Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-18
BALLOT |! |! CASE
/: BEFORE HIGH
!. COURT TODAY
Judge Robinson Sees Nc
Reason For the Four
Column Ballot.
Especial to The Herald)

Bismarck, N. D., Oct. 1S.-wm.
Lefake, appearing as attorney in the
case in which the Nonpartisan league
seeks a supreme court injunction pro-
hibiting the printing Of the three col
umn ballot being printed by some
county auditors, charged before the
court that frauds~is persistently prac-
ticed against the Nonpartisan league
in preparation of ballots. =.
Although the only question raised
in the petition before the court was
on the question of the legality Of the
three and four column ballots, Lemke
presented an affidavit Of George A.
lotion, Jr., publicity man for the Nom
partisan league, asserting that fraud
ulent practices were discovered in
many parts of the state Lemke was
we'll started on a political speech to
the court when Justice Robinson In
terrupted by saying that a sample Of
the three and four column ballots
world PeTbest ssvidence of whether
ebn't see how any voter could be
mixed up,'' said Justice Robinson,
looking at..the three 9. column ballot.
The word .Nonpartisan league appears
Assistant Attorney General e. b.
Cox. appearing In behalf Of the county
auditors and secretary Of, state, said
that the question Of. legality of the
four column ballot was not raised but
that II It were he would contend it
was illegal.
Lenke asserted that although the
heading OF, the third column Of the
three column ballot Is Individual
Nominations" the fact that socialist
candidates and Nonpartisan league
candidates for state offices for which
the league was defeated in the primary
would make the voter think that every
name in the column was socialist.
Believes Dehs Good Man.
THE name Debs appears and Debs
is in the penitentiary," said Lemke,
"and thousands of voters wouldn't vote
this column" He added, however, that
II am not criticizing Mr.. Debs or any
one who is for him." Lemke continued
that the socialist party was entitled to
a separate party column, and that in
dividual nominations should be in an
were three political parties entitled to
party designation. @ a .
Confusion Impossible.
He pointed out that in 1916 the So
cialist party failed to cast enough
votes to entitle it, under the law, to
la separate column. He simply quoted
statutes to the court. 1t was pointed
out that under the name of each
league candidate nominated by petit
ton, there was the words Nonpars.san
league SO that voters would not be con-
fused.
Judge Robinson referred to the law
which says that an Independent candi-
date may have five words to designate
his principles and that the Nonparti-
san league candidates had used the
league name.
Lemke charged that in Golden Val
ley county league Legislative candidates
did not appear on the ballot, that one
man in Mclean nounty, one man in
Adams county and one in Stark coun-
ty We're left out. d.
Since the afridavit had not been
made public before today and these
points were not raised in the petition,
Cox said he could not reply to 1t. .
But knowing the man who made It
&c. "A. lotion. Jr.) take little stock
in it," he said.
A compliment to fairness of Chief
Justice Christianson Of the supreme
court was paid today BY William
At the beginning Of the hearing
Justice Christianson told the attorneys
that he was on the ballot as "a candi-
date. and that another case in which
election, lis involved was before the
court.
Il do not wish to shirk any respon-
sibility. merely asked il any attor-
neys object to my sitting in the case
under these conditional" g
Lemke announced that he was quite
satisfied and Assistant Attorney Gem
eral Cox, appearing for county audi
tors and the secretary Of state, assured
the court that he was quite confident
that nothing would SWerve the court