The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-12
Editorial Comment
Discriminating Voting
Grand Forks Herald /

Grand Forks Herald)
The swing Of more than 10000 from the vote
cast ut the primary election for Governor Sorlie
and that cast for Attorney General Shafer. rei,re.
senting the opposite ticket, is due to something
more than coincidence. accident or indifference
Other things being equal, the candidate whose
name is familiar to the public has an advantage
over his OPPONENT and in the absence Of specific
and we'll understood complaint against him the
official who seeks reelection or denomination
occupies a somewhat better position, as a rule,
than the man with whom the voters have yet to
become acquainted. But this tendency is not
sufficient to account for the switch back and forth
from one ticket to the other Of enough votes to
make difference Of 10000 or more in what must
be considered the most important two places on
either Of the state tickets.
When every possible allowance is made for acct
dent and negligence, it is clear that there remains
some other element which influenced the vote and
influenced it in very powerful manner Votes
were cast because the voters wished to accomplish
certain things, and they chose very deliberately
the method by which they conceived these ends
could best be attained.
The dominant issue in the campaign for governor
was the continued operation or the closing Of the
state mill and elevator. Regardless Of statements
Of policy by individuals the popular belief that
the success of one candidate meant the closing of
the plant and that the success of the other meant
its continued operation. 1t is quite clear that !
very large majority of the voters wished the oper-
alton of the plant continued, and we may well
face the fact that they wanted it operated at least
for the time being and until further notice, a
state industry rather than under private auspices
and they voted accordingly for Governor Sorlie who
was and is committed to that policy.
Left at that point it might be said that the
election means a reversion of the people of North
Dakota to the extreme policies of unlimited state
socialism. Even If only the Sorlic vote were con-
sidered that conclusion would not be warranted,
for although the endorsed candidate Of the Nonpar
tsan league, Governor Sorlie has placed himself on
record on numerous occasions as utterly opposed
to any such policy. But we have still more con.
elusive indication Of the cautious and conservative
sentiment Of the state in the vote cast for Attorney
General Shafer and his associate together with the
governor as member of the Industrial commission,
Commissioner of Agriculture Kitchen. With the
exception Of the mill and elevator the Industrial
commission controls and directs all the industrial
activities of the state government. Messrs Shafer
and Kitchen members of the Independent group,
and as such they dominate the commission. Even
il the governor were inclined to plunge the state
into building of packing plants and shoe factories
tend the work of the Bank Of North Dakota into
the field of commercial banking all over the state.
I the presence of those two members on the COM
mission would effectually block any such action.
The voters were aware of this situation when they
voted for these men, and they voted for them de.
liberately and purposefully.
| Any fair analysis Of the vote leads to the con-
cluson that the voters acted intelgently and
thoughtfully, having in mind just what they
wished to accomplish, and choosing the means best
calculated to achieve their purpose It is apparent
also, that the purpose in mind was neither reac
tionary nor recklessy radical They found the
state engaged in certain activities. They wished
these activities continued substantially along the
general lines now laid DOWN, and by the men at
present in charge. They wished the governor to
continue his attempt to develop the most useful
possibilities of the mill and elevator and they wished
! to impose salutary check upon his actions in
other directions by associating with him men who
would curb any extravagant tendencies which he
might develop.
! This. we believe, is fair conclusion from study
Of the vote that was cast. There may still be ques
ton as to the wisdom of particular policies which
have been approved, but the voters of the state
of North Dakota are certainly to be credited with
an unusually careful study Of the problems pre-
sented to them, with the exercise of unusual intel
! gence and discrimination in employing the most
effective means to attain their desires, and with
very high degree of caution and prudence in thei
effort to shape the business policy Of the state.