The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-06-13

DOPE SHEET

The Anti-League Forces Are Franti-
cally Stalking Everything on the
Hope of Defeating Governor Frazier |
in the Primaries.
STEEN FORCES HANDICAPPED.
Frazier's Election is Conceded if He
Wins at the Primaries-His Abili- |
ty as a Vote Getter is Freely Ad-
mitted.
The following is a sample Of the
political dope which is being indulged
in by the anti-league papers. Polit-
ical forecasts are one Of the most
harmless forms Of amusement, and if
the antis are able to extract any sat-
isfaction from the facts and figures
given below they are certainly entitled
to it.
The dope sheet of past elections re-
veal some interesting sidelights on
North Dakota primary possibilities,
with the nominating election less than
a month distant. Two years ago North
Dakota had a decidedly interesting
primary election, which brought out
practically every voter in the state,
but interest at no time in that cam
paign reached the fever heat which
it has attained today.
The battle in North Dakota is be-
tween Lynn J. Frazier, Nonpartisan,
and State Treasurer, John Steen, in
dependent, who are seeking the Re-
publican nomination for governor.
The whole success Of the anti-league
movement hinges upon it's ability to
defeat Frazier in the primaries. The
Independents, if they lose cut in the
primaries, can undoubtedly find 300
men who did not participate in that
election and will nominate their own
ticket as an Independent slate to go
to the finals, but the advantage of
having the republican nomination
one which even the Nonpartisan
league has failed to overcome-is so
great that to fail at the primaries
will, at-least, be highly discouraging
to the independent faction.
Steen Consistent Vote Getter.
Between the Independents and the
Nonpartisans, there stand, claim
Steen's members, difference of but
3,123 votes, based on the primary re-
turns two years ago. This differ
ence is in favor of the Nonpartisans.
In 1916 Usher Burdick polled 23,326,
John H. Frame 9,780 and George
Plaza Smith 1881, total of 36,123
votes at the primaries. Frazier handi-
ly. copped the nomination with 3d.
246 votes. Steen, who had no oppo-
sition for the republican nomination
for state treasurer; at the same pri-
maries, polled 51,954. In the November
election, few months later, with the
full force of the league arrayed back
of their candidate, P. M. Casey, NOM
mated on the Democratic ticket, Steen
dropped but COS votes, finishing with
51,349, or just 200 more than the
league succeeded in attaching to Cas-
ey.
In the primaries two years ago,
75,36o votes were cast for the republi-
can nominees for governor. 1t is not
anticipated that the vote will be any
larger this year. It is reasonable to
expect, that with 10000 soldier voters
out Of the state, that it will be few
thousand less. If $1,000 be John
Stems rock-bottom figure as repres-
ented by the esteem Of the North Da-
kota electorate, then the 39,246 votes
which Frazier had at the primaries,
would do him but little good. But
between the primaries in 1916 and the
fall election that year, 1926 electors
who did not vote for any Republican
candidate at the primaries switched
to Frazier and he was elected with
1865 votes back Of him. He received
1926 more votes in November than
all the Republican candidates for
governor combined in June, and he re-
ceived 48,419 more votes than were
cast for him at the primaries.
The total number of votes cast for
all candidates for governor in No
vember, 1916, was 110,631. Macarthur,
the Democratic candidate, got 2O,351;
johnson, Socialist, 2,615. The Social
lists are cutting no figure at the pri-
mary election this year. Their regis |
tered number has decreased rather
than increased. Jumping them with
Frazier's vote gives US 90,28O ballots
which may be divided between Steen
and Frazier June 26. If Steen retains
his stride and romps home with 81 900
Of these ballots he becomes the Re
publican nominee, and without much
question, the next governor Of North
Dakota. If Frazier adds to his pri-
mary vote half Of the strength he
gained between the primaries and the
election two years ago he is the Re
publican nominee and will succeed
Frazier must poll q consid-
erably larger vote than he mustered
at the primaries two years ago or
suffer defeat. Steen must win ap-
proximately $500 more votes than