The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-03-08
LEAGUE CLAIMS HIRAM ASITS
VERY0WN AND SAYSlTSSLA
OF DELEGATES MUST BE NAMBD|

Shrewd Campaign Move on Part
Of Nonpartisans May Win
Many Votes for Townley Can
didates-4Senator Mclean De.
clines to be Bound by Result
Of Presidential Primary-Ma'
jor General Wood Claims
North Dakota Delegation
In spite Of the fact that Hiram w
johnson Is unopT,Osed in his campalg,'
for North DakOta's endorsement, his
candidacy has become an issue in the
presidential preference primary in this
state. This fact may have important
consequences. The Californian. III
spite Of himself. has been adopted
bodily BY the Nonpartisan league or
ganization In North Dakota. The
voters on stationery Of the "Htram
johnson for President State pro.
sressive Republican Headquarters At
Fargo are being assured that there
Is but one Hiram johnson set Of dele
gates" and that ''in order to further
the interests Of progressive republi-
canism. these delegates must be sent
to the national republican convention
at Chicago These delegates, OF
course, are the nine men and one
woman endorsed by Nonpartfsans
meeting as progressive republicans
in an informal state convention a.
HillslDorO, and endorsed by the thirty
Townley members Of the republican
state central committee in their con.
vention here.
Monsoon WRITES LETTER. q
Voters are assured in letters which
are signed by Leigh J. Monson, the
state manager whom the league has
Voluntarily furnished Senator John
son that s'the delegates named by tn,
two 'standpat' Old Guard conventions
which were held at Bismarck. are un-
pledged to anyone and will. III elected,
10 to the national convention open
to the highest bidder On the other
hand Mr.. MOnsOn gives assurance that
"the delegation Of which the writer
Is q member will. IL elected, 50 to
Chicago to cast their vote and in.
fluence for Hiram Johnson
Hiram johnson is tremendously
popular in North Dakota. and this
argument no doubt will attract votes
to the leagne ticket. There will be
many voters who will accept the
"State Progressive Republican" title Mt
its face value, ignoring the fact that
the delegation adopting this name is
composed wholly Of TOwnleyites.
IN brRATEGIC POSITION
The league occupies strateai:
position In that 1t does offer the only
set Of delegates endorsed on a ticket
headed BY Senator johnson. The first
Of North Dakota's three state con.
ventions impartially endorsed Wood.
johnson. Harding, Lowden, Coolidge
''and others" as being worthy candida
tes for the favor Of their party. The
second convention not only declined
to endorse anyone. but made formal
request that In view Of the unsettled
state Of North Dakota politics all
presidential candidates refrain frola
filing. 4
Senator johnson had already filed
his nominating petitions. and he de.
clined to withdraw: Recognizing the
advantage OF its position. the third
and last Of North Dakota's trio Of
Republican conventions. endorsed
Johnson and the stand which he had
taken In defiance Of the last precctl-
ing republican state convention, anu
the action of this, league republican
state convention was formally ratified
by the republican state central com.
mittee, 80 Of whose ~ members are
leaguers A. result. when the league
republican ticket was filed it was
headed by the name Of Hiram w.
Johnson Only fractions Of the other
two tickets were filed, and these go'
on the ballot ~ the Hiram Johson
column, inasmuch a. there is No other
republican candidate in the running,
but the league. nevertheless. has laid
excellent groundwork for it's conten-
ton that mo other faction has any
valid claim on Johnson.
MCLEAN NONCONFORMIs'T
The league position has undoubtedly
been strengthened by the action Of
Senator Henry Mclean Of Cavalier
county. one of the opposing delegates
who was endorsed by both Of the
regular republican convention. Last
Saturday Senator Mclean served no
tice on Secretary Of State Hall that
he will not be bound by North Da-
kota's presidential preference primary.
hut that II he goes to the Chicago con-
vention, he will 60 as free lance!
Another thing In the leagues favor ts
the fact Vat the regular, repubti-
cans have twelve candidates for dele
gates .on the ballot. while the league
nominated but ten, making possible the
dissipat tion Of twenty percent Of the
regular" Republican vote. while the
league ballots will all go into one
basket.
WOOD CLAIMS DELEGATION
It is true that delegates who may
be elected March 16 to represent
North Dakota in the republican ma
tional convention are not legally obi
gated to abide by the preference which
North Dakota voters are bound to ex-
press in the presidential primaries for
Senator johnson. William Cooper
Proctor. national campaign manager
for ajor General Leonard Wood. gave
,,s,hl io3fv,. ~ thSs %oot In n ctQtomQnt