The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 18, 1920, Page 8

P i How “Jim” Collins Was : Nominated for Governor LEAGUE STATE NEWS A Hot Campaig'n on in the Cornhusker State Colorado Popularity of League Candidates Dismays Old-Line Politicians 2z AMES M. COLLINS, League choice for governor and winner in the recent Democratic primaries by a tremendous majority, is being greeted by large crowds wherever he appears. Mry, Collins accompanied Governor Cox for a short time during the latter’s campaign tour of Colorado. At the first stop the crowd, which had learned Mr. Collins was on the train, demanded that he be allowed to address them as well as Gov- ernor Cox. Some of the Democratic politicians are threaten- ing to bolt the ticket because a farmer candidate was forced upon them. This recalls the scenes that happened at the Democratic state assembly, called to nominate candidates for the primary. In Colorado a candidate may be filed for the pri- mary either by being nominated by the state as- sembly (or convention) of his party, or by inde- pendent filing. When the League convention was held it was decided to draft Collins for governor and to file him by petition, as no favorable .action was expected from the Democratic politicians. But meanwhile delegates were being elected to the Democratic state assembly. Weld county, where Collins lives, caught the Collins-for-governor fever. Without any suggestion from any one a spontane- ous movement grew up and friends of Collins flock- ed to the caucuses and primaries and selected a dele- gation to the state assembly of 47 Collins support- ers. When the assembly met these men had the effrontery to get up in the convention and place Collins’ name in nomination as Demo- cratic candidate for governor. It shocked the Democratic standpatters. One of the leaders of the reactionaries got up. “I hold in my hand a copy of the Colorado Leader,” he said. “This paper claims to be the official organ of the Nonpartisan league in Colorado. It bears the name of James M. Collins as chairman of the executive commit- tee of this League. Now I want to know if this man Collins who has been placed in nomi- nation is that same man who is a member of the executive committee of the Nonpartisan league?” “You bet he is. Hooray for Collins,” yelled the Weld county hoosters. “Is this man Collins a Democrat or-a Non- partisan ?” yelled the standpatter. - “Both,” called out the Weld county dele- gates. “He’s the man we want.” READING OF PLATFORM WINS LEAGUE CONVERTS “Wait till I read what he stands for,” said the standpatter to the~assembled Democrats. “I am reading from the platform of this so- cialistic Nonpartisan league. Here it is: “ “The primary purpose of this League is to take the government out of the hands of spe- cial privilege and restore it to the hands of the people.”” s At this Weld county broke loose again. “Hooray! That’s what we’re for,” they yelled. “You bet.” The delegates in the rest of the convention began to get interested. They had heard .a lot about this League but here was a chance to learn something. It didn’t sound so awfully social- istic so far,. “Wait a minute,” said the nonplussed standpatter. “You haven’t got all of it yet,” and he went on reading: ““ ‘State operation of school land ‘coal mines.” ” There was a shout of approval again. More than the Weld county delégates were yelling now. “ ‘State hail insurance.’” There was applause from all the delegates outside of Denver, and it grew as the program of the League was read, plank by plank. By the time the standpatter got down to reading “Rural credit banks operated at cost,” the applause was almost univer- sal and when he had finished by reading the na- tional demands of the League—government opera- tion of public utilities and conscription of surplus wealth through income and excess profits taxes— the League had two supporters in the convention for every one before the reading of the platform had started. S e : The result was that instead of having to circulate petitions for Collins he was placed in nomination for governor by the Democratic state assembly. The standpatters had influence enough to place another candidate for governor, representing their own - crowd, on the ticket as well, but they couldn’t keep Collins off. And in the primary of September 14 Collins and -the League won a triumphant victory,” not only in the country districts, where the League is strong, but in Denver as well, through the loyal support of the labor men. Collins carried every man on the League-labor ticket through to victory with him with but two exceptions. This does not mean that Mr. Collins is sure of being the next governor of Colorado. Powerful in- ) 1 HE KNOWS BETTER NOTHING DoiNG- L KNow A i BETTER. wAY —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris. Farmers in Colorado and Nebraska, as well as in other states, have heard