The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 10, 1916, Page 1

Tonparigén Teader Official Paper of the F&rme_rs’ Nonpartisan Political League of North Dakota | Politician Seeks to Get ~ League Indorsement % Just What the Leader Predicted and Wha‘f‘?‘i‘igg Has Time After Time Warned the Members of the League Against, Has 12 “wened-—-the Politicians Are Already at the Work of Attempting to Corrupt the League and Secure Its Indorsement for Public Office. The Following Letter Is Self-‘.-Explanatorv:‘ ' G _Plaza, N. Dake Office, Feb. lat, 1916." | _ Mp, Anthony Walton, ; i s : Minot, N. D, - S Friend Walton:- On the 22nd of February the League is going to hold a local convention to elect delegates to the County Conventione I wish you would try and get on the delegation to the County Con- vention and also to the State Convention which will be held later. I would like to have a delegation from Ward County down to boost tfor me as there is no candidate from Ward County, and I bresume you would just as soon favor one from Mountrail County. I am very anxious to secure the indorsement of the league and in order to get it, I will need some good boosters from this part of the State at the Convention. _ I wish you would drop me a line and let me know what you are willing to do. With kindest regards, I am : Yours very truly, ‘GEORGE Jo SMITH,. George J. Smith, as every member of this organization knows, is a candidate for the republican nomination for governor. As he states in the letter printed above, he is “VERY ANXIOUS TO SECURE THE INDORSE- .. MENT OF THE LEAGUE,” which means that he is very anxious to be elected governor, for he and every of- fice seeker in the state knows that the man who is ‘chosen by the League will be the next governor. ; It is true that League delegates from every part of the state will gather in the near future to investigate the fitness of the different candidates for all state offices and to indorse men who in the judgment of these delegates will most surely carry out the program of the League. : The members of this League, the farmers of this state, have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars’ to bmtfi dt:nis organization so that they might be able to send representative delegates to gather information about candidates. = These League members have spent their money AND THEY WANT THEIR DELEGATES IN CONVEN- TION TO REPRESENT THEM AND NOT ANY SELF-SEEKING POLITICIAN. : : The Leader has carefully refrained from publishing anything :that might prejudice the minds of these delegates either for or against any candidate. We have confidence in the judgment of the delegates the League members will select to make their indorsements. ' We will abide by their judgment. ; BUT WE MOST EMPHATICALLY RESENT THE EFFORTS .OF ANY POLITICIAN TO CORRUPT THIS ORGANIZATION. ? : : LGreat sums of money have been spent by the farmers that these delegates may represent the members of the League. : 7 J Ei i ; : But George J. Smith of Plaza would have the farmers delegates represent him. He is spending his time, and money from whatever source, TO CONTROL YOUR DELEGATES. He would have them pledged to in- dorse him. He would influence and control men pledzed to serve you. This man ridicules your intelligence and slanders your judgment. He is afraid your delegates may not be bright enough to recognize his superior fitness to be your governor. By his conduet he disappoints his friends and proves himself a. politician of the cheapest He is “very anxious to secure the indorsement of the League.” He may be altogether too “anxious.” ‘We fear he may be much more anxious TO SECURE the endorsement than are the members of this League - to GIVE IT TO HIM. Especially since he has shown his hand. : D e : 2 ~ Beware of the politician—the man-who too anxiously seeks office for himself. Let us hope -the day has - come for once when the office shall seek the man. =~ : : ; :