Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-06
Few Senators Lost Cue At
First Show Then Dress
Rehearsal Was Held And
Men Were "Trained'' To
Put Bill Through When
Reconsidered.
(By Geo. A. Benson.l

Bismarck, N. D., March 6.-Varied,
indeed, were the methods used by
Bishop" William Lemke, high priest
of the Nonpartisan league, in putting
across his legislative program.
= His Kill 'em" work Of the secret
caucus was very effective, but he
never staged anything SO successfully
and 80 effectively as the dress re-
hearsal enacted in Governor Lynn j.
Frazier's office last Saturday. 1t was
the last day Of his legislative assem-
: bly,; the final scenes in making the
state the socialist laboratory of the
country were being enacted; stage
hands had prepared the settings for
the last act; trumpeters were in the
wings, ready to herald the dawn of a
new day in the commonwealth of
North Dakota; mickey" O'Connor's
orchestra was not there, but it was
not needed; Job Wells Brinton was
hopping about corridors and offices,
working for an opportune moment to
"put out the light" of the Independent
press of the state; in senate and
house, the league actors were speak
ing their lines in the monotonous.
mechanical manner of actors grown
weary 'of their part.
Then something happened! A few
Of the actors in the senate missed
their cues! They spoke the wrong
paced upon and down the wings,
madly tearing his hair!
The immigration bill had been
killed!
Bishop" Lemke was notified, and
Something had to be done to save the
day! The immigration bill was need
ed to carry on the leagues propa-
ganda work in other states!
After fifty-five days of strenuous
campaign to make North Dakota safe
for Socialism, it wouldn't do to slip
up at the last moment, and let the
League of Brothers perish on the
looks of Senatorial objection.
Lemke talked to the governor. The
governor gave the word, and the
scenes were set for a dress rehearsal
in sthe executive office. where hover
the spirits of other days and othel
conferences, but conferences such as
never took place that day
Later in the afternoon, the immi'
yration bill was revived and passed
and the last battle to make, the state az:
save for, socialists had been fought
But that was the result Of the dress
2A0drSdl. -.a. > ..i ~,
Governor Frazier and Bishop
4emke were the protagonists of the
little drama. sOne by one the slipping
gainst the immigration bill thai
rlorning-came in and sat in seats
repaired for the OCCASION
They were told, and told in
,.lost convincing way, that the
immigration bill had to pass, be-
ause the state had to sell some
S17,OOO.OOO worth of bonds. That
was the chief reason given, for
about North Dakota, the senators
were told, were being printed In
papers outside the state, and
these lies had to be overcome
and counteracted If the bonds
were to be sold.
The first league senator to arrive
was one from the valley. His stano
on several league measures had beer
rather Independent, and it certainly
was when it came to the immigration
bill.
What do you mean by Nvotint
against the immigration bill?" th'
governor asked.
when 1 made my last campaign
governor" he replied. zone of the bes
things could talk about was the fac
that we had killed a 100000 appro
priation for immigration work..
Eyes, but conditions are differen
( today" said the governor.
Eyes, I know; we're in contro
now" was the reply.
By that time the other league sen.
ators had arrived, and the dress re-
hearsal began.
Both Lemke and the governo
spoke. They told about the viciou;
stories being printed about Norti
Dakota. Something had to be dom
to counteract them; hence the $500,
900 appropriation for propaganda
work. The boys were told about tn
bonds that had to be sold; NOTHING
must be put in the way, they were IN
formed, else the whole league Indus
trial program would fail.
The meeting ended in few mo
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