Evening star., 1922-10-05
MONTANA POLITICS
Z. CENTERS ON Dixon
Governor Is Storm Center,
But Not a Candidate, in
Senate Race.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

HELENA, Mont, October 5.-Politics
in Montana, as in Iowa, Wisconsin
and North Dakota, is topsy turvy.
Persons-and not pa -ties-are domin-
ant There are no national issues.
Whether a man labeled republican
or another labeled democrat goes to
the United States Senate turns on
state issues and here. as in North
Dakota, the democratic candidate is
conservative, while the man who
won the republican primaries is tied
up with the radical elements to such
an extent that old-line republicans
will be found supporting the demo-
cratic ticket in large numbers.
Speaking of persons, instead Of
parties, Gov. Joseph Dixon is respon-
sible for the upheaval in Montana
represented this state In the United
States Senate and as one of the
original insurgents who managed Col.
Roosevelt's pre-convention fight for
the presidency in 1912. He was elect
ed governor two years ago on the
regular republican ticket. He won
many democratic votes because he
was considered conservative, as
compared with B. K Wheeler, former
help of the Non-Partisan League, be-
came the democratic nominee for
governor.
Democrats Back Wheeler.
Today Mr.. Wheeler is running for
the United States Senate and the old
line democrats are behind him. AL
= ha no ha nl<y nf i
calism to overcome, he sat down with
the regular democratic org ganization.
and platform was formulated which
Is eminently satisfactory not only to
conservative democrats. but con-
servative republicans. This is be-
cause the democrats have aimed their
platform at Gov. Dixon's radical
taxation policies. which. so far as
conservatives are concerned, stamp
Mr.. Dixon as more of radical than
they thought Mr.. Wheeler ever could
be.
The fight here is really pro-Dixon
or anti-Dixon. The governor has
made up his mind to levy heavy taxes
on the mining industry. and is at
tempting to justify his action on the
ground of increased expense in run
ming the state. The democrats are
shouting economy of expenditure and
relief from burdensome taxation. In
order to hit at Dixon, who is cam
paigning energetically to get a state
legislature elected friendly to his
policies many republicans Will vote
for democratic candidates right down
the line. with one or two exceptions.
Former Representative Evans. demo-
crat, is one Of the exceptions. He has
indorsed the tax program of republi-
can Gov Dixon.
To add to the confusion. ]. w.
Anderson, who polled about 10000
votes out of 10000 in the republican
primaries for United States senator
purely on the platform of dissatis-
faction with the Harding administra-
ton. has carried his antipathy to
President Harding 80 far as to an
nounce that he will support b. K.
Wheeler. the democratic nominee for
the Senate.
Carl Riddick, the republican nomi-
nee for the Senate. was minority
choice in the primaries. While he
came from the ultra radical group
and was a member of the NonParti-
san League, he poses as a conserva-
tive and the friend of President Hard
ing. Coy. Dixon is quietly keeping
out of the senatorial fight. but the
expectation is that he and Riddick
will sooner or later get together.
Dixon Has Machine.
Mr. Wheeler's chances Of victory
lie entirely in a coalition of demo-
Gratis of both progressive and con-
servative inclinations. regular repub-
licans and all those who will vote for
state candidates who are opposed to
the Dixon tax program. In the
primaries Mr.. Dixon's men won the
republican nomination in half the
number of legislative districts.
Here. as in North Dakota. the voter
will have to do good deal Of scratch
ing to accomplish his purposes. In
stead of voting for or against the
Non-Partisan League, as was the case
two years ago. the effort Is to support
or destroy Dixonism. Gov. Dixon has