The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-12
North Dakota Endures
(Williams County Farmers Pres,

~ NWull6mS county FARMERS PTeSS)
North Dakota that once held the spotlight of the ma
ton for its spectacular campaign battles is passing
through an election year without so much as a ghostly
resemblance OF its once glamorous combats. In other
states OF the nation. political campaigns have taken a
hectic turn that is rarely Witnessed: Pinchot in PennsYl-
vania, a liberal in a desperately reactionary state, beat
the machine candidate. Brown, with an aftermath Of
guerrilla warfare that has kept the state in ferment.
IN Oklahoma Alfalfa Bill waged a bitter and spectacular
oaCtle wnlcn excited the voters to a high pitch. In
Texas the spectacular Ferguson jeered the number of
bathrooms In his opponents house and his opponent
print Fergusons blstering attacks. Huey p. Long. self
styied louisiana Tar, son of q poor hill farmer, turned
toose with . campaign Of personalities while the entire
daily press OF the state jeered Hueys green silk pajanas
in which he had received the commander Of 3 German
warsnip. nearly precipitating an international misunder-
suited IN the. ousting Of Governor Reed. bitter opponent
o. the farm board. A political mountebank in Nebraska
.hy name Of George Norris, brought out with the back
ing Of the big interests Of the state. nut Nebraska in
arms. Wisconsin promises one Of the hottest campaigns
o. It's career when young La Toilette and the bathtub
KING really get under way. And In. the meantime, North
Dakota, the one-time cynos,re Of political fandom.
staged an election fight that was no more spectacular
= There Re- j, s's : reason o't to i e ss.es = e 'se ,aalss With s,d; the
drab. rather characterless incumbent had had only one
= ready smile, he lacks p everythin q that sns I mst sype ne MIe
strongly partisan one way or another. There is nothing
particularly t. offensive about shafer in : personal way and
with that species known as the great American medio-
cracy tnot to ce confused with the common mani.
On the other hand. the only real contestant Of the
NunAOS4 V4sC &zSuAASO4AO VOuA1ty 1A1U1CEs 0S4ut, 6C6ICc1y
seems to be the stuff out Of which great campaign fig
ures are made. A solid sort of person. common sense
and unspectacular In speech or appearance on the CAM
paign platform. he invited neither cheers Of enthusiasm
nor Misses Of disapproval. Brant was fighting for q cause
instead OF fighting against an individual and such stuff
belongs to the cold realm OF thought rather than the
exhilarating sphere Of emotion. With the spectacular
record Of 9 Frazier, Brant might have become Q ques-
ton mark over which q hot controversy would have ragged.
AS It was, almost unknown over the state, . severe
handicap. with nothing more appealing than q cold
mental proposition. voters showed q lack Of interest.
In other days when personalities figured largely In
q campaign IN this state paxtsanship got to be q
gaastly affair just as 1t has In many states this year.
It may be that the planks, programs and other ~parapher-
MALTA are the actual basis Of any political campaign but
to have 9 hot. campaign. character or personality Is q
primary requisite. Without character, any campaign
needs must lose q great deal Of its interest to the great
many who are really but little interested In actual prob
lens OF government. Without that human interest
element. q campaign Is merely q case OF advising the
voter as to his own welfare and like all peoples. about
the last thing many North Dakotans are interested in
On the whole It appears that voters like personal CAM
palgns-at least that Is what gets out the vote. And
aIter all 1t would be satisfying to have somebody In the
governors chair that voters could either like. or dislike.
Outside Of 9 few personal enemies or friends, the aver
age voter has the same feeling toward Shafer thai,
he does toward q peanut vender or the tail on q dog
ne Is just there, that's all. To such e state Of affairs
have the turbulent waters Of North Dakota politics SUBJ
sided. In other states they love or hate, praise or curse.
applaud Or hiss-but Ia North Dakota the voter Just
endures.