Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-07
SELECTION OF
!. L.1L.'.STAIR Is.
DISAPPOINTING
TO. LEACUERS
The Nonpartisans Followed
' Townley's Orders Against
Their Wishes.
(By George A. Benson.)

(By George A. Benson.)
Bismarck, N. D., Jan. I'm the se-
lection Of L. L. Stair of Bottineau
county as speaker of the house to
succeed Howard Wood, was not very
popular move with the rank and file
OF the league members. if one is to
Judge by corridor gossip today. Wal
ter Maddox of Mountrail. who made
splendid record in the last session,
was the choice of the majority of
members and had 1t not been for
Townleys steam roller he undoubtcd-
" would be speaker for he also had
the endorsement Of the Independent
members.
Stair was endorsed at last nights
secret caucus. the vote being 81 to 80.
AS usual, Townley then demanded
that a rising vote declare his selec-
tion unanimous. and the leaguers did
as they were told.
Just before the vote was taken, a
he was called into the committee
meeting. He was told that if he could
impress his friends with the impor.
tance of throwing the contest into
the house today, he would secure ev-
cry Independent vote. but he declared
that this was impossible, as either he
or Stair would be selected by the
league within few minutes. The
vote was taken shortly after this, and
Stair was nominated.
The Independents, then believing
that the $1,000 people they represent,
should have hearing, decided to pre-
sent J. F. T. o'Connor of Grand Forks
in opposition to Stair. 1t is easily
seen that Maddox was the popular
choice.
While the league members accept
ed the decision. with the unanimity
they always show in such cases, some
of them are disposed to express their
disappointment, and several were
very open in their declarations that
Maddox would have been elected had
it not been for other influences, the
Influence of course being Townley.
League, Weakened.
So far as the Independents are con-
cerned the selection of Stair is the
purely political standpoint. 1t has
weakened the league in the house,
and many are predicting that the or
ganization will find itself in hot water
before the session is very far under
sway. Gossip around the hotels is to
the effect that several weeks ago
Townley offered the senatorship to
Maddox upon certain conditions. but
that Maddox refused to agree to all
Among several Of those on Etty in,
side, it is believed that Stair was
chosen for the propaganda work he
can do for the league. He was one
of the original organizers, even to
the point of advancing $3,400 without
nd al has been 9Cs
tive and very faithful. Two years
ago he was Townley's floor leader
in the house. The possibility Of his
being used in work in other states
was indicated by Patterson Of Noun
trail in his address last night In
support Of Stairs candidacy, Patter-
son declared that we will decorate
him with such honors that he can go
, into any state with honor"
Has Them Organized.
How thoroughly, Townley had
Stairs boom organized. is indicated
by the faith that number of hand
picked speakers got to their feet i'm
mediately after and spoke in favor
of him. No one spoke in Maddock's
behalf. Walter Thomas Mills. radical
Socialist, who is here helping Town.
ley draw up his bills. spoke at the
caucus He mentioned the fact that
a great body is sitting in France to
reconstruct the affairs of the world
and that another is sitting in Wash:
ington to reconstruct the affairs OF
America, 'but these bodies are insig.
nificant when. compared with thetl
great body of North Dakota farmers
he said:
Mills spoke of the terminal elevate,
bills, state owned flour mill PROPOSE.
ton, and the state. controls and he
outlined the league program.
In the senate, Senator McNair o.
Trail county soon after the session
had been convened. offered list o.
employees which had previously beer
made up by w. j. Prater, secretary o.
the former system of permitting sen
ators to pick employees was abondoned
Following is the senate stan:
Assistant secretary, M. A. Stanley
keeper, Mr.. Mooney; enrolling ant
engrossing clerk, Will Wright; Assist
ant enrolling and engrossing clerk,
p. Simmons; bill recording clerk, A
W. Luchre; bill room clerk, H. A
Thomas:- bill messenger, Nels Grorum
messenger, and postmaster, M. E. Bat
terbury; mailing clerk Reuben Har
per; cloak room attendant, s. c
Thompson clerk. appropriations. Car
Hugo Carlson: clerk of senate affairs
Carl Wallink: clerk. judiciary, Johl
!. w. Clark; committee clerk, Mr.. Sci
bel; janitor, G. w. Sherwin; janitor
Jack Rothscheller; pages, Guy Grove
Archie Olson and Carl Hoover; stem
ographers, Mrs. Lieutenant Mason
Nettie Pakstad, Miss Hoffman, Mis-
The system employed two years a9.
- rnfo<inc ohio n1o ins will he rafninAf