USA > North Dakota > Early history of North Dakota: essential outlines of American history > Part 75
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FIRST REGIMENT INFANTRY, NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD
Col. J. H. Fraine, Lieut .- Col. G. C. Grafton, Maj. Dana Wright, Maj. F. S. Henry, Maj. G. A. Fraser, Capt. T. S. Henry, Capt .- Adjt., Ist Lieut. J. W. Murphy, Batt .- Adjt., Ist Lieut. H. H. Hamilton, Batt .- Adjt., Ist Lieut. L. R.
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Baird, Batt .- Adjt., 2d Lieut. I. V. Metzger, Batt .- Q. M., 2d Lieut. J. D. Prentice, Batt .- Q. M., 2d Lieut. John Graham, Batt .- Q. M., Ist Lieut. Moultrie, Chaplain.
Company A. Capt. A. B. Welch, Ist Lieut. F. D. Graham, 2d Lieut. Ward L. Preston.
Company B. Capt. G. A. M. Anderson, Ist Lieut. R. C. Colley, 2d Lieut. R. Hill.
Company C. Capt. M. H. Sprague, Ist Lieut. G. Ofstedahl, 2d Lieut. W. K. Truemann.
Company D. Capt. F. E. Wheelon, Ist Lieut. F. O. Gross, 2d Lieut. A. E. Whitney.
Company E. Capt. H. R. Evans, Ist Lieut. E. W. Jeffry, 2d Lieut. W. W. Jeffry.
Company F. Capt. G. I. Solum, Ist Lieut. V. J. Malarvie, 2d Lieut. Robt. Wilson.
Company G. Capt. D. S. Richy, Ist Lieut. Milton Mason, 2d Lieut. Fay Ross. Company H. Capt. James V. Gray, Ist Lieut. Calvin Smith, 2d Lieut. Alex. Steinbach.
Company I. Capt. T. J. Thomsen, Ist Lieut. C. M. Ulsacker, 2d Lieut. Leo Dominick.
Company K. Capt. C. M. Barker, Ist Lieut. Dean Wiley, 2d Lieut. Albert Bohoneck.
Company L. Capt. B. C. Boyd, Ist Lieut. B. A. Olson, 2d Lieut. Henry Halvorson.
Company M. Capt. (vacancy), Ist Lieut. O. G. Holm, 2d Lieut. Fred Moore.
Machine Gun Company. Capt. L. L. Eckman, Ist Lieut. B. C. Mulick.
Hospital Corps. Maj. T. C. Patterson, Capt. Neil McLean.
FIRST REGIMENT NORTH DAKOTA INFANTRY
The First Regiment of North Dakota was organized January 31, 1885, under the Territory of Dakota. The National Guard of North Dakota was reorganized under Governor John Miller, first governor of North Dakota, in 1889, and was designated as the First Regiment, North Dakota National Guard, Gen. W. H. Topping, Adjutant-General, and Col. A. P. Peake, Commanding First Regiment.
This regiment remained so until the Spanish-American war, when two bat- talions with Col. W. C. Truemann commanding, was mustered into service of the United States as the First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry, April 26, 1898. This regiment served in the Philippines under Gen. S. Overshine and Gen. Henry W. Lawton, United States army, taking part in thirty-two engagements and skirmishes in and around Manila, P. I. This regiment returned to the United States and was mustered out of service September 22, 1899.
It again was organized as the First Regiment of Infantry of North Dakota, and under the Dick Bill, as the First Regiment of Infantry of the Organized Militia of the United States, and as such they were mustered into the service of the United States at Fort Lincoln on June 30, 1916, as the First North Dakota Regiment, Col. John H. Fraine, commanding.
The National Guard consists of the First Regiment of Infantry, which con-
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stitutes the field and staff, band, twelve letter companies, a Machine Gun Company and Sanitary Detachment, Medical Corps.
Other organizations in connection with this regiment are as follows: Quarter- master Corps, Major Paul R. Tharolson in command, Major Harold Sorenson, Captain Warren A. Stickley and Captain John W. Rock. The Field Hospital was organized by Major T. C. Patterson at Lisbon, during the month of May, 1917, with Capt. Neil McLean, of Kenmare, and Lieut. Charles E. Hunt, of Valley City, as his assistants.
