New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-19
By William Howard Taft


Copyright. 1920, by Public Ledger Company
PHILADELPHIA, July 1S.-The Re-
publicans of Dakota lost their fight
against Governor Frazier and the Non
partisan League in the primary contest
held on June 80 to determine who
should be the Republican candidate for
Governor in November. The returns
have been very slow coming in, but
the vote now stands: Frazier, 59,112;
yet to hear from.
than in previous primaries. Two years
ago Frazier was nominated by 1900
votes over Steen, then the Republican
representative. Thus the. Republicans
have gained some $4,000. More i'm
portant than this, their gains have been
chiefly with the farmers. Had their
majorities in the cities been what they
were two years ago the results would
have been q defeat of the league.
Townley saved himself by joining with
his forces the socialistic railroad vote.
What seemed a solid impenetrable
barrier of stoliG support among the
Nonpartlsan League farmers has begun
to yield.
A comparatively small part of the
real farmers in the league are So
cialists. They have been led to be-
lieve that state management of all the
intermediate machinery between them
and their markets will at the same
time make money for the state, save
taxes and give them q square deal.
They do not believe in the red flag of
anarchy. Towrley and his coterie Of
Socialists defeated twice an anti-red
flag bill in the Legislature. The Re-
publicans forced it to a referendum,
and now in this primary the bill has
been carried by a large vote. The
farmers of the league have not credited
the charge that Townley is socialistic
but this election shows that many have
come to believe it. The union between
the Socialist Laborites and the league
| farmers is an unnatural one and can.
not abide. The attempt to force state
ownership of land by increasing the
assessments of farm lands is sure to
increase the breaking away of land
owners from the league, and with this
| the league loses its power.
Upon the nomination Of Senator thu
vote is reported to the writer at las
accounts to be Ladd, 5S,024, and Gron
ma, 50,049, with eighty-five precinct!
defeat Of the present occupant of the
seat. How much more unsatisfactor!
as a nominal Republican Mr.. Ladd (i
elected) can be than Mr.. Gronna ha:
been, will be matter Of much curious
interest
The question which is now stirring
genuine Republicans in North Dakota
is what course they shall take in re
spect to the November election. Thu
Nonpartisan League captured the Of
fetal Republican organization two
Townley triumvirate. became Repub
lcan state chairman. An Independent
organization of Republicans wa;
I formed and in the last Presidential
primary it won. So, regularity nov
attaches to its national committeeman
and it has machinery with which tx
carry on campaign. 1t would like tt
unite with the Democrats. on candi
date for Governor, but there are som,
difficulties. A young lawyer Of Crane
Forks named O'Connor, who is an at
tractive speaker, was nominated in the
Democratic primary; but there has
been a question whether he received
sufficient votes under the law to make
his nomination legal.
If the Republicans and Democrats
could unite on a candidate, they would
doubtless defeat Frazier. but the in
terests Of the national campaign may
be projected into the question so as tc
cmbarass the union.
Still. the anti-league people in North
Dakota are desperate in their deter
mination to beat the league, and the
union may be forced. The defeat OF
the league is so necessary to the pros
perity of the state that it is the pri-
mary consideration for all. The repu.
tation of the league for attempted in.
jury to invested capital and hostility
to everything but state management OF
all business has frightened investors
away.
/ Loans cannot be obtained for North
/ Dakota business men in other states
on reasonable terms and county war.
rants are selling at heavy discount
The state banking business is conduct
ed in the dark. The state auditor il
forbidden by the Governor and the
Supreme Court to examine the State
Bank of North Dakota with view to
publishing statement of its condi-
ton. The people do not know what
its funds are and what they are being
used for. All taxes collected in local.
ties are deposited in local banks, as
formerly. but are sent 10 this state
bank.
The course of the. league triumvirate
in this bank matYr and few facts