The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-21
REAL BATTLE TO
CONTROL GOPHER
LEGISLATURE is
DUE NEXT FALL
lNonpartisan Ballot Is Used
For Selection of Mime
sofa Solons
-
WHOLE SENATE
TO BE ELECTED
If Leaguers Lose Upper
Branch, They Are Balk-
ed Four Years
ia
CITY VOTE Is
GREAT FACTOR
Forty-four Members OF
Lower Assembly Nam
} ed In Three Cities
CITY VOTE Is
GREAT FACTOR
fsv \. D, PauIson.)

St Paul. MINI. March 21.-In its
attempt to capture control Of the
Minnesota state legislature, the Non
.oartiSar IesTue faces conditions diff
FERNS very materially from those
prevailing in North Dakota at the
time the league made its successful
drive two years ago: I'll,
The urinary election In June VIII
mt count for much so lar as leag
control iE concerned. the big fight be-
ing 6ue in the November election pe-
cause of the fact that the Gopher
state is operating under non
partisan election law so far as legls-
lative candidates are concerned.
Minnesota. this year elects an en-
4irelv new state senate of 81 mem
bers, the North Dakota plan OF elect
ing half the senate membership each
two wears not being In effect here.
one hundred and thirty-one house
members viii be named.
/ Forty-four Elected in Cities.
OF the house membership, ~ are
lelected in the metropolitan districts
of ST. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth,
wbiIs winona. with $4,000 people;
I Mankato. with 10000; st. Cloud, with
! III. 600. and numerous other smaller
cities. ara big factors in determining
the complexion OF the legislative as
l
IN the Nonpartisan league wins con-
troll of the Minnesota legislature, IL
will have TO gain the support or the
entire labor vote In the cities. ana
IL must have at least 15 TO 90 per
cent OF all the rural vote. accoFoIils
| ~ old time Minnesota politicians who
| have been studying the legislative
! fsItnation closely. They do not con-.
reaa tha LEAGUE a chance In the world
jof landing control.
Much Is now being said OF the
tabor vote" The NonpartiHan
| league leaders announce that they
have obtained working agreement
with the labor unions, and IN q
measurs. that pFosSoiy pEotss i,t,sisHl u true,
Political dopesters, however, do not
regard the labor vote. so called. as
= material factor in the Minnesota
situation, for they point TO figures IN
pas ~ elections as evidence Of the fact
fhat the tabor vote" doesn't vote as
a labor vote. 1t votes independ-
ent.
In the labor unions Of the twin
lcities there are thousands OF tnitia-
ton paying. dues paying members.
who never attend another meeting or
their union, and take no interest in 1t
except as dues payers. At the top
however there are the agitators-
the men who make their living by
virtue of their leadership in the labor
movement. They are always at the
front. telling what the labor vote"
Is going to do. but which seldom does
what they say it win do. These
leaders are. in the main. ultra radical,
or ultra Socialistic, and just now sew
eral OF the greatest labor unions in
MINNEAPOLIS have withdrawn from
the Minneapolis Trades and Labor
Council with the announcement that
the council Is in control OF red card
Socialists, not representative OF labor.
All Opposition United.
In analyzinE the labor vote, the
l1Tonpartisan opposition in Minnesota
and one must include in that OPP
position when 1t comes to considering
the legislature, all the opposition that
lies both within the Republican ranks
and the Democratic ranks--refuses to
become alarmed at the leagues pro-
fessed ability 20 bring the laborers
,and the farmers under the ToWnley
banner.
In the June primaries, the voters
will name twice az many candidates
as they will elect members in the
general election over hve months
later. In Clay and Wilkin counties,
league has already nominated its
ticket. there will be chosen in the
primaries two candidates for the SEN
ate. and four candidates for the
house. In the general election, one
senator and two representatives viii
Granting that the Nonpartisan
ticket is named in the primary, 1t
then must run the gauntlet OF a unit
ed opposition backing the other
candidate, unhampered by party ties
OF any kind whatsoever.
That same situation will hold true
All down the line-the Nonpartisans
probably will be able in all counties
where they seek to do SO, to name
their candidates in the primary for
the opposition viii not make a fight
at that time.
Keen For NonPartisan Ballot.
Minnesota politicians who had de-
picted the ruination Of party organi-
cation In the nonpartisan legislative
ballot, and in the nonpRrtisan county
Office ballot, today look with gratifi-
cation upon the law that will permit
the union OF loyalist and anti Nom |
partisan forces back OF one set OF
ieRislative candidates. In the nom
partisan ballot they see a way to
avoid the situation that developed in !
North Dakota. and II the Nonpartisan !
league fails to control the Minnesota.
gtata senate this year. then they
must 20 four years more before they |
have another opportunity to capture |
I'll. Within that time the league OPP
position feels confident that the
bubble will burst.
OF the "A members elected to the |
house by the three big cities Of the |
1c..-ai..,....s- -, 80 -