SUPERNUMERARY LIST
Major : Charles F. Mudget, Valley City. Captains : Frank Ross, Milton P. Wells, Tower City ; Arthur L. Knauf, Jamestown; Blanchard J. Schoregge, Wil- liston ; Edward S. Persons, Minot ; Earl R. Sarles, Hillsboro.
RETIRED LIST
Major Generals: Herbert M. Creel, Devil's Lake; Thomas H. Poole, Bis- marck; Amasa P. Peake, Valley City ; William C. Treumann, Grafton.
Brigadier General: Melvin A. Hildreth, Fargo.
Colonel: Samuel L. Nuchols, Mandan.
Majors: Dorman Baldwin, Jr., Jamestown; Ambrose J. Osborne, Dickinson.
Captains : J. D. Eaton, Dunseith; Ole Manderud, Jamestown; Herbert C. Fish, Hope ; James D. Stenson, Devil's Lake.
The war record made by this organization is an enviable one. In the Philippine campaign it proved to be one of the most valiant in the Spanish-American war, and drew the compliment from General Henry Ware Lawton, "You can't stampede the First North Dakota."
Upon the reorganization of the regiment after its return from the Philippines, many of the officers were chosen from the veterans of that campaign. In July, 1917, fourteen of them were still with the regiment.
June 18, 1916, President Wilson called the National Guard to the Mexican border, and on June 25th the First North Dakota Infantry answered, and was mobilized at Fort Lincoln, near Bismarck, and remained in camp until the even- ing of July 22d, when about 1,100 men entrained for Mercedes, Texas, a point which witnessed some of the worst crimes in the raids along the Mexican border. For six months they patrolled the banks of the Rio Grande, and did much toward bringing order out of chaos in that part of the country. Of all the many regiments on the border at that time, this regiment stood among the very best in every respect.
January 23d, 1917, they entrained for Fort Snelling, where they were mus- tered out on the 14th of February; arriving in North Dakota on the 15th. Each division of the organization was accorded the most hearty reception upon arrival at its home station.
But the work of the First Regiment was only begun, for on March 25th fol- lowing, the Second Battalion, under command of Major Dana Wright, consisting of Company A, Bismarck ; F, Mandan ; H of Jamestown, and K of Dickinson, was called into Federal service. Companies A and F were encamped at the
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EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
Northern Pacific bridge, which spans the Missouri River between Bismarck and Mandan, where they guarded that structure. Company H was sent to Valley City, and a detachment of that company sent on to Fargo, where they did similar duty, but Company K was sent to Fort Missoula, Montana, to guard that fort. The latter company was withdrawn about June Ist, and sent to Fort Lincoln, where Companies A and F were also stationed. The companies did their turn guarding the bridge and the fort.
Orders from the War Department required that the companies be recruited up to war strength, and on July 15, 1917, when ordered into service, the ranks were filled.
In March, 1918, the North Dakota National Guard was a part of a sector in the front line in France doing valiant service in the great battle for the freedom of nations, and for world democracy.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION IN NORTH DAKOTA
"History maketh a young man to be old, without either wrinkles or gray hairs. * Yea, it not only maketh things past present; but enableth one to make a rational conjecture of things to come."
-Thomas Fuller.
The general election in North Dakota in 1916, may properly be styled a revo- lution. It was full of surprises and the causes leading up to it should go into the history of the state. A former revolution, when the populists gained control, came from the fear of so-called bosses and the domination of corporate influences. It was gained through the Farmers' Alliance, whose organizers visited all por- tions of the state, organizing at one point in the morning, at another in the fore- noon, others at midday, in the afternoon, in the evening, and late at night. Their work being in secret there was no opportunity to refute or explain the allegation which set the hearts of the farmers aflame, and led to distrust of the party in power. The fact that the affairs of the state had been properly administered and that the railroads, against whom their shafts were directed, had reason to encour- age and none to destroy or retard their prosperity, was ignored. Control of the state government was their purpose, and it was accomplished. The revolution was quite as complete as in 1916. There was then no charge of corruption; it was an uprising of a class to gain measures of protection they deemed essential.
THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE
In the legislative assembly of 1914, there was a determined movement on the part of the farmers to secure a large appropriation from the state for a state owned and operated terminal elevator at St. Paul. Delegations of farmers from all over the state, under the leadership of George S. Loftus of St. Paul, who had been from 1912 the sales manager for the Equity Exchange at St. Paul, labored with might and main to induce the Legislature to make the appro- priation. The refusal of the Legislature to accede to the wishes of the farmers, was the primary cause of the revolution which has taken place in the political history of the state.
The Board of Control of the State, by direction of Governor Hanna, had investigated the provincial owned elevators in Manitoba and in Canada, and re- ported to the Legislature that these elevators had been operated at a loss, and had been of no substantial benefit to the farmers of that dominion in the regu- lating of grades, or in obtaining higher prices for their grain, and that it would be unwise for the state to appropriate for the construction of a terminal elevator
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to be operated by officers of the state, as it would certainly prove a bad invest- ment of state funds. That it could in no wise control the grading or inspection of wheat, and would be without influence in fixing the price of grain. That the great law of supply and demand was the controlling factor, and prices were always regulated by the surplus over home consumption, which was shipped to foreign countries, and determined in a large degree the price.
This report had much to do with the action of the Legislature. The report did not, however, convince the farmers. They felt that through mixing of wheat and in other ways they were not getting the grade their wheat was to receive from the Millers' Association at Minneapolis, and the great elevator companies in Duluth, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago, and the only way in which they could get proper inspection and grading of their grain, and a price according to its quality was to have their own terminal elevator.
In the fall of 1914, Mr. A. C. Townley, now president of the Farmers' Non- partisan League, and the most prominent man in its organization, began his plan of campaign and entered actively upon the forming of what is now known as the Farmers' Nonpartisan League. In this work he had the active co-operation of a Mr. Russell, a writer for the Pearsons Magazine. The plan of organization was the creating of an executive committee of five, who were to outline the policy and the work of the league. They put organizers and speakers into the field with the program of what they expected to accomplish in the way of legisla- tion in 1917.
They were to obtain members of the farmers' organization who would pledge themselves to favor the nomination and election of members of the Legislature, pledged to work out a different system of grain grading and inspection, and would favor the building of a state controlled and operated terminal elevator, state hail insurance, state owned and operated mills, factories and packing houses. Each farmer who became a member of the league was to receive for a year a copy of Pearsons Magazine, and a weekly newspaper called The Non Partisan Leader, which they started in Fargo, with David C. Coates of Spokane, Wash., as the editor.
The organization moved forward by leaps and bounds and prior to the June primaries, they claimed to have enrolled as members of the organization from thirty-six to forty thousand farmers, thirty thousand of whom had theretofore been identified with the republican party in the state, and from six to eight thou- sand of whom had been identified with the socialist and democratic parties in the state.
In the fall of 1915, and in the spring and summer of 1916, they had perfected their organization in practically every county in the state. The executive com- mittee arranged a large number of what they called picnics held in each legisla- tive district of the state; they called upon these district organizations to send delegates to a state meeting to be held in Fargo the last of March, or about the first of April, 1916. This convention was very largely attended by farmers representing every section of the state. They decided to put no farmers' ticket as such in the field, but to nominate a state ticket as republicans, headed by Lynn J. Frazier of Pembina County for governor. They did endorse one democrat of the name of Casey for state treasurer, and they proceeded to name state senators and state representatives from every senatorial and legislative district. A very
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large proportion of these nominees had theretofore been affiliated with the repub- lican party, and were endorsed as republicans.
Under a state law the voters of the state are registered by the assessors. Each man must declare his party affiliation and he must vote in the primary election the ticket that he declares for, and to carry out their plans some eight thousand or more democrats and socialists registered as republicans that they might vote for the ticket named by the Non Partisan League.
In the June primaries the entire state ticket as named by the convention was nominated, and in the election on November 7th, were elected, excepting the democrat, Casey, for state treasurer, who was defeated by the republican candi- date, Steen, by a small majority.
The league officers took no stand on national candidates for president or senators or congressmen. They left that to the individual judgment of the re- publicans. The great work in Congress for national inspection by Senator Porter J. McCumber was favorable to his election. The republican candidates for Con- gress were also elected.
