The Nonpartisan Leader from Fargo, North Dakota • 5

GRF.AT VICTC) SPLENDID victory, won by the Leaguers of Wisconsin in their first campaign, is indicated by practically complete returns from the primary election of September 7. The nomination of the following candidates, indorsed by the Nonpartisan league, on the Republican ticket, is assured: J. Blaine of Boscobelt present attorney general of Wisconsin. Lieutenant F. Comings of Eau Claire, farmer.

Secretary of S. Hall, mayor of Green Bay and labor leader. Congress, Second Digtrict Edward Voight, present congressman, indorsed for re-election. Congress, Third 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 reactionary Republicans undoubtedly will throw their support to the democratic candidates in the November election, the Republican trend is so strong in Wisconsin and state issues have been so thoroughly threshed out in the primary campaign that victory for the League candidates named above is certain in November if the farmers and labor men rally to the standard as loyally as they have in September. In addition to the above candidates Adolph 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 defeated. VOTERS" REPUDIATE AUTHOR T)F ESCH-CUMMINS LAW One of the most notable of the League victories was that of Mr. Beck of Vernon county, who defeated 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. His defeat marks the repudiation by the people of his own district of this law, which John J. Blaine, nominated for governor of Wisconsin. 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 victory followed one of the most strenuous campaigns Wisconsin ever has seen and was won in the face of the greatest difficulties. Following the selection of the League candidates Senator La Follette gave them his indorsement.

Senator La Follette, who is recovering from a recent Operation, was unable to take any part in the campaign, but his enemies got busy immediately. The largest business interests of the state centered their support upon Wilcox for governor. Governor 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-Germanism, free love and the like. At the same time other candidates were put in the field in the effort to split the League, Lieutenant Governor Dithmar, previously a La Follette supporter, became a candidate for governor 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 Nonpartisan league, was a jftor sixth in the, field of six candidates. Of the first 25,000 votes counted he received only 1,300, or one of every 20 votes cast. Dithmar, who attempted to divide the La 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 support upon Wilcox.

In spite of the strict provisions in the corrupt practices "act limiting campaign expenditures to $5,000, Wilcox supporters are estimated to have spent at least $50,000 in his campaign. Campaign pictures of the candidate alone were estimated by engravers and printers to 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 subscribers 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 States upholding the North Dakota industrial 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, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Idaho and Washington and the tickets these states have put in the field. The sweeping victories in the Montana and North Dakota primaries and the big gains and partial victories in the Minnesota primary. The progress of the Bank of North Dakota land iother state industrial enterprises.

The attempted wrecking of the Scandinavian American bank of Fargo by League enemies. PAGE FIVE yn IN League and Progressive Forces Sweep State With Blaine for GovernorAuthor of Esch-Cummins Bill Defeated by Leaguer in an effort to cause a defection in the La Follette vote. He charged the Nonpartisan 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 ipaint Leaguers as pro-Germans. In addition Secretary of State Hull became a candidate on a "dry" platform and J. N.

Tittemore, head of the Wisconsin Equity society, who has been campaigning against the League ever it became apparent that he would not be the League choice for governor, filed in an effort to divide the farmer vote. George F. Comings, nominated lieutenant governor. Leader Celebrates Its Fifth Birthday have cost $15,000. But the mere power of money was unable to buy the office of to seat Berger on two previous occasions.

The result 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 oh page 18) The collapse of the "Northwest Warriors" and other anti-League organizations.

In addition to telling what the League has been doing in the. 13 states in which the farmers are organized, the Leader has tried to keep its readers well informed on all current political matters. We have published articles analyzing North Dakota taxes and comparing them with taxes in other states we have exposed the results of giving up government 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 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 halftone 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 cartoons, the editorials, the Woman's page, the "Cut and Dried" 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. nor of Wisconsin. Though the farmers could not match 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 progressive candidates failed to receive the support they expected 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 candidate for congress, a big vote and thus rebuke the house of representatives for its refusal for.