Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-09

GRAND FOR
"Was it through this ad, MI. VIII.
son, that Totem got in touch with
you?" Nj. Burtness asked him.
Got Too Much.
But professor Wilson got toe
much Of a drubbing on the platform
to seek further trouble by getting q
personal interview with MIR. Burtness
The Grand Forks American, Oh
editor of that Socialist sheet, was here
and occupied a prominent seat on the
platform. He refused to sit at the
press table. bu. sat on the stage. prob.
ably for the dedication of the SOC
people in the audience.
Many farmers were present. A mum
her OF them autoed to Lakota early in
the afternoon, and many others came
through the mud to hear the debate
There were farmer members Of the
Eonpartisan league there. and they
were very vociferous in their praise
OF Wilson till he made such a sorry
plight of himself.
There would have been many more
farmers here il it hadn't rained. There
would have been so many that the
opera house would not LAY accom-
modated them, for farmers from all
sections of the county and many from,
Grand Forks county planned to at
tend. AS it was, standing room was
at a premium.
The American will "a that the APP
plause for Burtness was led by the
typical town crowd of young oppon-
ents of the league. But the cheering
for Burtness was led by farmers. a
number of whom loudly cheered for
Wilson when he was attempting to
justify his stand. The writer sat near
in his opening speech and who were
a little chilly toward Burtness till he
began to show up the league leaders
and their insidious program.
Wilson Opened Debate.
Wilson opened the debate. He had
an hour and twenty minutes in which
to make his arguments and discuss
the campaign issues from the Nom
partisan league standpoint. but fully
n hou OF that time was devoted to
a good old southern Democratic rally
speech. 1t had nothing to do with
the campaign in North Dakota. II
v touched upon a single thing at
issue. All he said pertaining to North
Dakota was to deny that the Minot
platform stood for a higher type of
A~mericanism than the Nonparusan
platform. He eulogized
Thomas jefferson. and he damned
Alexander Hamilton, and he chal-
leneed Burtness to prove that he
iSurtness) did not represent a gov.
like Hamilton's."
He quoted from the American con.
Sasrsion. rather a strange proceeding
Sor q S~onpartisan league speaker. bur
& novelty because OF that. He said hi
WAS going 10 analyze the work OF the
Republican convention at Minot and
shs Noapa-ian league convention at
Fargo but he never go, around to It
All ne said was that the Minot plat
to-- was so- The rich man.
IAs1 re spoke of VIM. Lloyd Gar
Eison- WEI Lovejcy and Abraham
Lincoln and compared 4. C. Townley
20 them This L. aos strange when it
IS considered sha. league speakers do
not even hesitate TO ,iken Townley
ua,c Cn1S himself.
AZ NJ po!,, "a his speech he even
used Gussave Myers arguments found
II the History OF the Supreme Court,
Of the books which Burtness at
tackled IN his expose Of the state liz
hrav situation II this book Myers
charges every President from Wash
ingtcn down through Wilson with be-
ing corrup, and with appointing cor
rupt judges OF The supreme court in
order 10 get fr4adcien: decisions. He
spoke OF a supreme our during the
slavery trouble. and declared openly
that it had been appointed to protect
slavery.
Heard Ffaxter Speak.
He told of hearing Governor Frazier
give a speech in Washington at a ma
tional educational rural conference.
held in 1915 TO discuss war measures,
The intellectual giants of the country
were on the program, he said. and
then. he modestly admitted thai he
was one OF the speakers. too. 1t was
this speech of Frazier's that convinced
him that North Dakota was a good
place to come to.
He challenged Burtncss to deny tina,
t crowd he represents is pro-Ger.
man." and Burtness very promptly
and forcefully denied it.
He accused the Republicans o,
making a campaign of "~maliciousness
and Misrepresentation He said tina,
if Burtness to congress. i,
wouldn't bring the price of shoes and
clothing down.
ening speech. Wilson made a very
weak defense of the state banking
Law and he tried to defend the tax
increase by simply saying that North
Dakota taxes were not increased as
much as in other states.
Burnees Takes Up Issue.
Mr.. Burtness had one hour ant
thirty minutes to speak. He plunged
Immediately into a discussion Of the
issues He spoke OF the fact that W.
live under a representative form O.
government. When the people cleo
a man to the state legislature, the,
have a right to expect that hi viii
exercise his own good judgment il
representing them. that he will de
lfberate and vote as his %conscienc,
dictates. But when he signs rule
such as govern the secret caucus. h.
waves his birthright - an American
citizen, but mor than anything els
he robs his constituents Of their con
stitutional rights. Burtness told hoy
leaguers in the legislature were no
able to vote as they wanted to on
number of issues simply because the,
had signed the caucus agreement, an,
Wilson asked him to name one in
stance in which this occurred. NJ,