Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-09


that Arthur Fisher of Missoula, editor
Of the New Northwest, representing
himself to be a .'close friend of Gov
ernor Joseph NJ. Dixon, had put over
two coups for the Dixonian forces in
the convention which closed here Sun
day.
The first of these, and the least
painful, was when Mr.. Fisher, taking
advantage of his position as chairman
of the committee on program and prln-
ciples. hoisted on the league as the
Immediate program" a skinned milk
version of the league platform. which,
he said later, was lifted, in part. bod
lily from the governors program for
the next legislature
This sally of Fishers was made the
more apparent to the league leaders
when he later withheld from the press
the leagues permanent program. the
net Of u. G.. Dorman, the national or
ganizer. which wal adopted without
question by the convention. Fisher $
motive was ascribed by league leaders
to be due to the fact that some of the
more radical planks could not De swan
lowed by the governor.
viii Favor Dixon Men
Charles Taylor of Plentywood. who
ppposed in the convention the "Dalance
of power" policy, which does away
with a league ticket in the priiha,les'
said Monday that he believed the pa.
ance Of power policy will favor the
Tl;xon forces in that league support
will be given to many candidates VINO
agree with Dixon's tax ideas. although
they do not like Dixon personally.
The ~opinion was prevalent among
Nonnartisan leaders that Mr.. Fisher
will have difficulty in his program OF
swinging the league members pehlhd
the governor. despite his clever nan
ding of the situation in the convention.
Mr.. Fisher. himself, was more OPP
timistic. While in Great Fails ne an
nounced that a labor paper IN Oreat
Falls will be ''bolstered up this sum
mer in anticipation of the elections
and that a paper will be started IN
Fittings. In both cases the newspapers
will be printed by the New Northwest
in Missoula., exchanging news matter.
Rumoesd Offer to Haste
Previous to his scoming to Great
Falls. Fisher made a trip to Billings
from Helena, where he is said to have
offered r. A.. Haste, editor of Camp
bells Scientific Farmer. financial as
sistance to the extent of several thous-
and dollars. providing Mr.. Haste would
support Dixon men for the state leg's-
lature this fall. Mr.. Haste is said to
have rejected the proposition: where
upon Mr.. Fisher returned to Helena.
Fisher denied that Governor Dixon
is supporting or controls the New
Northwest. but said that he Mr.. Fish
err was "a very close friend" Of Gov
ernor Dixon. When asked if Cover
nor Dixon and the Nonpartisan league
will join forces. financial and political,
to support newspapers and carry on
the state campaign with the end in
view of obtaining a majority of the
next legislature. Mr.. Fisher said:
That is the plan
Continuing. he said:
Mr.. Dixon said that if we get the
state legislature this year we can elect
our men to national offices in 1924s
election"
Mr.. Fisher admitted that he was
trying to line up the Nonpartisan
league to support Dixon and was con-
fident that he would be successful.
Tapping a copy of the Immediate pro-
gram he had drawn up for the league,
he said that the whole of it would be
acceptable TO Governor Dixon and his
forces.
After Ed DOMAINS Scalp
"All that tax stuff is just what
the governor went before the last leg
~islature with he said. The rest is
just abuit what he would want. On
that program. ! think that the league
will line mp with the governor"
Turning to his plans for the league,
he said that should Ed Donlan run for
reelection to the senate in Missoula
county. he believed the league would
urge it's members to go into the repub-
lican primaries in that county as Dix
oman republicans" rs snid the same
yoat:.e rran1I nndnI1htodiv hn rrcad in
Rosebud county should j. f. Edwards
be a candidate for reelection in that
county.
Fisher is said to have approached
y. Il. Wheeler. while in the city. with
the proposition that should Wheeler be
a candidate for United States senate.
Governor Dixon would not hinder his
candidacy, if Wheeler would support
Dixon men for the legislature in those
counties where the democratic nomi-
nees were known to be "reactionary."I
A close friend Of Wheeler's is author
ity for the statement thar Wheeler
told Fisher TO tell Dixon that no such
proposition would be entertained.
League Leaders D%ispleased
The ire of Nonpartisan league lead
ers was aroused Monday when it was
learned that Mr.. Fisher had withheld
the permanent program from the press.
Mr.. Dorman said that while the lin
mediate program" was in line with the
league policy, it was really but a part
of the permanent program and that
by Withholding the latter. the league
had been "placed in the position of
appearing to back up"
Mr.. Dorman denied that any pro-
posal for combination with the forces
Of Governor Dixon had been made to
him. He said he had first learned of
the interests of Mr.. Fisher when dis
cussing matters with the members of
the state organization committee Mon
day.
The permanent program Of the
league as approved by the convention |
and withheld from the press by Mr..
Fisher, follows:
'Once this league is in control
Of any or all of the powers of this
state, it pledges its public Off
cials, and both the political and
economic powers of Ns members i
to the adoption and successful ad-
ministration of the following pro-
gram, except as these measures
may previously have been enacted
and administered in a satisfactory
by other agencies.