The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-29
FRAZIER MARGIN
TN 1916 BALLOT
SLIGHT, SfEEN' s
HACKERS INSIST
Analysis of Primary Fig
ures Shows Actual
Strength of Candidates

Bismarck, N. D., May 29-The dope
sheets Of past elections reveal some
interesting sidelights on North Da-
kota primary possibilities. with the
nominating election less than a
month distant Two years ago
North Dakota had a decidedly inter-
esting primary election, which
brought out practically every vote
in the state, but interest at no time
in that campaign reached the fever
heat which it has attained today.
The battle in North Dakota is
between Gov. Lynn J. Frazier, Nom
partisan, and State Treasurer John
Steen, independent, who are seeking
the Republican nomination for gov
ernor.
steen Consistent Getter.
Between the Independents and
Nonpartisans there stand, claim
Stems hackers, difference Of but
1923 votes, based on the primary re-
turns two years ago. This difter-
In 1916 Usher Burditk polled 23.36z,
John H. Frame $3.50, and George
Plaza Smith 2,9S1, a total of 86,!25
votes, at the primaries. Frazier
,handily copied the nomination with
39,246 votes. Steen, who had no OPP
position for the Republican nomina-
ton for state treasurer, at the same
primaries polIed 81, 954. In the NO
vember election, q few months later,
with the full force of the league
arrayed back of their candidate, r
NJ. Casey, nominated on the Demo-
cratic ticket, Steen dropped but 60o
votes, finishing with 51,S49. or just
200 more than the league succeeded
H., a&% IN
In the primaries two years ago To-
500 votes. were cast for Republican
nominees for governor. 1t is not an
| ticipated that the vote will be any
larger this year. 1t is reasonable to
expect, with 10000 soldier voters out
of the state, that it will be a few
1 thousand less. If $1,000 be John
Stems rock bottom figure as rep
RESENTED by the esteem Of the North
Dakota electorate, then the S9,546
votes which Frazier had at the 1915
primaries would do him little good.
But between the primaries In 1915
and the fall election that year. 49,
/ 296 electors who did not vote for any
Republican candidate at the primar-
les switched to Frazier, and he was
] elected with 81, 665 votes back of him.
/ He received 1926 more votes in No
vember than all the Republican can
didates for governor combined in
June, and he received 4S,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 l10,6S1. MacAr-
thur, the Democratic candidate, got
| 30, S51; johnson, Socialist, 2,615. The
Socialists are cutting no figure at the
primary elections this year. Their
registered number has decreased
rather than Increased. Jumping
them with Frazier's vote gives &C.,
| $50 ballots which may be divided be-
tween Steen and Frazier June %,
next. If Steen retains his stride and
iromps home with 81, 900 of these bal
| lots he becomes the Republican NOM
inee and without much question the
next governor of North Dakota. If
Frazier adds to his 1916 primary vote
half of the strength he gained be-
| tween the primaries and the election
1.-TWO years ago, he is the Republican
nominee. Frazier must poll a con-
/ siderably larger vote than he mas
tered at the primaries two years ago
or suffer defeat. Steen must win APP
lproximately 8, 200 more votes than
icoralIed two years ago by Burdick,
Frame and Smith combined
Astute politicians contend Fraziers
/ two years administration has not
made him, stronger. On the other
hand, he Is in; as a green man he
demonstrated miraculous running
ability two years ago; and, there is
the sentiment which always is a fac
| tor In every election which would
give a first-termer. unless he has
been too utterly rank, second term
Aside from Frazier and Steen, the
fight is Kositzzy. league incumbent,
versus John La George, grand couh-
cilIor OF the Minnesota-D Dakota, do
main OF the United Commercial
Travellers, independent nominee;
Berndt 4. Anderson of Churchs
Ferry, independent, versus Obert A.
Olson, Bowman, Lacquer, for the state
itreasureship; nj. p. johnson, former
league incumbent, now an independ-
emit nominee, versus c. r. Dupuis Of
Temple, for railway commissioner,
and N. G. Macdonald, incument
Lacquer, versus Miss Minnie J. Mel
son of Valley City. independent, for
state superintendent OF public in
struction.
KositzlEy has a fight on his hands.
He recently was quoted as having de-
tclared at Napoleon that travelling
men were. encumbrances who should