The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-04-02

than the towns. The country must
be given due credit for turning out
to the polls and expressing its views
through the ballot.
"A full vote in the primaries is
desirable, il only to gain a really
valuable index as to the present
feeling Of voters and taxpayers on
the program Of state industrialism
Everyone knows that the farm
crs Of North Dakota-constitutin
about two thirds Of the population
possess the controlling vote, ii
they all vote one way. In the earlier
league days they swept the state
with ease. The only question is
whether considerable portion Of
farmers now are convinced that
state industrialism has been tried
far enougk--whe.her it should be
further tried, expanded or aban-
doncd."
Ernest L. Peterson Of the Dick
inson Press, who is among those who
also ran for delegates to the ma
tional Republican convention. can
comment as a possible delegate. Re-
turns show him contcnding for one
of the posts. His comment follows
in part:
''ln the presidential primaries tho
Nonpartisan vote was out in force
while in the Independent strong
holds with only few steps to go,
only small fraction of the total
number OF voters took tx trouble
to 90 to the polling places. 1hc
greater number evidently confined
their activities to moaning over the
outcome when the resul. became
known.
lone thing is certain. Jndcper-
dents are going to find the Nom
partisan machine no easy adversary
in the June primaries. The league
vote is as solid as ever. Probably
moro so than it has been in me last
two state elections.
"Thcre is another thing about
those who are welded to the Non
partisan faith. They take enough
interest in the political affairs If
the state and in the PRINCIPLES OF
their platform to get out and woek
for it. If Independents do no. care
to show a like interest they will
have no cause to complain if the
whole league ticket is elected"
Walt Gushing of the Beach Adj
vance under the caption another
Bunk Primary" wants the whole
law wiped out and a return to the
old days Of the caucus and the torch
light procession. but he would have
the festivities absolutely dry. for he
says that the liquor traffic is one
"of the greatest curses man is heir
to-" His primary comment follows
in part:
"None Of the political parties in
the state pay the slightest attention
to many of the first principles of
the primary law, and every election
year sees others Of its provisions
cast into the discard. Why not cast
the whole thing into discard. and
have some old fashioned party al
lcgiance and party principles and
responsibility for what the party
and it's representatives do?
ut is not matter Of the slight
est Importance in discussing the
primary law, who wins or loses
the system is impractical and mas
so destroyed interest in elections
that under its workings only half
the people vote. which gives the
| chance the big fellows in the big
states want to corral things their
way, for the riff-raff Of the cities
always vote and can be bought BY
wholesale. Instead Of being the
poor mans friend" it is the great
est snap ever created for the rich
gangsters in the states that control
conventions and the government"
| If the /. V. AS had won. would
the election have been a ''bunk" pri-
mary or a great uprising Of the
"peepul' in defense Of popular and
1 honest government