The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-03-18
North Dakota Vote Holds
Interest for Party Men
Brings Cheer to Democrats,
Gloom and Disturbance
to Republicans

When the last daub is put on the
nations political canvas for 1882, it
may easily be that the brightest spot
in the picture will be the North Da-
kota presidential primary election last
Tuesday.
Other items will overshadow 1t in
Importance, for this is small state
from the standpoint of population,
but none will record greater upset
and few, If any. will be accorded more
general significance. particularly II
the Democrats should elect a preSl-
dent.
To Bismarck and western North Da-
kota, of course, the outstanding re-
suit was the overwhelming defeat Of
capital removal. Bismarck's efforts
had been directed toward telling the
facts and getting out the vote. The
success which greeted this effort sur
prised even the most optomistic.
From a state and national stand
point, however, chief interest centers
on the tremendous increase In the
Democratic vote. The why's and
wherefores of that demonstration
may have reverberations In other
states and will give the political man.
ayers much food for thought.
Another factor of more than pass
ing Importance is the tremendous
number of persons, regardless Of par
ty, which went to the polls. Interest
In the capital issue doubtless had q
great deal to do with this phenome-
non, but 1t alone was hardly enough.
A reasonable explanation Is that citi-
zens generally are more interested In
expressing themselves now than they
have been for many years past.
Only 10S.350 In 1928
Just how tremendous this outpour-
Ing of North Dakota's citizenry was
may be cleaned by looking at the
records of past elections. In 1928 the
total vote cast was approximately
lO8,35O, that number of ballots hav-
ing been recorded on the question OF
increasing the pay Of state legislators.
The Republicans polled 95.857 votes
for LoWden and the Democrats got
1882 for Smith, a combined total OF
l06,67e. The difference between the
total vote cast and the combined to-
tai for the Democrats and Republic
cans was 1911 That many persons,
apparently were interested in issues
to the exclusion of candidates.
How that factor operated in this
election will not be known until the
final canvass is made, but 1t is OBJ
vious now that the vote on capital
removal will exceed the total vote
cast on any other issue. 1t seems a
safe bet, too, that the vote cast on
most of the five issues presented on
the referendum ballot will exceed the
combined totals for the Democrats
and Republicans. All Of which would
seem to demonstrate that the presen-
tation Of referred and initiated nea-
sures stirs public interest more than
do the candidates. Of individuals.
This trait Of voting nature is dem
onstrated further by the figures Of
1924. In that year the four candi-
dates for Republican national COM
mitteeman polled ll0,l0l votes while
the two Democratic candidates polled
1918. BY contrast, three Republic
can candidates for president, Cool
idge. johnson and La Toilette, polled
. total Of only o9,l55 votes while the
lone Democratic candidate, McAdoo.
got 1878.
On the separate ballot were two
constitutional amendments, two ini-
tiated measures and three referred
measures. One Of the initiated mea-
sures topped the pack with q total
vote OF l29, 724, a margin Of 6,510 over
the combined Republican and Demo
cratic poll. None Of the other six
issues on the ballot, however, drew
the interest that was expressed on
the combined Republican and Demo-
cratic committeeman candidates., al
though they were well up in the list.
It would seem, therefore. that the
nature Of the issue has great deal
to do with hte number Of votes cast.
Further Proof From 1870
This Is further emphasized by ex-
animation Of returns for the presi-
Dental primary Of 1920. Here, again
Continued from page 0ne)