The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 20, 1920, Page 5

GREAT VICTORY IN WISCONSIN League and Progressive Forces Sweep State With Blaine for Governor— Author of Esch-Cummins Bill Defeated by Leaguer SPLENDID victory, won by the Lea- guers of Wisconsin in their first cam- paign, is indicated by practically com- plete returns from the primary elec- tion of September 7. The nomination of the following candidates, indorsed by the Nonpartisan' league, on the Repubhcan ticket, is assured: Governor—John J. Blaine of Boscobel, present at- torney general of Wisconsin, - Lieutenant Govemor—George F. Comings of Eau Claire, farmer. Secretary of State—Elmer S, Hall, mayor of Green Bay and labor leader. Congress, Second Dis- trict — Edward Voight, present congressman, indorsed for re-election, Congress, Third Dis- trict—John M. Nelson of Madison. Congress, Seventh District — Joseph Beck of Viroqua. Every one of these men is a friend of the farmer and labor forces whose loyalty has been tested. Although reac- tionary Republicans un- doubtedly will throw their support to the Democratic - candidates in the November elec- tion, the Republican trend is so strong in Wisconsin and - state is- sues have been so thor- oughly threshed out in the primary campaign that victory for the League candidates named above is certain in November if the farmers and labor men of rally to the standard as i loyally as they have in September. In addition to the above candidates Adolph Kan- neberg for attorney general and Solomon Levitan for state treasurer are giving their opponents close races, though slightly behind. Charles Rosa lost by a small margin in the first congressional district and F. H. Shoemaker in the eighth district. James Thompson, for United States senator, also was de- feated. VOTERS REPUDIATE AUTHOR OF ESCH-CUMMINS LAW One of the most notable of the League victories was that of Mr. Beck of Vernon county, who defeat- ed Congressman Esch in the seventh congressional district. Esch, with Senator Cummins, was author of the infamous Esch-Cummins bill, returning the - railroads to their private owners and guaranteeing their profits. the people of his own district of this law, which Senator Harding is endeavoring to defend. Mr. Nelson won in the third congressional district by 5,000 votes. On the face of incomplete returns ‘Mr. Blaine’s plurality for governor will reach 8,000. The League vietory followed one of the most strenuous campaigns Wisconsin ever has seen and was won in the face of the greatest difficulties. Fol- lowing the selection of the League candidates Sena- tor La Follette gave them his indorsement. Sena- tor La Follette, who is recovering from a recent operatlon, was unable to take any part in the cam- paign, but his enemies got busy immediately. The largest business interests of the state cen- tered their support upon Wilcox for governor. Gov- ernor Philipp, however, put forward a candidate of his own, Colonel Seaman. Both Wilcox and Seaman raised all the old lies against the League candidates, charging the League with socialism, pro-German- ism, free love and the like. At the same time 'other candidates were put in the field in the effort to split the League. vote. Lieutenant Governor Dithmar, previously a La Follette supporter, became a candidate for governoy Wisconsin, ' John J. Blaine, nominated for governor His defeat marks the repudiation by in an effort to cause a defection in the La Follette vote. He chatrged the Non- partisan league with being unfriendly to the Americans of German parentage or descent, a surprising charge in view of the efforts of the other faction to paint Leaguers as pro-Germans, In addition Secretary of State Hull be- came a candidate on a “dry” platform and J. N. Tittemore, head of the Wis- consin Equlty society, who has been campaxgmng against the League ever since it became apparent that he would not be the League choice for governor, filed in an effort to divide the farmer vote. But these efforts to split the League didn’t work. The Leaguers not only stuck; they stuck together. RESULT A BLOW TO TITTEMORE Tittemore, depending upon the vote of farmers opposed to the Nonparti- san league, was a poor sixth in the, field of six candidates. Of the first 25,000-votes counted he re- ceived only 1,300, or one of every 20 votes cast. Dith- mar, who attempted to divide the L& Follette supporters, also made a poor - showing, running only a little distance ahead of Tittemore: At the last moment anti-League forces attempted to ‘center their sup- port. upon Wilcox. strict provisions in the corrupt prac- tices ‘act-limiting campaign expendi- tures to $5,000, Wilcox supporters are --estithated ‘to have spent at least $50,« 000 in his campaign. Campaign pic- tures of the candidate alone were esti- mated by engravers and printers to George F. Comings, nominated for lieutenant governor. In spite of the have cost $15,000. But the mere - power of money was unable to buy the office of gover- .nor of Wisconsin. Though the farmers could not mateh dollar for dollar with Wilcox, they were able to match vote with vote and come out ahead. The victory of Blaine and other candidates was primarily a victory for the League farmers. In Milwaukee the pro- gressive candidates failed - to receive the support they expecte.d from city workers. Thousands 'who were expected to support the League ticket in the Republican primaries went into the Socialist primaries instead in an effort to give Victor - Berger, Socialist candi- date for congress, a big vote and thus rebuke the house of represen- tatives for its refusal to seat Berger on two previous occasions. The re- sult was that the League ticket ran more than 10,- 000 behind in Milwaukee. The farmers in the rest of the state had to make up this loss. It was an immense task, but they made up the needed votes and some to spare. The result of the primary settles for all time the statement of the League opposition that there was an alliance between the League and the Socialist party. The Socialists polled about 25,000 votes in the primary, enough votes, if there had been such an alliance, to have elected Thompson as United States senator and every other candidate on the (Continued on page 18) Leader Celebrates Its Fifth Birthday ITH this issue the Nonpartisan Leader is five years-old. On September 23, 1915, the first edition of the Leader was printed at Fargo, N. D. There were 18,000 copies, all of which went to North Dakota farmers. The issue we are now printing goes to twice that many North Dakota subscribers and six other states each have more Nonpartisan league members and Leader sub- scribers than our original League family in North Dakota. In addition, copies of the Leader now go ‘to individual subscribers in every state of the Union and to many foreign countries, including points as far distant as Norway and Australia. The last year in many ways has been the most successful in the history of the League and the Leader. Here are a few of the high points in the story of the League during the last year, which the Leader has told its readers about: The unanimous decision of the supreme court of the United States upholding the North Dakota in- dustrial program. Governor Frazier’s action in seizing the lignite - mines of North Dakota and operating them during the nation-wide coal strike. The national convention of the League and the new county organization plan it adopted. - Starting of work upon the great terminal elevator and flour mill at Grand Forks. Conventions in North Dakota, Minnesota, Ne- braska, Colorado, Montana, Wisconsin, South Da- kota, Idaho and Washington and the tickets these states have put in the field. The sweeping victories in the Montana and North Dakotzi primaries and the big gains and partial vic- tories in the Minnesota primary. ‘The progress of the Bank of North Dakota and other state industrial enterprises. 'The ‘attempted wrecking of the Seandinavian : Amencan bank of Fargo by League enemies. PAGE FIVE R\ The collapse of the “Northwest Warriors” and other anti-League organizations. . In addition to telling what the League has “been doing in the 18 states in which the farmers are or- ganized, the Leader has tried to keep its readers well informed on all current political matters. We have published articles analyzing North Dakota tax- es and comparing them with taxes in other-states; we have exposed the results of giving up govern- ment operation of the railroads and the results of allowing the grain exchanges to return to the full control of the gamblers. We have given first-hand accounts of the big national political conventions and intend to keep on, during the presidential campaign, - showing just what strings are being pulled and why. The first issue of the Leader, in September, 1915, had a cover drawn by John M. Baer that attracted attention everywhere it was seen. 'We have another cover by Baer for this issue that is going to attract just as much attention, we believe. In addition to Congressman Baer’s cartoons, which we hope will be a regular feature hereafter, Cartoonist Morris will continue to give us a number of drawings for each issue. How do you like the Leader, folks? It is your paper, Shall we have more cartoons or more half- tone pictures? Shall we have more farm articles, more about what organized farmers and organized workers are doing in other countries, or more about what the League is doing in the 13 states? What feature of the Leader do you like best—the car- toons, the editorials, the Woman’s page, the “Cut and Dried” column—or what? Write and tell us. It’s your paper, but unless you tell us what you want we have to guess. ‘With your co-operation we can make the Leader in the next five years much better than it has been in the last five. And the Leader staff knows it can expect that co-operation to continue, just as it has in the past.