Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-01
THE RDoA1L CONVENTION.

kota has had more important decisions to make than
had the convention which has just been held at Devils
Lake to consider the subject Of applying the recall to
certain Of our elective officers; none has been made up
Of members more earnestly DESTROYS of promoting the
permanent welfare of the whole state; and none, we be-
teve, has reached decisions more completely warranted
by the facts. "N
The recommendations of the committee of 81 that
a recall election be held have been approved after weeks
.the convention. Candidates have been suggested for
two of the three places which it is believed should be
rendered vacant through the operation of the recall, and
provision has been made for a like recommendation for
the third place; recommendations have been made for
the submission to the people of several greatly needed
measures which will be initiated by petition; an approx
innate time has been fixed for the holding of the election;
and provision has been made for the organization of a
campaign which shall extend into every voting precinct
in the state.
These are the outstanding acts of the Devils Lake
convention which precedes the first statewide recall
election to be held in any state in the union, the purpose
Of which is to give the people of North Dakota an oppor-
tunity to throw off the burdens which have been i'm
posed on them by Incompetence, visionary theorism and
rascaity. burdens which have become intolerable here
and which have operated to the discredit of the state
abroad.
q The reaching of decisions on these important sub.
jects involved the comparison and reconciliation of a wide
variety of opinion. The time for the holding Of the cleo
ton, the number of officials to be subjected to it, the
candidates to be recommended for the positions to be
filled, and many other wcighty matters were to be given
careful consideration, in addition to the main question
Of whether or not an election should be held at all. In
II uSS WINS previously entertained were
flied in the light OF additional information, and out Of
the discussions grew a body Of opinion which was prac-
tically unanimous on all the major propositions under
consideration.
The people of the state have good reason for salts"
faction with the work of the convention. There is every
reason to believe that what the convention has done rep
resents the settled judgment of the vast majority of
those who desire a reform in the management Of the
states affairs. At no stage of the proceedings was there
evidence Of the slightest reluctance to put forth every
possible effort to make the work Of the convention ef-
fective at the polls il 1t should finally be. determined that
q recall election should be held. That decision having
been reached it is now essential that the voters at home
enter into the work of the campaign with the same ear
nestness that characterized their representatives at the
convention.
The two recommendations for places on the ticket
have been well made. Mr.. Nestoe, who will be the in
dependent candidate for governor, has grown up and
been educated and trained in North Dakota. Of fine
personal character, he has been successful in his profess
sion, and has demonstrated his interest in the best pos
sible government for his state in campaign after cam
pagn, devoting his time and energy unsefishly to the
promotion OF every movement in the interest of progress
and sanity.
Mr.. johnson, who will appear as the independent
candidate for attorney general, has also received his
training here, and has acquitted himself well both in his
profession and in the political arena.
The selection of a candidate for commissioner Of
agriculture and labor is left to the committee of 21-
now to be increased to 42-and the conventions recon-
mendation is that an ex-service man be chosen for this
position. The proviso is thoughtfuF and. wise, and there
need be no doubt that from the abundance Of available
material a fitting choice will be made: