The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-16
TONNEEY :OFFERS FOLLOWERS
.'0LD CAUCUS AND CONVENTION
SYSTEM AS. RARE PRIVILEGE
Nonparty Chief Seems to Take Pride in Lberaliy Which
Gives Members Opportunity to Delegate Primary
Election Rights to Forty Nine Men ,1r,

.g. ElectlOn NlgntS L
A formal cali for. the Nonpartisan
league precinct caucuses, announced
some time ago for February % in the
independent press of the state, has
been issued by A. c. Townley OF St.
Paul, president of the National Non.
partisan league, as follows:
"By authority of the national and
state officers Of the Nonpartisan
league you are hereby called to meet
in your voting precincts at 2 O'Clock
p. m. of Washington's birthday, Feb.
ruary 20, 1918. fs
"This meeting is for the object. of
choosing the delegates to the legisla-
tive district conventions fwho will
name candidates for legislative office
in North Dakota and who will select
the leagues candidates for state and
national offices.
DUTY again faces you. II you be.
lieve in good government and the rule
of the people, you will be faithful
to your trust and will be on hand. The
people of the state must stand by their
guns, or the advantage they have
gained in two years of glorious strug-
gle for their rights will be lost.
Friday, February o. is the most
important day of all the year for the
voters of North Dakota. That is the
day you act to choose the men who
wilt represent you: That is the day
you prove that democracy is alive in
North Dakota. &"
MANY OF your sons are at the front
fighting for democracy abroad. On
this day, on which we celebrate the
birthday of a great and noble Americ-
am who fought with the sword to
make democracy possible on the Amer
lean continent you are to have the
privilege of using the peaceful power
OF your advice and your vote to keep
democracy safe in America.
F'sYour friends, your nelghbors, your
fellow citizens of North Dakota and
the United States trust in you to do
your duty
','itasa "a. C. ToWNLEY, 7
= e@ Hil@a 5aS,-s 'President."
.'H IT'S An Old One. Z. +
"The privilege Of using the peace
full power Of your advice" to keep
democracy safe in America is again
delegated by President Townley, as 1t
was two years ago, and the old "boss.
ridden caucus and convention sys-
tenn is once more wsorted to, in lieu
of the primary system fich North
Dakota regarded victory for democ.
racy, at its inception some years ago.
The legislative district conventions,
following the precinct caucuses, will
select legislative tickets and name
delegates to the state convention, one
from each of the 40 Legislative dis.
tricts, and these 40 men viii determine
whom league members may vote for
ais candidates for state office on prim.
airy election day. 1t is not regarded
probable that the league will again
test its strength by seeking to NOM
mate men on two tickets, as it did two
years ago, when Patrick NJ. Casey of
Lisbon league candidate for treasur-
er, failed to make the grade. 1t is pre-
dicted that al state officers will be
nominated in the guise of Republican
candidates, to obviate the necessity
for, scratched ballots, which the
league claims contributed to it's de.
feat in the cast of Casey. a..
First You Pay Your Money.
In the precinct caucuses to be held
February %, only league members
will be allowed to vote New members
may be taken in at the caucuses by
vote of the farmers present, but only
II they are bonafide farmers, AND
PAY THEIR MEMBERSHIP DUES.
While the league button would indi-
cate that the organization Is one COM
bining the. farmer and the laboyer,
labor Is to have no voice in the choice
Of league candidates for legislative
and state offices. @ sa,
Furthermore, caucuses will 5be held
only in country districts. League
members living in cities or incorpOr.
ated villages must purge themselves
of their environment by journeying to
their nearest country precinct to take
part in the caucus, and then they may
participate only by vote of resident
members. At the legislative district
conventions, which will follow in short
order, no delegates twill be recognized
from city or incorporated village pre-.
cincts. III s ,t s
Gosh, But us Tough.
Townley's order in this respect will
rule out such good leaguers as Frank
Packard and George Wallace of the
tax commission, both Of whom are
legal residents of Bismarck; Karl
Kositzky, state auditor; Thomas Hall,
secretary of state; w. J. Prater, land
commissioner, and number of 9th
ers, all Of whom are established cit.
liens Of Bismarck John N: Hagan,
commissioner of agriculture and labor,
Is out OF 1t unless some country pre-
cfnct gives him permission to parti.
cipate in its caucus and the same Is
true Of A. s. Olsness, commissioner OF
insurance, and Judges Robinson
Grace and Birdwell, league members
OF the supreme court.
After the precinct caucuses have
convened and credentials committee
ho. oxo1udnd oil ;ndividra1S not en-.