Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-30
Geo. B. Winship Recalls Incidents
OF Early History of Grand Forks
Herald and Various Other Papers

AAA VI AAo
Other Papers
sire was to solidify the northern dele
gates. Pettigrew led the anti-McKen-
zie element in the south. and Frank
Washabaugh the Black Hills protest.
ers. The opposition in the north CEN
tered in the Grand Forks delegation,
of which I was the nominal head. In
sympathy with u cause, also, were
all the delegates from Richland,
major part of the delegations from
Cass and Pembina counties the whole
constituting a majority Of the repre-
sentation of the Red River Valley.
None of these delegations had axes to
grind or personal ambitions to graft
fly; their only issue was the recogni-
ton by the convention of the Grand
Forks delegation headed by me. Being
conversant with our local situation
and the designs Of the McKenzie-
Observation-Disclosures combina-
ton they did not hesitate to array
themselves on Jul side.
X x X
Mckenzie quickly grasped the
situation at the outset. He saw that
our delegation held the key to the
northern bination, and without
its cooperation his work of solidify-
ing the north would be futile. With
this dilemma confronting him on the
arrival of our delegation, Mckenzie
quickly sought me out and began a
line OF procedure tina did not termin-
ate for several hours.
I had never met Mckenzie before.
His political record as sheriff of Bur
leigh county and as chairman of the
capital commission, was familiar to
me. but-I knew nothing of, his per-
sonality. He was Introduced by Maj.
Edwards, and three minutes, after
wards his brawny right arm encircled
my body and l was fairly lifted out of
the crowd OF delegates and hustled to
a more secluded environment. We
walked down a newly graded street,
turned and sauntered up another,
then out on the prairie a ways,
and then back to the place from
which we started. Mckenzie. you
know, is a ~resourceful fellow. He APP
proaches his victims according to his
estimate of their personal character
istics. Persuasion, supplication, and
intimidation are resorted to in the or
der'of the necessities of the occasion,
and as a last resort or two other
sources are drawn upon.\ All of these
OlASn LIu OlIlSl " lSc. lc "OI
upon me during our stroll OF the
streets of Huron that beautiful April
day.
"Winship.' said Mckenzie, II an,
glad to meet you. l have heard much
about you, and have desired for a
long time to meet you in person. You
are putting up quite a scrap up there
in Grand Forks county, and' your
paper is read by everybody, Your
views are generally right, but some
very unfortunate thai you persist in
injecting ~ local troubles into ter
ritorial politics. 1t discrepancies us
fellows in the north, when we should
stand together and overcome the
Southern bosses. You are a good fell
low, and all the boys like you; but
they regret that you do not know
where your real friends are. Walsh
has stood by us in our capital fight
and we are going to stand by him;
: although he has not delivered the
delegates in this convention that we
expected of him.. l guess he has made
a mess of 1t up in your county, but
you, II will be glad to do SO after
this convention is over. Now if you
want to do the sensible thing AND
make yourself solid with the boys
FL. JuSI OlOp yOul COlllcoI, dll0 VIC VII
split even with you-give you foul
delegates and Walsh four: besides
putting YOU in line for something
! good in the future "
In substance. these were Mcken'
zie's opening remarks, which were
couched in most persuasive language
and in tones sympathetic and appeal.
ing. His and rested caressingly up
on my shoulder and occasionally my
. II a yYnr.o y ffno+in rn ct~ol,oJ off
er the II of stroking the full
of a cat with whom you desired
friendly relations.
When it came my turn to talk
we cannot drop him OF that account
We would prefer to cooperate >witl
told him that the Grand Forks dele
!: CATION and the delegates from Other
counties in the valley who were, CO
) operating with us, were there for jus
purpose, n that was to securI
|: recognition in the convention, ant
$ thereby legalize their respective coun
: ty organizations. That was the grava
. men Of our contention. We woult
not compromise the political felon.
: that had been committed against us
; We were ~contending for a principle
: and would not consent to any half
!: way recognition of it. I told him tina
: l had no objection to N. f. Nelson
: his candidate for delegate to the ma
) tional Republican convention, but j
( necessary to win our seats we woult
: support the Southern or Black Hill
candidate; and that his plea for
solid north on a compromise basi
would not influence US a particle.
X X
Alexis manner changed immedi
ately. The soft, appealing tones wer
substituted by harsher ones, and i'm
patience was manifest. II vas il
hopes he said, that you would taxi
q sensible course in his matter, tina
the north would be united, and tina
we could all &c home friends as vel
as victors. But if you are determined
to be a disorganizer and persist II
helping the south break. up and dom
mate the north, why you must TAX
the consequences. 1t is evident tina
you do not know the peril you ar
in-L mean in a business way. 70,
have antagonized Gov. Ordway, AM
he will fight you without mercy. H
Is a millionaire and a free spender
. and I know as a fact that he con
templates starting a rival paper il
Grand Forks for the purpose of put
ting you out of business. He has beef
dissuaded from doing this hereto
fore, because We assured hin tina
you were all right, and would coop
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