Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-01-15
THE LEAGUE AND NoNPAR11sAN-
SHIP.

THE LEAGUE AND NoNPAR1IsAN-
In q recent issue, the Christian Sell
ence Monitor quotes q paragraph or
two from an address delivered In Chi
cago by DR.. j. NJ. Gillette Of the Uni
versity Of North Dakota, the subject
Of the excerpt being the activities Of
the Nonpartisan, League. The para
graph introducing the quotation reads:
Discussing political parties and
democracy before a convention
Of educators here recently, Prof.
John NJ. Gillette OF the University !
Of North Dakota referred to the
possibility Of gain from universal
izing non-partisan elections, and
4 said the Nonpartisan League had
been unfairly represented in the
press.
OF the work of the league press
and the press generally DR.. Gillette Is
quoted rs saying:
With its own press and public
speakers 1t has been able to get
to the voters and define issues
in a most effective manner. Its
press has been its salvation :,
, against attack, for the press OF
the nation has been most unfair
in representing the movement. re-
minding us that the control Of
the press is one Of the most crit.
ical items in the struggle for .
greater and better democracy. Z
Probably the average reader out
side Of North Dakota would under
stand that when the subject Of nom
partisan elections is mentioned refer
n is had to elections from which
the political party is eliminated. Such
elections are those which have been
held for a good many years in the cit
les Of this state, as well as in the cities
of some other states, in which no par
ty nominations r recognized, and in
which no party columns or party
designations appear on the ballot.
=. II the reader is led to believe that
the Nonpartisan League in North Da-
kota is operating Under any such plan,
or is trying to bring it about, here or
he is being woefully mis-
guided. The application in this man
ner of the nonpartisan principle to our
state elections WIS n of the p'anks
in the original league platform. And
}~ tho 1n~So1o%{vN eoAro{.v1 ~ q = Tao
first in which the league controlled
either branch Of the assembly, the
house. which was controlled BY league
members, passed a bill providing for
the elimination OF the political party
Rs an official factor In all state and,
elections, leaving the po1it-
ical parties to function as before in
all elections having a national bear
ing. The bill was passed by the house,
but the senate, which had a nom
leagne majority, rejected it.. Since
then the league has dropped the nom
partisan idea like a hot poker, and has
never dared to pick it up again. AT
each session since that time-one reg
ular and two extra sessions, members
not affiliated with the league have in
troduced and supported similar bills,
but in each case the league forces
have voted them down. The situation
is that the Nonpartisan League, acting
under the direction Of MI. Townley, is
the sole obstacle to real nonpartisan
elections in North Dakota.
Dr.. Gillette is correct, in saying that
the league has been unfairly repre-
scented by the, press, or at least by a
portion of the press. The activities Of
the organization have been not mere
" unfairly, but falsely set forth in the
ironclad newspaper organization which
is controlled from league headquar-
tiers, and the subject has been inaccu-
rately dealt with by scores Of writer's
for the eastern press who have made
flying visits to the northwest and have
assumed, in the innocence Of their
hearts, that the way to obtain trust
worthy Information about the league
was to go to Mr.. Townley or some of,
his henchmen for it, just as some 9TH
er writer's have assumed. that the way
to obtain accurate Information about
Bolshevism was to ask Lenine or
Trotzky to supply it.