The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-10-18
Farner-Labor Candidate Already
Has 10000 Votes Solidly,
United for Democracy.
REAcTIoNARlEs ARE sPuT
aAvie.y of Minnesota SikUsaIon Shrssss
only TWO Parties, One Progressive,
the other Reactionars-Evans Sol.
ldw Backed by Forcs-

ing and yet one OF the most complex
political campaigns in its entire his
tory. Politicians are agreed that the
coming campaign will see epoch max
ing events in the states political his
terry.
So tssr as the elements that go to
make up the political situation are
,concerled, there are Numerous com-
plicauons-so many complications, in
fact that the entire situation takes a
many sided aspect. m
,GubernstoriaI Race Leads.
In the gubernatorial race is prob
ably one of the most interesting sitU-
ations. Into this fight, as well as the
fights for 6ffices of attorney general
and clerk Of the state supreme court,
the strength oof the powerful force
formed by the combination Of the Ma
-tional Nonpartisan league end the
Minnesota Federation of Labor is be-
ing injected.
On the other. aand, there is to be an
interesting three-cornered fight for
United States senator, into which the
element of the Noapartisans and the
labor unions have not yet entered.
In this senatorial ffgnt, Knute Mel
son, Republican, heads the ballot. The
reactfonary conservative Democrats,
who split their party when they nsnai-
mated Fred Wheaton 9as gubernatrial
candidate in the primaries, decided co
keep the Democrats rout of the fight
and to throw the entire Democratic
strength to Knute Nelson, the Repub-
lican. They refused to put Demo
crat in the race. After the primaries,
however, the insurgents Democrats
who had supported Judge w. L. Com
stock against Wheaton in the pri-
maries, jumped into the battle by ad-
Vancing Alfred j. Davis, Minneapolis,
as insurgent Democratic candidate.
Whether he will file as Democrat
ior as an independent is the subject of
a legal Wrangie at the state capital
w. G. CaIderwood, Nationalist, and
formerly prominently connected with
the National Prohibition party 1organi-
cation, is the third senatorial ,candi-
date.
TWO Camps Evident.
In the gubernatorial fight, two we'll
defined camps are formed. One is
progressive, the other is reactionary
The former camp has the unanimous
backing of organized farmers and or
gained 1aborers. Its candidate is
Dave III. Evans, farmer and hardware
merchant at Tracy, MINI. He will
have not only the backing of organized
farmers and organized laborers, but he
viii also get the support of the insur-
gent Democrats who were dissatisfied
with the high-handed methods en-
ployed by the old Lynch machine,
which put Wheaton into the runaing,
and all other progressiyes
On the other hand, the reactionary
forces Of the state will be split be-
tween J. A A. Burnquist, incumbent,
and Fred Wheaton, reactionary Demo-
crat. Burnquist has made himself OBJ
noxious to every progressive in the
state. He signed a letter earlier this
year referring indirectly TO organized
workers as a 4'lawless element He
has constantly referred indirectly to
the farmers of the state as disloyal-
lists. There have been several out
ward manifestations of the contempt
in which organized farmers and or
ganized workers hold BurnQuist He
refused to address a farmers state
convention IN ST. Paul last spring.
Later when the American Federation
OF Labor held its national convention
In St Paul. the governor was snubbed
by not being invited to speak. This
was the frat time in the history of the
federation that it's convention was not
welcomed by the governor of the state
N which it met
Progressives Oppose Burnquist.
Reasons for this sitter opposition TO
burnquist by progressives are numer-
GUS His record is such that he has
been accused Of being unduly friendly
TO special interests. He and the pub
lie safety commission, of which ne is
the head, have energetically stepped
upon every attempt of progressives for
recognition. Their handling OF labor
controversies, and their refusal to
take action to protect farmers politi-
Cal meetings against interference by
MODS ara among the things which
nave caused the most bitter feeling In
the ranks of progressives.
On the other hand, Fred Wheaton,
the Democratic candidate for COVER
nor, Is distasteful to progressives both
WITHIN his own party and outside of it.
AT the regular" Democratic state con-
'ehuon in st. Paul, when Wheaton
was nominated the Lynch machine
predominated. The machine worked
tne convention smoothly Wheaton
was railroaded through the convention.
as the Democratic nominee, in such a
manner that the insurgent Democrats
rsyoited and put Judge Comstock OF |
Mankato In the primary race.
Wheaton Is ReactIonary.
Wheaton's reactionary record q
sKsA known He owns nronertv N |