The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-08
e. ON TIN U E n
from page one -
LANCER Raps Men
Of Own Party in
Final Talk Here

! spoke of his "dear, dear friend Tom
| Thoresen." At Bismarck Monday
night he aligned him with the big
interests" and limited that he is q
servile politician.
Besmirches Larkin
Attacking The Bismarck. Tribune.
LANCER gave figures which he said
represented the amount which it has
collected for state printing and spoke
OF enormous profits" made thereon.
BY inference he limited at ursavory
doings in the state printing commits
sion OF which Ben G. Larkin, railroad
commissioner who sat on the platform
with him. has been chairman for the
last two years, the entire period COW
cred by Langer's figures.
There are two other members of
the printing commission, the commits
sioner of agriculture and labor and
the secretary of state. The latter IS
Robert Byrne, who has supported
the League at all times. And during
some of those times LANCER was at
lacking it.
LANCER either overlooked or ig-
nored the fact that every bill paid
for state printing during the last two
years was approved by Larkin and
Byrne, his fellow members on the
state ticket.
AS Bismarck citizen he over
looked the fact that the bulk of the
money went to meet Bismarck paw
roll; that the same charges have
been raised by opponents OF the Non.
partlsans and refuted by his own
party in recent years.
A DIT OF drama was injected into
the proceedings when LANCER attack
ed recent speech by Scott Cameron,
democratic candidate for attorney
general. who asserted that LANCER, in
1923, promoted proposal to bond the
state for $25.000,0O0 to pay dcpositors
IN closed banks. He asserted that the
Bismarck Tribune lied in reporting
the statement and. fishing what he
said was a certified check from his
POCKET, offered to wager on that
point. He challenged anyone to deny
it and the challenge went unanswered.
He asserted that he had opposed
the bond issue and challenged anyone
to deny that, offering another wager
that The Tribune lied in its publica-
ton of the Cameron story.
Waving what he said was a third
certified check. LANCER asserted that
The Tribune lied in publishing Cam
eron's statement that, had the bond
issue carried, LANCER would have prof
tied to the extent of million dol
lars.
On this third round he asked if
Ken Simons were in the audience and,
If so. would he take the wager.
The answer was Yes"
AS presented by LANCER the only
question involved was whether The
Tribune had honestly reported Cam
eron's speech, not whether Cameron
or LANCER was telling the truth. That
issue remains between Cameron and
LANCER.
But 1t was an easily verifiable fact
that Cameron's speech had been hon
estly reported. A written copy Of the
speech, obtained from Cameron,
proves what he said. for the speech
was given from manuscript.
AS offered, therefore, the wager was
a lead pipe cinch." Whether or not
Cameron can prove his statements
was not in issue. The only question
involved was whether this newspaper
accurately reported what a public
man said.
LANCER would have lost his money
under the terms of the wager as he
offered it.
The intestines of the speaker ap-
parently quivered at the prospects, for
he Immediately backed water and de-
manded that the other party to T1e
wager present. in his turn. certified
check. The result was obvious. I did
not have one. doubt if anyone In
the auditorium had one. LANCER
saved his money at the expense Of his
face. Thus was his color identified.
The Tribune has made no charges
against LANCER. It has published the
story Of Mrs. Fred Johnson, Conny.
brook widow, who is suing LANCER for
$500 which she alleges he obtained
by fraud. LANCER has maze no an
swer to this charge other than to de-
clare it an 18th hour political attack
in approximately 40 speeches since
the suit was filed.
When The Tribune attempted to as
certain Langer's answer to the suit
the result was insulting gestures, but
no answer.
Answers No Questions
In view of Langers discussion of
the cause without getting to the meat
of the matter and because he had
further charged unfair treatment, it
seemed advisable to interview him in
full view of the audience so that all
present might later determine II his
answers were accurately and honestly
reported in The Tribune.
In full view of the audience, LANCER
was asked if he would grant two min
utes to state the case and his answer
was mo-"
When man who had been chal-
lenged turned to the audience to call
the bluff in their presence, disturb
ance was created on the stage.
NJ H. Chernich, LANCER hench-
man, and William G. Mills, husband
Of Langer's woman secretary, rushed
to the rescue of their chief with
brandished fists. But there were no
serious blows struck and no one was
injured.
The questions which 1t was proposed
to ask LANCER, not by way Of political
pickering but merely for the informa-
ton of the people Of North Dakota,
were:
did you get $4,000 from Mrs. Esther
johnson Of Donnybrook?"
What have you done to earn it?"
Further questioning would have