The essential purpose claimed by the officers of the league is to prevent the acquisition of enormous fortunes by persons who make no adequate return for them and to make easier and pleasanter the lot of the actual toiler in every legitimate field of endeavor.
Their program appears to include the public ownership of everything that enters into the business of production and distribution. Whether the state is to become a great social and business organization with the activities of all its members directly under its control remains to be demonstrated. Presumably the power placed in their hands by an intelligent and confiding people will be wisely used.
GOVERNOR LYNN J. FRAZIER
Lynn J. Frazier was born on a farm in Steele County, Minnesota, on Decem- ber 21st, 1874. His father came with his family to North Dakota in the spring of 1881, and settled on Section 33 of Township 159, Range 54, in Pembina County. Thomas Frazier, his father, built a little sod house in which his family lived for several years. Lynn Frazier's present home is on the same place, practically the only home he has ever known.
The boy Lynn began his education in the country school in his neighborhood ; later he went to Grafton High School, where he graduated at the age of seventeen. His father had died a year before and he and his brothers had taken up the work of running the farm.
The next fall Lynn, mature and manly for his age, began teaching a country school, developing an ambition to become a well-educated man, having visions of a profession, as a lawyer or a doctor. At 19 years of age he entered the Normal School at Mayville, graduating with that institution's first class in 1895, when he returned to teaching, with his former teachers and classmates predicting for him a brilliant future in whatever profession he might adopt.
He continued teaching for two years.
In the fall of 1897, young Frazier, then nearly 23, entered the state university of Grand Forks. He had been a classmate at Mayville Normal with N. C. Mac-
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Donald, now Superintendent of Public Instruction. They roomed together and "batched" during their college career. Frazier's main diversion was football. He was a husky farmer's boy and he had little difficulty making the university team. He was of the square, blocky type ideal for a center in those days of driving line rushes and he became the most important cog in an excellent football machine.
In his junior year he was captain of the team, a team which the "old boys" say was the best the state university ever turned out. It was undefeated during its season and only six points were scored against it. He was re-elected captain for the senior year, an unusual honor in football history, for this position is usually passed around to a different player each year.
Frazier graduated from the university in 1901 with a brilliant scholarship record and practically all the honors his classmates could give him.
The death of his brother, who had been in charge of the farm, caused his return to the farm, where he proved himself a good and successful farmer.
Two years after his graduation from college, Frazier was married to Lottie Stafford, daughter of a neighboring farmer. When twin girls were born to them a year later there was something of a celebration at the university, where Frazier was still a hero. Congratulations were sent to the farm north of Hoople and it was the mother's idea to name the girls Unie and Versie as a tribute to the college.
The girls are now ( 1917) twelve years old and they have two brothers, Vernon, ten, and Willis, eight.
Lynn Frazier never had been in politics, aside from the calls his neighbors had made on him for service in his own community; he had not sought office. For a number of years he had been a member of the township board of Elora township, for three or four years he had been its chairman, was a member of the board of directors of the rural consolidated school district, and secretary- treasurer of the Hoople Farmers' Grain Company and a director of the Crystal Home Improvement Company, which operates rural telephone lines and four telephone systems ; also a director of the Crystal Farmers' Cooperative Mercantile Company, which operates a general store at Crystal. He is the owner of three quarter sections of land and rents a fourth quarter owned by his niece and nephew.
Locally Frazier was active as a prohibitionist, as his father was before him. Never having tasted liquor himself he has seen something of its use, through periods when prohibition has been laxly enforced in his neighborhood and he has been a constant agitator for more thorough methods of enforcement.
At the final mass meeting of the League in Fargo following the convention, Governor Frazier related the circumstances of his being summoned to Fargo to receive the nomination. He had driven into town for the girls and was informed that he was wanted at the telephone, where he learned it was the League head- quarters at Fargo talking and that they wanted him to come at once, but a return trip to the farm was necessary for a change of dress, and on reaching Fargo the next day he found the League delegates in their convention had nominated him for governor.