the old-gang politician make his promises before. They know better than to-trust him in this election. They are giving their confidence to their own candidates, and to them only. fluences are operating against him. Suit has been started to prevent his name from going on the tick- et. Reactionary Democrats, smarting under the sting of the overwhelming defeat in the September primary, are openly threatening to vote for the Re- publican’ governor for re-election. The Republican party, with millionaire candidates for governor ‘and United States senator, has enormous sums ready to throw into the campaign. Most of the press of Colorado, as in other states, is under the influence of anti-League interests. ” But a tremendous victory has already been won. ‘A further victory at the November 2 election is pos- sible if every farmer and his wife and every labor man and his wife vote the League ticket—but every vote will be needed. Whatever the result the Leaguers have made astounding progress along the road that finally is to lead the common people to eomplete control over their government. PAGE EIGHT e e ‘Farmers’ alli N ebraska Old Farmers’ Alliance Spirit Is Behind the League Candidates - 2] OR the first time in a quarter of a cen- i| tury of Nebraska politics Independent candidates for state offices are in the field against candidates of the Repub- lican and Democratic parties with a good fighting chance to win. The Non- partisan league, the railfoad brothérhoods, the State Federation of Labor, the Werkers’. Nonparti- san league, the Nonpartisan . Women’s clubs- and other progressive organizations are united behind one ticket and one program. A Their state candidates are: Arthur G. Wray, York, for governor. 5 Robert D. Mousel, Cambridge, for lieutenant gov- ernor.~ . : . F. L. Bollen, Wayne, for attorney general, Mrs. Marie Weekes, Notfolk, for congress in the third district. - Edgar Howard, former lieutenant governor and a leading Democrat, who is speaking for the Inde- pendent candidates, says the farmers of Nebraska have not been so aroused since the days of the Farmers’ alliance. : “The same spirit which rescued Nebraska from the grip of the railroads is alive in Nebraska to- day,” said Howard, after he had returned from a trip through northeast Nebraska. “At one meet- ing I counted more than 500 automobiles. Farmers are driving 20 to 50 miles to listen to Nonpartisan league speakers and to men and women who are campaigning for the Independent state ticket. The farmers of Nebraska mean business.” A Hundreds of the men who were prominent in the ce movement are in-the vanguard of the Nonpartisan league movement today. - They are gray-haired and old, but the fire and vim of 30 years ago are still-in their veins and they are proving to be among the most effective work- ers and campaigners in the state. - In addition to the farmers and the workers there is a growing sentiment for the Independ- ent state ticket among all people. X This is due chiefly to the general dissatisfac- tion among the progressive Republicans and the followers of Hiram Johnson with Governor S. R. : McKelvie, whois seeking re-election on the Re> publican ticket, and to the dissatisfaction ‘among the progressive and Bryan Democrats with John H. Morehead, Democratic candidate for governor. = McKELVIE IS DESERTED BY FORMER FOLLOWERS g Many leading Democrats and Republicans have refused to support MeKelvie and More- head. Edgar Howard, former lieutenant gover- & nor; Grant L. Shumway, former state land com- missioner; Otto W. Meier, former president of the Bryan club in Lincoln, are among the Demo- crats. Ed Beach, former Republican state chairman; Frank A. Harrison, who managed Hiram Johnson’s and Senator Norris’ cam- paigns, are among the prominent Republicans who are not for McKelvie. Both old party candidates for governor-are urging their respective party members to-‘“vote ’er straight,” while at the same time they are . striving desperately to break down each other’s party strength. : ; The three Independent candidates for state office stand out in every way so much better qualified and - fitted for the office to which they aspire than their opponents that the comparison is Becoming one of the leading points of ‘discussion of the campaign.- Mr. Wray, mayor of York until he resigned a few weeks ago to give his entire time to the campaign,” is a man of ability, integrity and clean, wholesome judgment and the possessor of a vast amount of * good hard common sense. When mayor of York he named a member of or- ganized labor as chief of police and thereby won the open hostility of the York Commercial club. Mr. Wray refused to discharge the chief at the bidding of the commercial interests of the city, whose only " i)blj;ection to him was that he belonged to organized abor. ‘While Wray was mayor of York absolute freedom of speech prevailed in that city and there was no in-