The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-09-11
By DGUid Laurence.
Especial Correspondent Of The Eve
ming Worldly

OB DoOtu laurence. Il
Especial Correspondent Of The Eve |
ming Worldly
FARGO, N. D., Sept. II Copy
right 1S2O).-Pol1ticalIy- speaking, |
North Dakota is a paradox. Nothing
like It will be found anyhere else in
the Union. Here old line Democrats
and old-llne Republicans. conserva-
tives all, have formed a combination
known as the Independent Voters
Association, the sole object Of which
10 to break the Non-Partisan
Leagues hold on North Dakota.
The fight over State offices Is bitter.
Neither side cares a whole lot about
Harding or Cox. National politics Is
talked about only as It relates to the
use OF funds TO boost State officers,
and therein lies the chance for blum
dering.
The Non-Partisan League doesn't
have>as many State of1ces as It used
to have and the Independent Voters
Association Is this time determined
to wrest control from the Non PaVti-
san League even II 1t means electing
a Democrat-J. +. T. O'Connor-Gov-
ernor TO succeed Gov. Frazier, the
Partisan League candidate.
The names Republican and Demo-
crat mean little hereabouts. The In
dependent Voters Association pledged
itself to support Democrats II, in the
Republican primaries. nominations on
the Regular Republican ticket were
won by Non-Partisan Leaguers. Thus
because Gov. FraEier's name appears
on the ballot as the successful Re-
publican nominee in the prim" ries.
doesn't mean that he will get the old
line Republican vote. Then there are
plenty of names In the Independent
column, put there by the Non-Parti-
san League men who lost the regular
Republican nominations and by In
dependent Voters Association men
who were beaten for the regular Re-
publican nominations.
This the voter in North Dakota win
have to scratch his ballot considerably
to express his preference. All this af-
fects Senator Harding indirectly, for
the Partisan League leaders say
they are the legally elected Republi-
can state Central Committee and as
such are entitled to funds from the
National Committee Just like any other
State committee. On the other hand.
l the Independent Voters Association
D claims to be the real offspring Of Re-
5 pubicanism in this State, even though
{ they constitute an insurgent move
ment. They want recognition by the
s National Republican Committee.
1 REGULAR REPUBLICAN COMMIT
4 TEE INDoRsED HARDING.
8 1t is true that the regular Rcpub-
1 tican State Central Committee in
dorsed Harding and Coolidge but this,
= II Is argued was merely making the
b record straight for political deviltry
later on " the Republican National
y Organization dared to recognize any
: other organization as the branch OF
4 the Republican National Committee,
!. For the Non Partisan Leaguers don't
4 want to see any money given to the
independent Voters Association. The
a argument Is that the latter would
use It for State purposes and that
8 among those purposes is the EFFORT to
! elect a Democrat ]. F. T. OConnor
a Governor in opposition to Gov
Frazier.
n For the moment, the Non-Partisan
League leaders and their newspapers
. are displaying Gov. COx's speeches
? about Republican slush funds. More
over, they are warmly pralsing the
!. Ohio Governors references to ''bil
=, business" and the newspapers which
n are fighting the Non-PartIsan LeaGu,
> are unintenlonally perhaps helping
:; Cox by insisting that his speeches
"a are Nom Partisan League doctrine
j. or course, there are two ways o
le looking at that too. for the foe
v OF the NOn-Partisan League thin
10 they have the upper hand this yea
A. and that they are delivering a bloy
N at Cox at the same time that the
~ I are fighting the radicals.
n Stin the Democratic national lead
IT. ers here are pleased both by the kin
'k OF denunoiation given Cox. and tn
praise bestowed by Non Partisa
"A League newspapers. The friends c
al Cox believe the Non Partisan Leagu
ie Is still the dominant political fore
es in this State and say that whoeve
n gets the Leagues support viii wi
M. the electoral vote OF North Dakota
J. Just now II looks as II the Nor
'ly Partisan League was leaning tOwal
ob Cox. though whether the purpose Is
@. compel the Republican National Con
SO mittee TO send funds here to the MOI
Partisan Leagues membersf on Il