The Bismarck tribune., 1918-05-29
ELECTION RETURNS OF 1916
DISCLOSE SOME INTERESTING
POSSIBILITIES FOR PRIMARY

The dope sheets of past elec-ion
reveal 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 vote 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 Governor Lynn J. Frazier, non
partisan, and State Treasurer John
.teen, independent, who are seeking
the republican nomination for gov
ernor The whole success of the anti
league movement hinges upon it's abil'
ity to defeat Frazier in the primaries
The independents, if they lose out in
the primaries, can undoubtedly find
500 men who did not participate in
that election and who will nominate
their ticket as an independent slate
to go into the finals, but the advant'
age of having the Republican nomina'
tion-one which even the Nonparti'
san league has failed to overcome
is so great that to fail at the primar'
les will, at least, be highly discour'
aging to the independent faction.
Steen Consistent Getter.
Between the independents and the
nonpartisans there stand, claim
Stems friends, a difference Of but
1923 votes, based on the primary re-
turns two years ago. This difference
is in favor of the 'Nonpartisans. In
1916 Usher Burdick polled 23,362,
John H. Frame, $3.50, and George
Plaza Smith, 1881, a total Of 36,123
votes, at the primaries. Frazier
handily copied the nomination with
39,246 votes. Steen, who had no Oppo'
sition for the Republican nomination
for state treasurer. at the same pri'
maries pol|ed 51,954. InTthe Novem-
ber election. a few months later, with
the full force of the league arrayed
back of their candidate, P. M. Casey,
nominated on ,the democratic ticket,
Steen dropped but COS votes, finishing
with 51,349, or just 200 more than the
league succeeded in attaching to
Casey. .ssa @rH9, -. .a
In the primaries two years ago 75,'
369 votes were cast for Republican
nominees for governor. 1t is not an
ticipated that the vote will be any
larger this year. It is reasonable to
expect, 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 repre-
sented by the esteem Of the North
Dakota electorate, then the 39,246
votes which Frazier had at the 1916
primaries would do him little good
But between the primaries in 1915
and the fall election that year, 12,296
electors who did not vote for any Re
publican candidate al the primaries
switched to Frazier, and he was elect
ed with 1866 votes back of him. He
received 1926 more votes in 'NOvem
her than all the Republican candidates
for governor combined in Jttne' and
he received 4S,4l9 more votes than
were cast for him at the primaries.
110,631 Votes in 1916.
The total number Of votes cast fol
all candidates for governor in No
venlber. 1916, was 1861. MacArth
ur, the Democratic candidate, got 20.
531: Johnson, socialist, ,2.61A The so
cialists are, cutting no figure at the
primary elections this year. Theil
registered number has decreased
rather than increased. Jumping
them with Fraziers vote gives US 9V'