New Ulm review., 1920-08-04


Volstead-Kvale case is regarded as {
slap at representative government
by editors of liberal newspapers.
The opinion of the Red Wing Daily
Eagle Democratic is especially in.
teresting, because Red Wing is Judge
Johnson's home town. The Daily
Eagle said:
I'm appointing Judge Johnson to try
the Volstead- Kvale election contest
case Governor Burnquist has subjected
himself to good deal of Well-merited
criticism for displaying more partisan
ship than good Judgment.
"Volstead, Republican, and Kvale,
Nonpartisan, both ran on the Republl-
can ticket for congress and Volstead
was repudiated by the voters of the
district to the extent of more than
1000 votes.
''Volstead soreheads conceived the
idea of invoking certain features OF
the so-called corrupt practice act IN
an attempt to install the loser over
the heads of the voters of the district
and to try the case Governor Burn
quist assigned Judge Albert Johnson
who was himself defeated candidate
for office in race in which an opposing
Nonpartisan league candidate was re-
epo,c;l,1o for bic Spfpot
"Regardless of Judge Johnson's S we'll
known integrity, the governors animus
in assigning him to try the case was,
under the circumstances, too trans
parent to escape attention. He evil
IDENTIFY banked on human nature as
serting itself for desired results.
1.-The trial having resulted in GUST
ing the candidate elected by the people
and giving the election to the one
repudated by them, it is not to be ex-
pected that the voters will lie down
and let it go at that. They will, of
course. appeal the case to the higher
court, and, if that also rules against
them, go before the electors of the
district with either the same Or an
other candidate. They have no other
recousre in trying to preserve the
election system for their self-protec-
ton. ,- ,4.G
'sThe points of law on which the
duly elected candidate was disqualified
have never been raised against any
candidate before with a view to giving
the election to the, loser. If they had
been, or were to be applied in the case
of every Republican candidate who
has run against Nonpartisan league
opponents, it is safe conjecture that
very few of them would now be in Of
flee or have the chance of getting there
"The start along this line having
been made in the seventh district the
move may be expected to extend tc
the rest of the state as well, and it is
not without good reasons that leaders
in the Republican party are appre-
hensive of what is likely to follow
Some of them are afraid Of finding
that they have started something
which they can not finish without
disastrous results to themselves"
The Capital Times of Madison
Wis, sees in the Johnson decision {
blow at representative government
and points out that those who argue
hat the common people will never be
able to get what they want through
the ballot will be given new ammuni
ton.
The Capital Times editorial entitled
bringing on the Revolution" reads
in full, as follows:
Yesterday a court decree wa
handed down in Minnesota which, i
carried out, will disfranchise 1900
voters.
sIn a brazen and high-handed piec
of court procedure it is announced
that the name of Rev. O. J. Kvale
regularly elected nominee for congress
is to be displaced and that the nam
of Andrew J. Volstead, defeated b.
the people of his district, is to b
placed thereon.
"a state law in Minnesota Zone 9
many used in that state by those seek
ing to perpetuate privilege has bee
away from 1000 voters.
Z Kvale was displaced because it wa
held that he had circulated false re
ports concerning his opponent, MI
Volstead, and this was held to be i
Continued on page 81