The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-06-30
A DEFAULT ELECTION

North Dakota political affairs, the
turning out OF the Independents
from control of the executive de-
partment of the State Government.
What other shift In control may
be developed as result OF TINS
weeks elections remains uncertain
at this time, and will continue to
so remain for some time to come.
The Independents, as a result or
the Wednesday primary, stand to
see the termination OF their Ad-
ministration on Jan. l, 1925, and
the substitution therefor Of an Adj
ministration committed to an en-
tirely different policy in the hand
ling OF the affairs Of the State, IN
the handling Of her industrial pro
gram, and in the development of
her taxation and related problems.
OF these prospective changes in
pOlicies. assuming that the NOnpar-
tisan League candidates are placed
in a position to effect them
through the elections of Novem-
her that will determine which fac
ton shall control the State LegiS-
lature, it is unnecessary to under
take speculation at this time, but
il might be advisable to turn FOR
lust a moment to the question OF
why Governor r. A. Nestos has
been defeated for the Republican
nomination to succeed himself.
These causes are many and var
led, some of them consequential,
others important only as they had
a bearing upon the election out
come, all of them vital factors to
the extent that they did contribute
tC the defeat Of the Governor.
Primarily the victory OF the
Nunpartisan League may be re-
garded as one THAT went to them
by default: by the failure or re-
fusal Of a great body Of Independ-
ents to appreciate the fact that
there was any real danger OF los
ing the election, with consequent
lack of that effective organization
work that has marked the three
successive Immediately prior cleo
tons in which the Independents
carried their gubernatOrial candl-
| uHte 10 Victory.
Governor Nestos, himself, had re-
peatedly warned of the danger Of
defeat unless a full vote went to
the polls, and the same warning
was sounded from the campaign
Headquarters, yet only about $780,
000 voters participated in the cleo
ton, as compared with 100000 in
the Republican primary of two
years ago. r|
This apathy, born Of a false
sense OF security, was not shared
by the leaders of the NOnpartisan
League, although it may have found
its way into the Leauge ranks in a
few isolated districts in the State.
The League heads have worked
constantly; they covered the whole
State with groups of speakers,
while the Independents placed
their whole reliance upon the abil-
Ivy of Governor Nestos and Attor-
ney General George Shafer alone
to carry the word to the voters: 70
counter the great array of issues
raised by their political opponents
. who have been governed very
largely by the single thought that
the end justices the means.
In thOSestOuntieS, where effective
local work was carried forward
where the voters had an opportun-
, ity to fully inform themselves OF
: the facts, the Independent obtain
County, as we'll as several Others
stands forth as an illuminating ex-
ample of the sOundess of this
thought. In this election, for the
. first time since 1916, LaMoure
County went into the Independent,
.. column, and it was the first time
" that really thOrOughgOing cam
) paign was made in that county
The kind of work carried on in La;
Moure this year is the kind thai
had been carried on in other coun.
ties in years gone by, with the re.
} suit that county after county hat
swung from the Nonpartisar
6 League to the Independent col
umn.
l Then we come to the politica
= reasons. Always the Incumbent O
the office of Governor lays himself
open to the enmity of those whl
! seek political ,preferment at hi:
hands, and who, failing in the at
2 talnment of their personal ambi
tiCns or in the fulfllment Of thei
hope of preferment for friend, ar
ray themselves in opposition to tn,
S executive. Governor Nestos, lik
O his predecessor in office, fell unde
the ban of that same kind of :
}, group. They worked vigorousl
I and tirelessly to the end that h
= might be defeated, and contribute
their share to the result.
Conditions local to this or tina
section of the State had tremend
Gus bearing. Disappointment O
u dissatisfaction over the method i
" which the affairs of this or tina
d closed bank may have been hand
n led dampened the enthusiasm &
4 some Independent workers, an
while the effect of such develop
8 ments were largely local, thei
L cumulative effect was very ma
terial.
o To what extent the candidacy {
/. j. Moe of Valley City, had an ir
:. fuence upon the election, is unce1
tain. 1t did contribute to the doWI
fall of the Independents. M
Noes campaign was aimed direct
at Governor Nestos, and unqestio!
{, ably resulted in the alienation I
o the voters who marked their ballo
for Mr.. Moe would have voted +,
4 Mr. lNestos: probably not enoue
;" OF them to have changed the resu
but like other causes, the effet
u was material.
O Disappointment on the part