Morris tribune., 1920-09-24
CUSTER OF KVALE
WAS WELL-DESERVED
Decent People Cannot Engage in
Politics Unless the Law is
Respected


of the supreme court in sustaining
the district court in ousting Rev.
Kvale from the Republican nomina-
ton for congressman in this district:
"The action of the Supreme Court
in denying to Mr.. Kvale the Repub-
lican Congressional nomination
speaks for itself and effectually re-
Dukes those who gratuitously heaped
abuse on Judge Johnson who tried
this contest at Benson.
1.-THE Odious and utterly baseless
charge sent out by Mr.. Kvale just
four days before the primary in
as an atheist but also as opposed to
and sneering at what people deem
most sacred in life, stands not only
undenied but confessed in the evid-
dence. No attempt was made to
prove that these charges were true.
Anyone who deliberately spread
broadcast such charges against per-
son who has all his life, as I have,
affiliated with and supported
churches and church work and who
has publicly and regularly attended
religious services stultifies himself
when he pretends that he has been
mislead. 1t was his business to know
the truth of such charges before they
were sent out. The attempt to gloss
over the matter as unimportant is
ridiculous. Not only did the Dis
trict Court, but the Supreme Court
as we'll, find that Mr.. Kvale had been
guilty of acts that were serious and
deliberate violations of a criminal
statute. The false charges that he
made would if believed profoundly
affect the very foundation of the re-
lationship of the person maligned to
other people. It would stain his
character and make him hated,
Stunned, and despised. Mr.. Kvale
knew, if he knew anything, that no
person could be nominated in a
Christian community against whom
such charges could be truthfuHy
made, and that if true they would
have been made against me in prior
campaigns.
81 have been sneered at for not
abiding by the result of the primary.
Those who win by acts that are GRIM
inal and denounced by the law as
corrupt practices cannot be heard to
insist upon retaining the fruits of
such acts, especially if they speak
for an organization that never
abides by any primary result not
favorable to it.
'"The law that has been invoked
is a salutary one designed to make it
possible for decent people to engage
in politics. Nearly every state has
similar laws. The license of an cleo
ton campaign does not allow delibe-
rate libel of a mans character to &c
UNPUBLISHED anywhere. 1t ranks
with fraud and corruption as a means
of misleading the public.
PERSONALLY I did not institute
this contest. It was brought by citi-
zen residents in and about Granite
Falls. I was glad, however, thai
they did bring it as it gave an op'
portunity to disprove these charges
Not only did I have an interest il
making this proof, but my friends
men who had staunchly supported me
in the years past, would naturally
ask themselves, if these charges re
manned unanswered, what sort of {
viper they had been nursing.
| when the contest was started i
was not expected that the cour
would place my name on the ticket
No request for that was made in thu
petition. The purpose was to hav'
Mr.. Kvale's name removed from tn
Republican ticket. This would Civ,
the Republicans of the district
chance to determine whom they pre-
ferred as their candidate. The dis
trict judge, however, placed m!
name on the ticket, but the Suprem
Court held that to be an error
Many good lawyers were of the opin
ion that the law did require tn
court to put my name on the ticket
I did not entertain that view blu
believed the position taken by tn
Supreme Court to be the law.
Shortly after the primary election
a mass convention was held at Or
tonvil1e that was largely attended b,
representative men from differen
parts of the district. After discuss
ing the situation they unanimousl,
passed resolution asking me t.
again become a candidate.
eff my name is placed on tn
ticket I expect to make a campaign
thing had but little chance to d.
at the primary as my duties KEEP
me in Washington until just few
IL