The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-02-17
LEAGUE PRECINCT
DELEGATES NAMED
THROUGHOUT STATE
viii Meet Feb. II in County
Conventions to Select State
Delegates
PARTY TORN By WIDE RIFT
Governor William LANCER Struck
At Opponents in Friday
Night Speech
(By The Associated Press)

Precinct meetings for selection OF
delegates to Nonpartisan League
county conventions were in progress
Saturday. with supporters Of the adj
ministration Of Gov. William LANCER
generally expected to gain control.
The delegates chosen Saturday will
meet Feb. n In county conventions to
select l27 delegates to the state con-
vention at Valley City March s. In
addition, labor organizations will be
allowed nine delegates and Nonpar-
tisan League Women's clubs five.
Saturdays precinct meetings follow
q week of political developments that
widened the split between the oppos-
ing factions within the league and
presaged bitter campaign for Re-
publican nominations at the June n
primary election.
Anti-Langer forces, known as "the
committee Of 100," have called q Sec
ond state Endorsement convention to
be held at Jamestown March for
the specific purpose Of nominating
an anti-Langer slate OF candidates In
the event the LANCER group controls
the Valley City convention.
In the meantime, Democrats, hop
ing to capitalize on the feeling Of bit
terness now existing between the two
league factions, have set their state
convention for April at Minot.
Statement Scored LANCER
A formal statement issued this
week by seven state officials, headed
by Lieut.. Gov. Ole H. Olson, repudiot-
ing the LANCER administration. was
the signal for open warfare between
the two league factions. These Of
ficials are expected to be placed on
the antiLanger ticket at the James,
town convention, while at the Valley
City convention the LANCER group. II
It controls, IS expected to indorse
candidates to oppose them.
State Sen. w. E. Matthaei Of Wells
county, in an address here early this
week served as spokesman for the
anti-Langer group and assailed the
administration.
Friday night, LANCER struck out at
his opponents In q radio speech,
charging they were influenced BY
outside corporations.
IF the progressive people Of this
state want to support an administra-
ton that Is fighting every minute
for the common people" LANCER said,
then they In turn must take IS or
20 minutes tomorrow Saturday at
2 o'clock and 60 to the polls and
select delegates who believe In that
kind Of administration"
The governor assailed the seven
elective state officials who signed .
statement repudiating his admins
tration, charging that corporations
"have hired the smoothest. the oiliest.
the suavest men to disrupt our organ
ization."
Raises Cooperation Bsgaboo
"For months the large corporations.
most Of them with their headquarters
outside North Dakota, whom I have
fought as governor, have been work
ing-sometimes secretly, sometimes
openly-to cause the people who win
60 to these meetings to lose their
confidence in this administration.
Tremendous profits are At stake for
these outside corporations. For years
they have been robbing the people.
"Since I became governor, we raised
their taxes from approximately 5h
per cent to II per cent. The electric
light and power company In Bismarck
alone lost $4,000 4 year In the re-
duction Of rates since I became gov.
ernor. and over . 10 year period for
which they have signed Z contract,
there Is loss Of over 100000
These corporations have hired the
smoothest, the oiliest, the suavest men
to disrupt our organization. These
smooth, oily enissaries have nattered
some Of the other state officers. They
have patted them on the back and
kept patting them. telling them what
great men they were until their chests
stuck out and their heads swelled,
and seven Of them almost unani-
mously agreed that each and every
one Of the seven ought to be gov
ernor."
Claims Support Of Three
Referring to the three elective state
officials who failed to sign the state
ment, LANCER said Attorney General
p. O. Satire, State Auditor Berta
Baker, and Railroad Commissioners
Ben G. Larkin will back me until the
cows come home" (Sathrc is LANCER
appointee).
Continued on Page 81