Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-02
OF
NORTH DAKOTA


cENATOR GEORGE PORTER
~ McCUMBER of Wahpeton,
North Dakota, is a modest man
His biography in the Congressional
Record takes up just two lines. II
states that he was elected to the
United States senate in 1899 and
reelected in 1905, in 1911 and in
1916, so that his term of office ex-
pires March 8, 1928. He has there
fore served the people of North
Dakota for nearly a quarter of a
century. He is a lawyer by pro-
fession. At the republican pri-
mary the other day he was a candi-
date for denomination for a fifth
term, but was defeated by Gov.
Frazier, a nonpartisan league lead
er, who has served as governor Of
North Dakota for several terms,
but who was elected from that Of
flee through the recall law, his
place being filled by Gov. r. A.
Nestos, who is again selected as a
candidate in the republican pri-
mary by a considerable majority
over the nonpartisan league candi-
date for poverror
Senator McCumber rose to occu-
py one of the most important posi-
tons in the senate. He was chair
man of the finance committee. He
had charge of the republican high
tariff bill, the soldiers bonus bill,
the ship subsidy bill and other i'm
portant bills in the United States
senate. He was a member Of the
agricultural bloc-one of its most
powerful members. He was in
sistent on all the agricultural leg
islation that farmers organizations
have demanded, and posed as the
farmers friend in the United States
senate 1t will be a long time be-
fore the farmers Of North Dakota
will be represented in the senate by
a man capable of serving them so
well, even If they get one with an
equal ability, and a like DISPOSE
ton to serve them. The position
of chairman of the senate finance
committee carries with it a great
deal Of power and influence. 1t
would take Gov. Frazier, his sue
cessfull opponent, a quarter of a
century or more to reach the posi-
ton of power Senator McCumber
now occupies, provided he was
elected and reelected a sufficient
number of times. Senator McCum-
Der was a strong champion of the
soldiers bonus measure, and a sup
porter Of a high tariff bill and the
ship subsidy bill. He voted to seat
Senator Newberry, the Michigan
Doodle senator. He was generally
a supporter Of all Harding admin
istration measures, except where
he deemed them inconsistent with
the agricultural interests. His de-
feat in the republican primary will
be another blow to the admins
tration.
Just why he was defeated in the
republican primary last week we do
not find clear from the dispatches.
The nonpartisan league seized the
party in North Dakota.
The democratic party, never more
than a small minority in that state,
seems to have disappeared almost
entirely. Only a scattering vote
was cast in the democratic primary.
Most Of the democratic voters OF
late years have either joined the
nonpartisan league voters, or the
Independent republicans who have
been trying to shake loose the grip
Of the n%onpartisan letague on their
Gov. Nestos who Gust
ed the nonpartisan league governor,
md in large measure loosened the
grip of the n%onpartisan league on
the state government is again re-
dominated for governor against