Evening star., 1922-06-24
PARTYL|NESFA|L
IN NORTH DAKOTA
non-Partisan Fight .DuIIs
National Issues in Pri-
mary Contest.
Ay the Associated Press.

- tue Aseochte0 Pres0.
BISMARCK. N. D.. June 24.-With
party lines broken and disregarded.
North Dakota Is approaching its state
wide primary June 28 with the interest
conferred In the struggle between the
present administration and the Nom
Partisan League for the control Of the
state government. Gov. r. A. Nestos.
the first governor in the history Of the
United States to be elected in a recall
campaign. Is heading the combination
OF republicans and democrats aligned
against the league. The latter is mar
shaling its forces under the name of re-
publican. the democratic members of
the league signing up as republicans for
tho purposes Of the primary.
The primary Is strictly North Da-
kota affair. While candidate for
United States senator is to be elected.
the league and anti-league battle en-
ters into this and the selection Of the
senator Is one Of the queerest angles
ever presented to the people Of a state.
Lynn ]. Frasier, recalled governor. is
the candidate for the Non-Partisan
League. Porter J. McCumber Is a can
didate to succeed himself. and Ormsby
McHarg OF jamestown, former pri-
vate secretary OF Senator McCumber. is
also a candidate.
No Party Color.
According to political observers. the
primary will not give q line upon the
trend Of national feeling. Conditions
politically. they contend, are too cha
for any stamp Of pro or anti to be de-
clared from the result Something OF
the tangled conditions can be guessed
from the fact that the names of the
same men appear on petitions OF candi-
dates named for democratic and repub-
been made in this potpourr OF politics
stamping one side or the other as car
ryinE the banner OF progress. immo-
bility or reaction.
Back of all these conditions trail the
years in which North Dakota has been
theories-theories which needed po--
litical party label for functioning-and
still farther back are the years In wnlch
North Dakota was attempting to aiign
itself under the progressive banner up
held at that time by its near-natiVe son.
Theodore Roosevelt.
six Different Elements.
Under these conditions six different
elements entered into the campaign.
The elements, each one paramount to
some certain group or alignment or
section follow:
~ interested In the state ticket
and the return Of Gov r. A. Nestos
to the position he has filled since No
vember Is last. This element has no
candidate for the senatorship. ,..
(2) The Non Partisan League. with
its members signing up as republic
ars, its ticket headed by former Gov.
Erasier as candidate for United states
senator, and with a complete state
ticket. headed by B. F. Baker OF Glen
burn. a farmer. for governor.
90 Democrats. supporting ]. F. T.
o'Connor for United States senator
and a complete state ticket.
(D Porter ]. McCumber. senator
ardently supported by former stall
warts, with followers in both the re-
publican and Non-partisan camps.
Fear Bi-Partisan Move.
(5) Protest against the purpose OF
the democrats to align with the In
dependent republicans following the
primary upon certain candidates from
each ticket.
(6) Protest in republican ranks
against the industrial experiments the
state has been trying.
The preliminary campaign. up to the
time of final filing for Office, was con.
test between the independent republi-
can and the McCumber forces. The in
dependents attempted to force the sena-
tor and his immediate followers to ally
themselves with the independents against
the Non Partisan League. This was me-
by the equally insistent demand OF the
supporters of McCumber that the inde'
pendents ally themselves with the sena'
tor regardless of the league question
Both sides failed in this effort, although
some Independent candidates have an
nounced that they personally will vote
for McCumber.
The third man in the race for senator
Ormsby McHarg of Jamestown. Is re-
garded as an unknown quantity. Since
mis- return to the state. less than year
ago. which accounts for his inability tc
vote in the primary, he has aligned him
self with the independents. He is
former private secretary to Senator NC
Cumber and has been absent from North
Dakota for some years.
Seek Key Positions.
Gov. Nestos is leading state ticket
on which George Shafer of Watford City
is the candidate for attorney general and
Joseph A. Kitchen is asking renomina-
tion as commissioner of agriculture and
labor. These three positions form the
Industrial commission, which has con-
troll Of the large business interests OF
the state.
The leagues candidates are B: F.
Baker Of Glenberg. for governor; Peter
Garberg Of Hettinger, for attorney gen
eral, and w. ]. Church Of York, for
commissioner of agriculture and labor.
Baker and Church are farmers. former
members Of the North Dakota senate
and familiar with the work Of the state.
Several Independent candidates are In
the field, but tho only one who Is con-
sidered by politicians to have much OF
a chance is Silver Serumgard OF Devlfs
Lake, candidate for commissioner OF
agriculture and labor. 1t is contended
that he Is taking votes from both sides
More miles Of railroad are being
abandoned than are being built, ac-