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

Editor Doughcrty Of the Killdecl
Herald is against the repeal Of the
presidential primary law and urges
a national primary for the selection
Of delegates instructed to national
conventions. He believes all presi-
dental candidates should be forced
to file in states holding primaries.
However," he says, lust be.
cause the results arc not entirely
satisfactory under the present law
is no reason why the law should he
repealed.
1T should be amended or inl-
proved so that the choice Of the peo-
pie Of the entire nation could be
determined after votes are counted.
It would not lack the interest then,
as it does now"
The Bottineau Courant has this
comment on the recent presidential
primary election:
"A fair deduction to be made
from the results of the presidential
primary election in the state is
progressive with growing inclina-
ion in that direction. Our faction
alism was well defined in the vote
for national committeeman: the
candidates were equally wcll-known
with no particular issue Or perform
ance TO distinguish one from the
other. yet it would seem Graham
will have majority Of 10000 or
more. indubitable evidence Of a
trend to the Progressive-L League
Republican wing in this state.
I'VE construc this as rccrudes-
ccnce OF the League spirit and erst-
while Lcaguers returning to the
fold. the deadly carncstness of the
farm relief advocates and prosciytcs
in tho ranks Of our IVA friends con-
WINGED there is but one national is
sue we are Intimately concerned
aver and its advancement had best
he intrustcd to its sincere advocates.
1T is undeniablc there is dist;usl
IL the motives that led the James
town convention to declare for Low
den and the McNary-Haugen bill.
No doubt the standing army Of each
faction stood by their guns. but be-
tween the two is considerable
body Of voters more or less indif-
ferent and independent that swing
according to their convictions. that
in this instance chose League as op-
posed 10 Coolidge, Hoover, Mellon
and Teapot Dome.
1T will not be surprising If the
presidential electors and list Of del
cgatcs are split as between the fac
tions. for as respects these names
the average voter chose haphazard
and without particular motive, since
all were pledged to Lowden for the
presidency. Well-known names, ma
turally. came in for preference. At
that, ut the time this was written,
every likelihood is the League fac
ton carried majority Of both cleo
tors and delegates.
"To what extent the trend pro-
gressiveward is manifest may be
judged by the League national COM
mitteeman carrying such IVA
strongholds as Barnes. Foster. Nor
ton, Mcintosh. Steele. Stutsman,
Trail and Ward counties"
Walter Taylor, /. Y. A. candidate
for insurance commissioner, views
the trend of the presidential prim-
arv in part as follows:
Country voters had the incentive
of township elections, but voters of
towns and cities also had the same
incentive Of local elections, and
shorter distances to 60 to the polls,
and equally fine weather favored
both town and country voters. The
agreement Of both leaguers and in
dependents on presidential candi-
dates naturally operated to lessen
interest.
However, one thing seems GER
tain-and that is that the country
cast relatively strong league vote,
and apparently somewhat greater
per. antge of the normal full vote