill, and
that Governor Frazier by urging the
immediate passage Of that Mill vio-
lated his prediction promises to the
people Of North Dakota, and can
fhoroforo nof oynoct tho roor1o IN
take much stock in any promises or
statements that he makes before the
election coming on November S. Mr..
Diyet spoke in part as follows:
Political parties like other organ
izations must be judged as to wha:
they viii. do in the future by what
they have done in the past, and we
must discuss the party which is now
seeking our suffrage under the mask
of Republicanism in the light of
what it has done and promised dur
ing its short existence. AS it has
kept or broken its pledges and as it
has acted wisely or without wisdom
must be measured its present prom
Uses and integrity.
about three years ago a new po-
litical force came into being and be-
gan to manifest itself in this state.
1t grew by leaps n bounds until
some two months before the primary
election of 1916 there were manifest
Indications that it would become the
dominating force of the Republican
party. 1t stood for many new ideas
of government, and advocated
changes that were hailed on the ole
hand as reforms calculated to build
up the states greatness. On the 9TH
er, hand it was contended with equal
earnestness that they would rs de-
structive Of all the states best inter-
ests and their advent was hailed as
the ~forerunner of a wild cat system
of combined political and economic
experiment based upon the worst
features of Socialism.
The. contest waxed hot and bitter
within the Republican party with the
strongest possible criticisms Of each
faction of the party by the other: Be
fore h primary the counting of the
votes showed that the new force had
prevailed and the. Republican party
control had passed to those who stoud
sponsor for the new ideas. Men of
long years of Republican a%f1liation
did not stand ready to lightly sever
their connections with the party, and
yet stood aghast at the extravaganza
Of h claims advanced as to the re-
forms to be introduced and the all
controlling question became whether
the Republicans of the defeated wing
Of he party would continue as Re-
publicans or would repudiate the
ticket nominated and support the
Democratic nominees. No one recog-
nized the situation better than the
leaders of the new movement and to
insure the election of their candi-
dates 1t was necessary that the de-
feated wing be satisfied that their
fears were groundless.
For the D1rnOSe NJ 0ainfnD the
confidence and alloying the fears of
the defeated wing of the party, Lynn
j. Frazier, then candidate for gov
ernor, issued through the public press
an assurance in the following words:
81 expect the 1917 legislature to
pass for the first time bills for SUBJ
mission to the people of constitution
owned flour mills. packing plants and
cold storage plants. These will have
to be passed a second time by the
1919 legislature before they can Re
submitted to the popular vote. Don't
misunderstood me: these progressive
planks in u platform will not be
handled hastily. Many eyes will be
watching everything we do and we
must move cautiously and carefully.
en- up and considered candidly and
seriously
The proposition was so eminent
~ .fair as thus put forth hat no man
believing In parties and in the fights
OF majorities to- dictate governmental
policy could fail to meet 1t half way.
In response to that declaration of
principles and purposes thus put
forth as a bid for votes, the Repub-
licans who had supported Burdick
and Frain came into line, supported
nominees Inc elected them by a