Evening star., 1924-09-27
RESULT OF VOTE
IN NORTH DAKOTA
UP TO FUS|ON|STS
Conservatives, Who 0usted
Non-Partisan League, May
Split on Presidency.
LA Toilette VICTORY
is SEEN IN DIVISION
Coolidge Needs Unified Support
Given to Democrat Running
for Governor.
BY g. GOULD LINCOLS.

State Socialism, via the Nom Partisan
League route, has been tried out in
North Dakota more extensively than
in any other State in the Union. The
more conservative people turned on
the league" as it is popularity called
here, and in the last two elections,
through a fusion of the conservative
Democrats and Republicans. largely
regained control of the State.
For the first time, this year, the
people of North Dakota are faced
with ibera1ism-approxima State
Socialsm-as a national issue. in the
shape of the La Toilette and Wheeler
presidential and vice presidential
ticket.
The question arises. will the people
of North Dakota divide in the ma
tional election as they have divided
in the State elections, with a dis
tinct line of cleavage between the
liberal and the more conservative
groups? If they could SO divide in
national tickets. then the chances OF
the Coolidge and Dawes ticket WIN
ming the five electoral votes OF the
State probably would be very good,
despite the claims of tremendous
strength put forward by the progress
SlVeS-Or Non -PartlSdn LtdSu ueiS, d.
they are described here.
Two Factions Back Governor.
In the gubernatorial race, distinct
" a State acair, the Fusion portion,
composed of the conservative factions
and Democrats, have put forward
Halvor Halverson, Democrat. He Is
attacking vigorously in his campaign
speeches State socialism, State In
dustrialism as advocated by the lead
ers He is attacking also La Toilette,
who has the support of the national
Socialist party The Nom Partisan
League and its candidates are stand
ing strongly for La Toilette.
When IL comes TO the national
election, however. there are three
principal tickets in the field, headed
by Coolidge, La Toilette and Davis.
And when it comes TO voting a ma
tional ticket, many of the Democrats
supporting HaIverson for governor.
it is said, will vote for Davis for
President. If this Is the case, then
the conservative forces, which have
been able to defeat the Non-Partisan
Leaguers by a narrow margin in the
State elections. will be divided, and
the leaguers, the La Toilette support
ers, will win
Davis Victory Unlikely.
1t is possible. of course. that
some of the radical Democrats who
have Joined with the leaguers also
may vote for Davis. and 50 weaken
La F'ollette's strength. But Davis
does not make an appeal to radi-
Gals, certainly not in this part of
the country. and the likelihood of
this coming about is not great.
The La Toilette supporters are
hoping for an eventual division polit-
ically throughout the country be-
tween a Liberal party and a Con-
servative party. In State matters,
such d division has already been
brought about in North Oak ota. If
the same division could be brought
about on national issues, then North
Dakota might disappoint La Toilette
and Wheeler.
One reason why a clean line of
division may be difficult on the ma
tional ticket here, lies in the fact that
many Democrats are hoping today
that the election will be thrown into
the House, believing that only in this
way can the election of Coolidge be
prevented, and that in Congress
either Davis or Bryan will be chosen
to sit in the White House for the
next four years. In other words.
Democrats would rather see the five
ELECTORAL votes of North Dakota go
to La Toilette than to Coolidge, in
order TO make deadlock sure.
Feeling Is Strong.
Because North Dakota has had its
fight over State socialism or liberalism,
call it what you will, the feeling here
among many of the conservatives 10
even more intense against La Toilette
than it is in other Northwestern
States. On the other hand, he is
receiving the enthusiastic support of
the leaguers.
The La Toilette supporters here
point with particular pride to the re-
primary last Spring. At that time,
Senator Hiram johnson of California
was contesting as progressive for
the Republican nomination with
President Coolidge. Senator La Fol-
lette wished to leave the North Da-
kota field open to Johnson in this
contest, and insisted that he would
not be a candidate for North Dakota
preference. What happened? La Fol-
lette's friends among the Non-Parti-
san Leaguers decided to go ahead
anyway.
They provided "stickers" bearing
La Follette's name to place on the
ballot. When the ballots were
counted it was found, in round num-
bers, that President Coolidge had
carried the State with $4,000 votes,
but that La Toilette stood second,
with 10000, and Johnson was third,
with 10000. The combined vote OF
the two Progressive candidates against
Coolidge, the conservative, was 10000
If La Toilette could make such a
showing with "StickerS after his
demand that he be not voted for,
what can he not do with his name
regularly on the ballot is the ques-
ton naturally arising here.
Population Is Rural.
The population of North Dakota is
overwhelmingly rural The census of
1920 puts it as follows: Rural popula-
ton, 554,663; urban, SS,239. The great
industry of the State is agriculture
and farmers predominate. The unrest
and revolt among the farmers against
what they consider an unfair division
of profits began in North Dakota long
before the defation of agriculture
which followed the war. The Nom
Partisan League was started in 1915.
Furthermore, the Non-Partisan League
was at it's strongest in 1919, when
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