President Townley said in introducing Mr. Frazier to the audience of more than 2,000 people : "This is one of the rare occasions in the history of American
Copyright by Holmubue Staples
LYNN J. FRAZIER Governor of North Dakota
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states when the office actually has sought the man, as it did in the case of George Washington, instead of the man seeking the office. This man is going to be elected governor of the State of North Dakota. Your votes and your influence will do the work. He is going to be the greatest governor this state has ever had, and under his administration this state is going to become the best governed state in the Union."
Mr. Frazier was elected, as prophesied; his action in office justified the con- fidence placed in him ; under his guidance much was accomplished toward bring- ing about the changed conditions for which the Non-Partisan League was or- ganized.
Nominally republican, the ticket endorsed by the League was elected at the November election with one exception, that of Casey, nominated for State Treasurer.
THE STATE OFFICERS ELECTED
The officers elected on the ticket with Governor Frazier were: Lieutenant Governor, A. T. Kraabel; Secretary of State, Thomas Hall; State Auditor, Carl R. Kositzky; State Treasurer, John Steen; Insurance Commissioner, S. A. Olsness; Attorney General, William Langer; Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, N. C. Macdonald; Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor, John N. Hagan ; Commissioners of Railroads, S. J. Aandahl, Charles W. Bleick, M. P. Johnson.
SPECIAL ELECTION IN 1917
In April, 1917, Congressman H. T. Helgesen died and a special election was held for the choice of his successor, when John M. Baer, who had taken a prominent part in the Non-Partisan campaign of 1916, was chosen as the Non- Partisan League candidate by a majority over the combined votes of the six com- peting candidates.
The election was called for July 10, 1917. Both the Democratic and Repub- lican parties placed candidates in the field for election and four other republicans were candidates for the office. The Non-Partisan League, holding that the time was ripe for independent action, placed John M. Baer in nomination, and promptly announced their platform, embracing the following planks:
A declaration of loyalty to our country, right or wrong, as against any nation with which we may be at war; - BUT - a determination that, if we found our country in the wrong, we should make vigorous efforts to set her right.
Peace without annexations or indemnities,
The cessation of secret diplomacy,
Government control of terminal elevators, flour mills, packing plants, cold storage plants, etc.
The conscription of war profits,
Free speech and an unmuzzled press,
International standards of democracy at the close of the war.
The campaign was vigorously prosecuted by the managers of the several parties, but it was apparent that the League, flushed with their victory in the
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previous November election and gratified by the results of legislative action during the previous winter, occupied an invincible position.
The cheering returns of the early evening soon turned into a landslide and long before 10 P. M. there was no room for doubt as to the result. The contest was between the Republican and Democratic and Non-Partisan candidates, with the latter winning by a majority over both. The votes for the other four cut little figure and had no effect in deciding the results of the election.
The prime object of the organization of the League in its early inception was to benefit the agricultural industries, but it has broadened its purpose in the hope of bringing improved conditions for the entire population. As it has broadened its purposes its field of opportunity has increased and it presents a new factor in the politics of the country. The aims of the League in its broader field seems to include the inauguration of an economic system which will include state ter- minal elevators, flour mills, packing plants, cold storage plants, and warehouses. A bill was introduced in the last legislature of North Dakota providing for a new state constitution, which would empower the state to establish these in- dustries within the bounds of the state and to issue bonds for this purpose, the debt limitations of the present constitution being a recognized obstacle.
The 'necessity for congressional legislation to carry out their plans is also recognized and it is planned to make the Non-Partisan organization nation-wide.
HON. JOHN M. BAER
Mr. Baer is the youngest man in Congress, and the junior member, but has proven his efficiency. On his arrival at Washington he said in a press inter- view : "So far as my own state is concerned, no people on earth are more loyal to their country and their flag than the people of North Dakota. We are deter- mined that the loyal patriots who lay down their lives in the trenches of Europe shall not be robbed of freedom and democracy at home, and that the survivors of that bloody conflict shall not return home with maimed and broken bodies, to carry the burden of the money cost of the war. Wealth must and shall pay that financial cost, or we will know the reason why. Our glorious flag stands for equality, for liberty, for justice, and none but a coward or traitor, to our flag .and our country, will hesitate to enter into this fight for the fundamental prin- ciples for which our flag and our country stand, and for the establishment of which our forefathers fought and conquered.
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