Evening star., 1924-09-27
Conservatives, Who Ousted
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 &. GOULD LINCOLN.
Staff Correspondent OF The Star.


State Socialism, via the Non 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 allied
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 ism-approximating State
Socialism-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
they are described here.
Two Factions Back Governor.
In the gubernatorial race. distinct
ly a State acair, the Fusion portion,
composed of the conservative factions
add Democrats, have put forward
Ifalvor Halverson, a 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 it's 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 Halverson 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
; IeaguerS by narrow margin IN the
State elections, will be divided. and
the leasuers, 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 so weaken
La Follettes 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 Con-
Servative party. In State matters,
such division has already been
brought about in North Oak ota. II
the same division could be brought
about on national issues, then North
Dakota might diSappoint La Toilette
and Wheeler.
One reason why clean line of
, division may be difficult on the ma
tional ticket here lies in the fact that
many Democrats are hoping today
J 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
order to make a deadlock sure.
Feeling Is Strong.
! Because North Dakota has had its
| fight over State socialism or liberalism,
call it what you will. the feeling hero
among many of the conservatives is
even more intense against La Toilette
than it is in other Northwestern
/ States On the other hand, he is
/ .irD hs nth Inns SjlS ct 10 nf
! the leaeuers.
! The La Toilette supporters here
point with particular pride to the re-
suits of the presidential preferential
! primary last Spring. At that time,
| Senator Hiram Johnson of California
/ was contesting as a progressive for
| the Republican nomination with
President Coolidge. SenatoF La Fol
! lette wished to leave the North Da
| kota field open To Johnson in this
! contest, and insisted that he would
not be candidate for North Dakota
preference. What happened? La Fol
/ lettes friends among the Non -Iarti-
! san Leaguers decided to go ahead
anyway.
They provided "stickers bearing
/ La Fol.ette's name to place on the
! ballot When the ballots were
! counted it was found, in round num-
/
! carried the State with $4,000 votes.
! but that La Toilette stood SeconG,
with 10000 and Johnson was third,
with 10000. The combined vote o:
the two Progressive candidates against
Coolidge, the conservative, was 10000.
If La Toilette could make such
| 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 In Rural.
The population of North Dakota is
/ overwhelmingly rural The census OF
! 1920 puts it as follows: Rural popula
| tion 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 def1ation of agriculture
/ which followed the war. The Nom
| Partisan League was started in 1916.
Furthermore, the Nom Partisan League
! was at its strongest in 1919, when
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