Grand Forks herald., 1922-06-01
WHAT'S THE FUSS ABOUT?

ne b1S1nafck f1Dunc and the Fargo Courier
News are having thrills of horror over letter
which Theodore Nelson seems to have written to
Messrs. Jackson and Kelly of Devils Lake, shortly
before or shortly after the jamestown convention
the Courier News does not to- be quite certain
which. In reproducing the letter from the Tribune
the Fargo paper dates it April H. but an editorial
comment it asks its readers to remember that the
letter was written on April %, point which it con-
siders highly important The convention was held
April 19 and 20, that whether the letter was writ
ten before or after would depend on whether the
news department or the editorial writer is wrong
Just why these two papers, the one supporting
the candidacy of Senator McCumber, and the other
ostensibly opposing him, should get themselves all
wrought up over this letter is not quite clear. The
first paragraph of the letter reads
In reply to your question as to what in nv
judgment needs to be done in order to make it
possible to make effort to get the Independ-
ent voters OF the state to acquiesce in the plea
not to disturb the finance committee of the
United States senate, which it is claimed would
happen if Senator McCumber should not be re-
elected respectfully submit the following
enumeratons of some of the most important
things that need to be done:
Evidently the recipients Of this letter had writ
ten to Mr. Nelson to inquire what could be done to
save McCumber, and Nelson replied, telling them
what he thought about it. The substance of the
letter. which goes into the particulars of the case
is that in he opinion of Nelson, McCumber can have
no standing before the Independent voters of the
state unless he shall confess his sins and forsake
them, and that, if he will do this, in thorough
going manner. Nelson, as secretary of the T. " A.
committee will place the facts before the executive
committee Of his organization in order that that
body may consider what if anything, is to be done
about it. The gentlemen at Devils Lake wanted
to knowswhat Nelson thought about it, and he told
them, just as hundreds of other persons had been
telling, in the most public way, the for their
opposition to the reelection Of Mr.. McCumbcr
The only mystery in the situation is as to the
connection between the official organ of the Nom
partisan league and the eCumber campaign The
purpose of the Bismarck Tribune is easy to under
stand. The paper is for McCumber, and through
some peculiar process Of reasoning it reached the
conclusion that it might better the chances Of its
candidate BY publishing letter in which some of
his shortcomings are rather glaringy set forth lust
how this was expected to benefit McCumber is a
little obscure, but there is no question as to the
purpose
But, if the publication is good campaign work
Tor McCcnlber. whom khe Tribune supports, how
can It R.lso DE good campaign stuff for Frazier,
whom the Cour1er News is supposed to be supposf-
Ing? It is known that the Courier News is pound
ing vigorously on the financial rocks II IS com
monty reported that the McCumber people have
plenty Of money tosspend. Is some Of the McCum-
Der money being used to plug the holes in the Cour
ier News craft or isn't it (? And IS Frazier. after
.H. being used, as some have suggested, merely as
stalknf horse for McCumber; and does Senator
McCumbef think that once more he cat, float$ Mn
self into office, buoyed up by the Nonpart;,an
league? g "a .94 q l@.sS'' Il
These, brethren, are real mysteries. the .ou-
ton ct wl,ich appeafeth not yet AZ