The Tomahawk., 1922-03-30
The Detroit Convention.

Gently held at Detroit is fair
specimen of the like conventions
held throughout the state under
the new ELECTION laws passed by
the last legislature, then it is mani
testify evident that such a law is 10
Improvement over the stereotyped
method of the old convention sys.
tenn and a most deplorable failure
in so far as equitable and fair
representation is concerned.
In substance the Detroit conven
tion was practically ''steam
roller propositions from start to
finish, with A. O. Sletvold at
the wheel and w. B. Carman at
the throttle, and the Lake Park
and Frazee delegation occupying
the reserved seats. And it was
manifestly evident that all the
preliminary details of the conven-
ton had been fixed" several days
before hand so that when the con
vention hour arrived and the
gavel of the chairman of the con
vention, A. O. Sletvold, fell with
a meaning thud, calling the con-
vention to order, there we're mo.
tons ready from members of the
big three and which were fred
right off the bat and before the
country delegates" could recover
from their surprise every fixed
motion' was moved, seconded and
carried. Then followed a recital
of fawning resolutions, lauding
president Harding, J. A. 0. Preus,
Halvor Stevenson, j. H. Baldwin
and G. j. Norby but, mind you,
never word for Hon. Frank B.
Kellogg, not on your tin type, the
'Hallum bunch had seen to it
that that part of the program was
elegantly forgotten. Not so how
ever, for at this stage of the pro.
gram; Attorney F. D. Beaulieu. of
the White Earth delegation, got
the floor and in spirited address
secured an amendment to the reso-
lutions, to effect that the State
delegates to the St. Paul conven
ton; use every honest effort to
secure the Endorsement Of Hon. F.
B. Kellogg for his splendid SER.
vices in Congress and for bis
denomination as U. S. Senator
from Minnesota
One delegate to the Convention
was begruagingly given to White
Earth, when in reality this pre-.
cinct should have had two dele
gates and a representation to both
the St. Paul and Moorehead con-
ventio1s. However such a recog-
milton would have signified nothing
Of material consequence as both
delegations are securely shack;ed
with. the label of ''instructed'' for
this one and that one, decidedly
to each ard every mem
Der, in a word, the major men,
bers of the small delegations will
serve practically as rubber pads
for The bigger bunch higher up.
In the. past White Earth has
played an important part in the
political history of Becker county.
On several occasions its loyal
activities at the polls has saved the
day and when the success of can
didates in the 63d legislative dis.
trict were seriously wavering in
the balance. We need go back 70
further than the last election of
1920, when G.. J: Norby, Republi-
can candidate for the state legis|a-
ture, defeated E. P. Skaiem, Non
partisan candidate, by very mar
row margin of 152 votes. The
vote of the White Earth precinct
was 231 for Norby against 40 for
Skaiem. Then again the fact that
Gov. j. A.. o. Preus carried the
county for the Republican ticket
by the very limited majority of AZ
votes and that White Earth pre-
cinct contributed III votes for
Preus. ..,.... !.