Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-15
ED
Change Apparent During The
Speaking Tour OF R. A.
N,estos; Many Leaguers
Disgusted Over Way In
Which Administration Has
Been Conducted; Count
ing OF Votes Must Be Care
.h4 fg4lly Watched. {
(By stan Correspondent

(By Staff Correspondent.)
Minot, N. D., Oct. 15.-During the
last. week r. A. Nestos, Independent
candidate for governor in the recall
election, has been speaking in districts
which have been the backbone of the
strength Of the Nonpartisan league
since the formation of that faction.
| All reports received in the course
of this tour and the general attitude
Of the crowds which have turned out
to hear the Independent candidate
indicate that the league has lost
ground in this section since the last
election.
This doesn't mean that the Inde-
pendents can expect to carry any of
the. rock-ribbed league counties. but
there 1s every reason to, believe that
the league majorities there viii be
substantially cut down.
b Lernlxcs House Did It,
The reasons for this change are
various. In Morton county, for in
stance. there is said to be one entire
township which has always voted tht
league ticket, but which is exocctec
this year to be practically united fo:
the Independent candidates. In thi,
particular case the straw which broke
house in Fargo. One of the farmers
from the township who had shipped
soma hogs tothe Fargo fair, and who
had visited the fair himself, went out
and took a good look at Bills modest
little hut. He came back to Morton
county and told his neighbors just
what he had seen. Hence the reversal
Of form.
Again, many of the farmers are
frankly disappointed over the failure
of the Nonpartisan league leaders to
fulfill their promises. They have
faithfully supported the league for
FIVE years now, and have obtained no
results. 4+
Why the Farmers?
! Still. another point Of view was
brought out b va 500 line brakeman
on the "Trans-siberian" freight train
BY which Mr.. Nestos was travelling
zone day during his trip. Said the
foad boys viii isti11l vote; :thsss Non
par tisan lea que ticket, and can see
some reasons why. they may feel JUS
tilted in doing it, but III be hanged
If can see why any farmer should
want to vote for the league again"
Then of course this prime league
, territory has been "farmed" most in
dustriously by the organizers for the
Consumers United Stores, Nonparti-
san league banks and all Of the other
organizations by which the farmers
AaVe ueen StuHB Win the CoHnlV-
ance of the league leaders
The com bination OF these facts,
| coupled with the realization which Is
steadily growing Of what has actually
been done by the league leaders with
the Bank of North Dakota and other
state departments has brought about
| a very noticeable change.
Ncstos Made Hit. s.
There can be no doubt that Mr..
Nestos has. made a good impression
wherever he has gone. He has never
but has confined himself to the pre-
sentation of the facts on which he
! bases his appeal for the recall of the
present administration. Even the
leaguers admit that they have no
quarrel with Mr. Nestos personally.
Bill Lemke, has also been speaking
In the same district that Mr.. Nestos
he uniformly drew smaller crowds
| than those which greeted the Inde-
pendent candidate. AS one farmer
put it, "The day has gone by when
the leaguers will drive 10 or IS miles
to hear Townley or Lemke. These
fellows aren't the tin gods that they
used to be-"
In the extreme northwestern part
Of the state conditions are said to be
unusually favorable for the Independ
ents. In Ward, Burke and Divide
counties especially a good organiza-
ton has been perfected to insure the
maximum Independent vote being
cast
Organization Needed.
This question OF organizations has
come to be the most important in the
campaign. especially in the western
part OF the state. Mr., Nestos in all
Of the towns he visited impressed on
the Independent workers the necessity
Of organizing not only to get out the
maximum vote but also to see that the
vote was fairly counted.
There is little doubt tha: there
We're many frauds last year in some
league had complete control Of the
election machinery and for that rea-
son Mr.. Nestos points out that it Is
mostN important in these districts that
one of the election judges in each
precinct should be named by the In
dependents &.
In counties where the Nonpartisan
organization this can be done by hav
ing the Democratic county commit
teeman name an Independent, each
Of the two chief parties having the
right to nominate on judge in each
precinct.
Got the Vote Ont.
~ The whole situation in the western
part OF the state has plainly Afm-
mered down to one of organization,
II the Independents can perfect an
organization which can get the maxi
mum Independent vote to the polls
on election day. and guard against
fraud in the count. there Is little
doubt that the Nonpartisan league,
majority In that section can be cut
down to such an extent that the Inde-
pendent majorities which are certain;
in the eastern part OF the state Will
insure the election Of the Independent
candidates.