The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1918-03-22

~ suo o1oIoS oub only very IoW men
ever got we'll acquainted with him. His
associates of the early days knew him
better than the people who have come
later, but even those who worked with
him, or against him, knew but little of
the real man.
He was modest, reticent to fault,
never pushing himself to the front, he
left his friends to guess at his am bitlons
and desires.
His early life in this country was
among the environments incident to
| what has been called the wild and
woody west" There was but little res
traint by law and order in those days
over the lives of the men who we're here,
but they were governed by code of Gus
tom and honor among themselves that
stood in place of printed statutes.
From these environments grew Judson
LaMoure and from these first things
came the state of North Dakota. They
grew up together. The full biography
of Mr.. LaMoure would be colnciue mt
and colaborrative with the state. "By
their fruits ye shall know them" Let
him who asks the autobiography of this
man 30 and read the history of North
Dakota. Let him who looks for his
eulogy or his monument, go read the
statutes and view the public institutions
of this state.
For more than a score of years he held
the purse strings of the state by reason
of his continuous Craftsmanship of the
appropriation committee. These were
in the years when revenue was meager
and needs were very great. Our institu.
tions then were several years ahead OF
possible revenue, but somehow we paid
the bills, somehow we got along until
the pioneer stage was over and emerged
with but little debt.
But while the burden of the state Fl.
nances fell largely upon him, yet his bit.
. terest enemies have never uttered the
word "grall" IN connection WIN hi:
name.
HIS political enemies called him "The
Man with a Wooden Face" and "Indlan'
and thus incidentally paid tribute to his
supposed stoicism. 1t was true that be
never ''squealed" but in fact he wa!
. super-sensitive. No man resented pre-
sumed slight or felt the sting of false
statements of his acts or motives more
than Judson LaMoure. But he took his
time to get even with the offender ano
, generally found the time and oppor
tunlty. But his very sensitlveness otter
lead him to take offense where none was
intended.
Personally he was tender as a woman
and almost as emotional. Children
: shouted him greetings as he passed then
by, while the dogs on the street all knew
him for friend and wagged their tails
in answer to his good-natured word.
1t may surprise some to learn that be
!; was one of the best read. and best in.
!; formed men. He was an omnivorous
reader with a splendid memory. He
was an encyclopedia of facts concerning
the state history and its laws, and his
general knowledge included very large
range of subjects. Though he had SO
large store of current matter, he was
} also remarkably exact in his knowledge.
Ii he knew thing at all he knew it all
and exactly. This was one of his pecul-
lar abilities.
Politically, as we have sai6, he was a
leader; taken in all directions and in all
political work, he did more and con-
trolled more in caucus, convention, and
legislature than any one of the men who
also were leaders IN the early days and
were contemporaneous workers within
and for Dakota.
To many outside of this county with
their hearsay knowledge of Mr.. LaMoure,
it was always mystery how the people
OF Pembina county as they expressed IT.,
did just what Jud LaMoure wanted
them to do''. But the reason was very
simple, Mr.. LaMoure was always careful
to do just what the people of Pembina
county wanted him to do. They knew
that whatever came he would never for
get that he was from Pembina county
and that his best friends resided in that
county. That with his natural abilities
was the secret of his political success.
Mr.. LaMoure played politics as a
game. He played for the excitement
and amusement OF it. He played for
personal success, but not in the way of
personal office. He looked for power.
He was not ambitious to be king but he
did want to have SHINE power at least in
making the kings. He would have made
far greater pecuniary success in other
business.
As an illustration of Mr.. LaMoure's
political methods and principles we will
add one incident, which came direct to
tho writor's nl,eo.vof;on A. A. q