The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-03-29
HANNA TALKED
OF AS ENTRANT
IN \! SENATE RACE
Former Governor Said To Be
Candidate of Some of the
/. V. A. Leaders
DISCOUNT LOCAL MAN
Effort Made in Grand Forks
Herald to Eliminate Judge
Christianson \
DISCOUNT LOCAL MAI

Former Governor l.. B. Hanna is be.
ing looked to among some of the l. V.
A. organization at Fargo as a candi-
date for United States senator repre-.
senting their organization, according
to reports in political circles. Cover
nor Hanna is now abroad, but he has
been a candidate for the senate before
and he is understood not to be adverse
to going to Washington in the future.
Governor Hanna also is rich man,
reputed to be worth two or three mil
lion dollars, and could provide a cam
paign fund.
The reports are strengthened some
what by the attempts upon the part of
others to eliminate various candidates
as Unacceptable" In addition to
Gronna and lMcCumber there have
been, it appears, concerted efforts to
discourage sentiment for Judge Chris
tianson. Ormsby McHarg first ex-
pressed this sentiment in a letter to
the Fargo Forum. The Grand Forks
Herald, owned by Jerry Bacon, long
regarded as having liking toward the
pUSlLlUu VI CAlIcu OtdI0S SCAoSoA JoAAo
the McHarg effort.
Gronna Gets Busy.
Meanwhile A. j. Gronna has opened
heaquarters in Fargo in the rear OF
the Dacotah hotel, according to- an
nouncement from there. There still
are number of L V. A. leaders who
want to support Gronna, in spite Of
his recent attitude, holding that he
has said nothing more than that he
would support the I. " A. state pro-
gram. On the other hand there are
many anti-leaguers, who have been in
the state aght and worked with the
Nv. A. who declare that the l. V. A.
organization should keep hands off,
the senatorship They point out that
the organization based it's claim for ex-
istence on the state fight, and that to
branch into the federal field is a con-
fession that. the leaders are not SO
much interested in Kidding the state OF
.Nonpartisans as in building up a po-
litical machine Of their own.
Attack Christianson.s
The editorial in the Grand Forks
Herald in which Jerry Bacon's paner
seeks to eliminate Judge Christlanson,
after printing a Washington dispatch
stating that it is held there that there
is no bar to Judge Christianson's can
didacy, follows:
In the desultory discussion of pos
slble candidates for the United States
senate during recent months the name
of Judge Christianson, of the state su-
preme court, has frequently been men.
toned. There has been very general
agreement that Judge Christianson,s
high personal character and his attl-
tude toward public questions would
make him very useful and accepta'
BILE member Of the senate, and it has
also been generally believed that ne
would be q strong candidate In a po-
litical campaign. In this connection
the question of the eligibility OF North
Dakota Judges for other than judicial
positions has also been mentioned. 1t
has been understood in a general way
that the state constitution has some
provisions with reference to this SUD
iect. but usually interest in the SUBJ
iect has not been great enough to IN
duce an examination Of the consutu-
tion to see Just what it does say.
Section 119 Of the constitution OF
North Dakota says:
No Judge of the supreme or distr1ct
courts shall be elected or appointed to
any other than judicial offices or be
eligible thereto during the term Tor
which he was elected or appointed
such Judge. All votes or appointments
for either of them for any elective or
appointiye office except that of judge
of the supreme court, given by the leg.
islatiye assembly or the people shall
be void.
This seems to be fairly conclusive.
Il will be observed that the prohlbl-
tion covers the full term for which the
iudge was elected or appointed, hence
even his resignation Of the judicial
position would not make him eligible
for any other until the full term fol
which he was elected or appointed mas
expired. :.
4 dispatch from Washington says
that a number OF autnorltleS IL lne
capitol hold that this clause does no.
apply to federal positions such as Unit
ed States senatorships, and attention Il
called to a South Dakota case II
which, Notwithstanding a clause in the
state constitution which is SAID to De
identical with the above, judge wa:
elected to congress and is now serV
ing in that body.
In support of the view that the con
stitutional provision does not apply u
, positions in congress it is pointed ou
that each house of congress is TN
sole Judge of the qualifications OF u
own members and is not bound by al.
rules or regulations which state ma,
see fit to make.
There can be no question OF u
right of the federal senate or nous
to seat or exclude any person clalmln
membership therein, and OF the com
plete independence of those bodies c
state legislation. Neither can there D
any question that if North Dakot
Judge should go to Washington an
claim membership in the senate, pr
senting a certificate of election dul
made out, he would be seated. In
question is not what the senate woul
do with reference to provision in tt
Continued on Paae 81