The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-06
MASON ANNOUNCES
DECISION TO SEEK
PLACE IN SENATE
Former Secretary to Frazier
Will Try to Unseat Scion
at Election

Goodwin. N. D., March 6.-Nelson
A. Mason, former secretary to Senator
Lynn j. Frazier, announced his cam
didacy against his one-time boss at a
mass meeting of citizens of his rural
community Saturday night.
The announcement was made to
many who had attended the Paris
township school which Mason taught
when first he came to North Dakota
in 1906. He was the first teacher in
the school.
Masons candidacy Is expected to 60
before the anti-Langer convention of
NonpArtisans, scheduled for James,
town Thursday, and he is expected to
present there a proposed initiated
measure to take the appointive pow
er out of the governors hands in
major matters and place it with a
cabinet to be comprised Of all cleo
tive state officials.
Mason came to North Dakota from
Iowa 20 years ago, first teaching school
in western Barnes county and later
demonstrating in StutSman county. He
was engaged in the livestock, mercan-
tile, newspaper and insurance fields
at various times until 1916, when he
was appointed secretary to Frazier,
then governor.
Went Out In Recall
He held this job until Frazier was
recalled five years later, then enter
ing the practice of law in Bismarck.
~ f0 TIM IN
1923, Mason went along as his Sec
rotary, holding that job four years.
For the next five years he was secre-
tary of the Senate Committee on In
dian Affairs, of which Frazier is chair
man. Mason also was clerk and exec
utive officer of q special subcommittee,
appointed by the senate to investigate
the condition of Indians In the United
States.
Two years ago he had break with
FREEZER over policies and personnel of
employees in the Indian affairs COM
mittee and resigned his job, returning
to Bismarck and again taking up the
practice Of law.
In 1924 Mason was one OF three
delegates representing the National
NonpartiSan League in the Conference
for Progressive Political Action at
Cleveland that nominated Senators
Robert NJ. LaF'ollette and Burton K.
Wheeler for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency respectively. He has been
active in promoting farm legislation.
particularly along the lines OF grain
grading and In opposition to milling In
bond. He also assisted William Lemke
in assembling material for the Lemke-
Frazier farm bill
Helped Indian Veterans
Mason prepared the legislation long
denied on technical grounds, that
brought pensions to the survivors and
widows of the band OF Indian police
who participated In the Sitting Bull
fight on the Grand River in 1890. On
March 4. 1929, he organized and led
the mounted cowboy section Of the in
augural parade, made up OF bi-parti-
san group OF former cowmen and
women. both white and Indian in
Washington.
Mason has two daughters; Nellie,
employed in Washington, and Verabel,
senior in Asbury College. Wilmore,
Kentucky. He is graduate OF High
land Park College and a member OF
the bars of North Dakota. District of
Columbia and Supreme Court of the
United States. He says, If elected. in
stead Of catching on he will get on the
Job at once and fairly and impartially
represent North Dakota. working for
legislation befitting great agricul-
tural state.