Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-04-07
DEVILS LAKE CONVENTION
FOR RECALL

Johnson tor Attorney General.
Candidate Against John Hagan
to Be Chosen by Committee of
Twenty One.
The independent convention at Dew
ils Lake Wednesday and Thursday of
last week, after discussing the matter
for nearly two days, finally went on
record for a limited recall to be held
probably the fore part of November.
The only record vote taken indicated
this action was favorable te~eabout
four hundred delegates out of five
hundred and fifty. Emmons and
Kidder county, as well as Stutsmah,
held out to the last against going on
record for a recall lat any particular
time. Dickey county, and a number
of other sections of the state old like
wise. Burleigh voted for the recall,
as did Morton and Stark.
The convention was called to order
at 1880 on Wednesday, March 30th.
At the opening Of the convention, it
seemed that majority of the dele
gates were opposed to a recall, par
ticularly in June. Many delegates
supporting recall wore badges 'the
sooner the better" However, these
forces, including the Independent vot-
ers' Association, and the Committee
of Twenty-O One, were unable to put
their candidate across for chairman of
the convention. The anti-recallers
elected ex-Sen. Davis, of Sheridan
county, and also made the temporary
organization permanent. The only
record vote secured on this matter
came in committee by districts. A
comittee on permanent organization
consisting of one member from each
senatorial district showed some "a
votes for Davis, anti-recaller, against
Is for George Schafer, member of the
committee of Twenty One, and sup
porter of recall.
The first day of the convention in
dicated the west half of the state al
most entirely against recall, and the
Red River strong for it. The recall
ers, seeing no hope of putting over
their June recall, as originally pro-
vided in the decision of the Committee
Of Twenty One, shifted their position
and supported a recall in November.
This gained them many converts.
Those opposed to the June recall, in
many instances, were opposed for the
following reasons: That there would
not be time to get in shape for the
fight, that it would interfere with
seeding operations, and that time was
not being given for startling develop
ments in state affairs that may be
expected. Others were opposed to
recall of judges on principles.
When the recallers took their stand
for fail recall, they seemed to have
the solid support of half the delegates.
This, coupled with skillful floor work,
gave them a decided advantage.
Thursday afternoon, the final fight
came. L. l.. Twichell, speaker Of
the house of representatives last win
ter, introduced a resolution calling for
recall the first week in November of
the members of the Industrial Com
mison only, also for an initiated con-
stitutional amendment intended to
make the bonds salable, Mrs. Clara
Pennington Strand, of Dickey. county,
an anti-recaller, introduced a resolu-.
tion calling for the adjournment of the
convention without date, and with a
committee to be appointed by the
chairman, by and with the consent Of
the various delegations, Of one man
and one woman from each district or
from each county where more than
ore county might be in the same dis
trict-such committee to have power
to determine at any time in the fu-
ture, by majority vote, for a recall,
and for what offices to recall. This
resolution would have left the mat
ter open, and would have arranged it
so that quick and summary action
could be taken against the administra-,
ton whenever majority Of the coun-
ties and districts were favorable to it.
It would have also tended to keep the
various state officials on the anxious
seat, none of them knowing definitely
whether they would be included if a
recall were held the supreme court
mmbers included. Judge Lauder, of
Richland, and the Record man sup
ported the Strand resolution. Judge
Spaulding, S. johnson and Theo. Mel
son attacked the Strand resolution,
charging that it was interfering with
the authority Of the Committe Of
Twenty-One. At this point, L. Z.
Twichell arose and offered an addition
to this resolution which provided for
the additional appointment Of twenty
one women on the Committee Of