The 1930s were a tough time for North Dakota. The Depression, combined with the Dust Bowl, caused misery at every level. Banks had loaned large sums to farmers, and with heavy debt, low commodity prices, and crop failures, many farms were foreclosed, leading to bank failures. With Republicans blamed for the tough times, the 1934 elections gave Democrats a chance to make gains at the expense of their vulnerable opponents. Across the country, Democrats geared up for spirited campaigns, hoping to make gains in Congress.
In North Dakota, the Senate race kicked off unusually early. On this date in 1930, C.P. Stone announced his candidacy for the open Senate seat. Despite the state’s financial and agricultural struggles, Stone ran on what newspapers described as a “wet” platform. His main issue was the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, which had imposed Prohibition. Stone argued that Prohibition had caused financial ruin in the state. When breweries and distilleries were shut down, farmers lost a market for their corn, barley, and rye. As a result, they switched to wheat, flooding the market and driving down prices. When bank loans came due, farmers couldn’t pay, and the banks started foreclosing on land—land that turned out to be a liability rather than an asset. Soon, the banks began to close as well.
After announcing his candidacy, Stone didn’t hit what we’d consider a modern-day campaign trail. Described by newspapers as “a well-known traveling man,” he did travel across the state, but his trips weren’t focused on politics. Instead, he took on a managerial role at the Patterson Hotel in Bismarck, saying his research showed North Dakotans wanted the state capital to stay in Bismarck. He also bought a hotel in Fargo.
Stone may have been well-known, but his political career wasn’t successful. He lost in two Senate primaries, an election, and a special election for the Senate. He also lost a primary bid for governor. Stone passed away in 1946 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Fargo.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Stone is Candidate for Senate with ‘Moist’ Platform.” Bismarck ND. 2/4/1930. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Bismarck Favored, Says C.P. Stone.” Bismarck ND. 2/18/1931. Page 6.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Patterson Announces Stone as Associate.” Bismarck ND. 5/6/30. Page 3.
- Bismarck Tribune. “C.P. Stone Purchases Fort Hotel in Fargo.” Bismarck ND. 4/18/1933. Page 1.
- State Historical Society of North Dakota. “The Great Depression.” https://www.history.nd.gov/ndhistory/depression.html Accessed 12/27/2024.
- Our Campaigns. “Stone, Claude P.” https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=104515 Accessed 122/27/2024.
