Grand Forks herald., 1922-05-15
VOTERS OF NORTH DAKOTA FACE
MOST MuDDlD SITUATION SINCE
1916 IN JUNE PRIMARY nEC ECTlON
Five Candidates Seeking
Nesiination for Governor; !;
Eight Possibilities for Unit
ed States Senator; Me-
cumber Supporters Pleds-
Cd to Give Nestes Loyal
Assistance.

&, With the primary elections less
than six weeks off. North Dakota
politics are in the most muddled con-
dition that has been seen in the state
since 1916.
Taking the governorship for ex-
ample. there are five candidates in the
field, the present governor r. A.
Eestos, who is the Independent can
didate for the Republican nomination.
B. F.. Baker, official candidate of the
an nomination, Charles Stegner of
Bismarck who seeks the Republican
nomination ostensibly on platform
Of opposition to all forms of state
ownership, Charles Simon. Independ-
ent Democrat, endorsed at the Demo-
cratic state convention at Bismarck.
and DIR. l.. s. Platou of Fargo, stalk
ing horse for the Nonpartisan League.
For most of the other state Offices
there are four candidates in the field,
each Of the four gubernatorial can
didates with the exception Of Mr..
Stegner being at the head Of q COM
plete. or nearly complete, state ticket
Independent Den,s Safe.
So far as the Democratic primaries
are concerned there seems to be little
doubt of the result. The League ele-'
ment headed by DR.. Platou, and F. 0.
Hellstrom has little chance of sue
cess. The general belief is that they
realize this themselves and have
Smply entered the race with a view
to doing what they can to prevent;
the fusion Of the Democrats with the
Independent Republicans, by keeping
as many Independent Democrats as
possible from voting in the Republic
an primaries. Thus they hope to pre-
vent the nomination Of r. A. Nestos,
who, under the agreement reached at
jamestown is to have the support Of
all Independents, both Democrats and
Republicans in the fall election.
In the Republican primaries the
main tight of course is between Gov
ernor Nestos, and Mr.. Baker. Mr-
~ seems likely to seriously affect;
Governor Nestos prospects for renom-
inahion.
No Betrayal Expected.
Stegner, if he hopes to secure the
nomination, must base his hope on the
idea that he will be given support
from the McCumber eelment in the
Republican party. This hope cannot
be realized unless the McCumber
leaders deliberately break their
solemn word given at the Republican
convention held at jamestown in
April.
At that convention the leaders of
the McCumber faction pledged them
selves publicly on the floor Of the con,
vention to support the state ticket
endorsed there. which is headed by
Governor Nestos. That they can even
consider such a breach of faith as the
knitting Of Governor Nestos, by sup
RoEting Mr.. stegner is inconceivable.
The Bismarck Tribune has come
eut in support of Stegner, and also by
Implication in favor of the League
Democrats.
Senatorial Fight.
Interest continues to be largely
ceDtered in the senatorial contest. J.
F. T. O'Connor of Grand Forks was
endorsed for the Democratic nomina-
tion for this Office at the jamestown
convention of his party, and should
carry the Democratic primaries with
out difficulty in spite of the opposition
League Democrat who has come out
in opposition to him.
In the Republican ranks the situa-
ton is badly mixed up. Candidates
who have announced themselves are
the present Senator p. ]. McCumber,
Lynn J. Frazier the league candidate,
and P. D: Norton. In addition to
for Ormsby AcHarg of Jamestown,
while w. S. Lauder of Wahpeton is
also freely spoken of as candidate.
It now seems likely that both Nc
HArg and Lauder will be in the race
unless Justice A. NJ. Christensen de-
ctdeo to be candidate. In this ease
I 1t IS understood that Judge Lauder
wn give Justice Christianson a clear
Ae6, and it is thought likely that Mr..
ASAarE will do tfsA- -Snne Whaf rt3or,