The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-06
LANCER WEAKENS ON
SCHEME TO REMOVE
OPPOSITION CHIEFS
Changes Mind and Has Mild
Resolutions Adopted by Pay
Rolling Chairmen
SECRET FARLEY IS Barred
Free Membership Declaration
Causes Wonder Since no
One Pays Now
SECRET FARLEY IS Barred

Governor William LANCER started
out Friday to unseat the Nonpartisan
League state executive committee at
meeting here OF some 30 county
chairmen of the Nonpartisan organi-
cation, but changed his mind and
adopted set OF mild resolutions In
stead.
The reason for the change OF atti-
tude was not disclosed but 1t was
learned In apparently reliable quar-
tiers that many committeeman OPP
posed the custer idea on the ground
that it would create q bad reaction
among the voters.
Present at meeting Friday after
noon in the governors office were
approximately 40 persons. including
the brain trust Of the LANCER adj
ministration, and the county chair
men, OF whom six we're present only
by proxy.
OF the latter, ~ have found lucra-
tive places on the state payroll, many
Of them with the state beer commits
sioner.
Adopted at the meeting was . set
Of resolutions, decided upon by the
governors cabinet" as substitute
for the original plan after many
county chairmen privately had ad-
vised against an effort to unseat the
executive committee.
Secret Leaked Out
Every effort was made to keep the
session secret but the word leaked out
late Friday afternoon when 1t became
known that members Of the COVER
nor's kitchen cabinet" had not been
present In thar offices during much
OF the day.
Resolutions adopted ct the session,
held in the governors office. called On
the state executive COMMITTEES q tho
Nonpartisan League, which u iniu1jcol
10 the governor, to arrange for q
state Endorsement convention q H.
marck early in March, with county
conventions to DO held two weeks pro-
vious and precinct meetings . week
before the county GATHERINGS.
The group also resolved that tho
executive committee should ptuvido
free" memberships In the Nonparti-
san League organization for any citi-
zen In the state and that It permit
all persons regarded as sympathetic
to the faction to attend and vote at
meetings, regardless Of whether they
pay dues.
This resolution caused some won
derment In view Of the fact that col
lection Of "dues" has not been gen.
eral Nonpartisan practice for more
than 10 years.
Chairmen Threaten Action
The resolution stated that the
county chairmen would take action to
carry out the suggestions made II the
executive committee failed to act.
Rumors had been current for weeks
that LANCER would take action to Dust
the present executive committee and
replace its members by persons friend
~ to him. That he could do so II he
wished IS conceded by friends Of the
present executive committee, who
point to the fact that all but six Of the
80 county committeeman represented
at the meeting. in person and by proxy.
are on the state payroll. Many Of
them are In the beer commissioners
department and this was given by
these commentators as the reason for
Beer Commissioner Owen 7. Owens
refusal to disclose the names Of his
employees.
One county chairman, who asked
that his name be withheld. remarked
that he wasn't being kidded by the
fact that he had been given q Job but
that he liked the emoluments and the
perquiSites and desired no open break
until he had squeezed the proposition
dry.
Committee Has Friends
| Some Of the county chairmen pres
ent. including some on the payroll, are
secretly friendly to the executive COM
mittee and others might possibly ad-
NIT the fact, but all voted for the
resolutions offered on the ground that
they did not mean much. Many left
the meeting wondering where "ths
catch" In the whole proposition vas.
Continued ON Pare Three)