4/2/2009:
In 1900, the Devils Lake Free Press described the state's Republican Convention as "one of the stormiest" ever held in North Dakota. Behind the storm lay a powerful political figure: Alexander McKenzie.
McKenzie not only had the support of the railroad and eastern interests, but his shrewd maneuvering to secure Bismarck as the capital made him very popular in the western half of the state. By the late 19th century, he had built and controlled North Dakota's powerful Republican political machine. But he wasn't without enemies. And some of the most powerful opposition came not from outside the Republican Party, but within.
The Red River Valley's progressive Republicans had long been frustrated with the one-man domination of party politics. By 1900, they determined to take the party back by nominating a governor who was independent of McKenzie's influence; one who would serve the people instead of special interest groups. The editor and publisher of the Grand Forks Daily Herald, George B. Winship, seemed just the man. Winship supported progressive measures like the popular election of Senators and few of his editorials had been kind to McKenzie and his policies. And of course, for the Red River Valley progressives, he was a local man.
Word of Winship's potential candidacy drew heated criticism from Dakota's western interests. The Ward County Reporter and Mandan Pioneer attacked Winship as too radical, but his support in the east continued to grow, extending further and further west.
In the face of Winship's growing popularity, McKenzie's western interests needed a candidate who would draw attention away from the Grand Forks editor. Bismarck's Daily Tribune proposed the Fargo Forum's conservative editor, while the Minot Optic suggested Major Frank White. As a Valley City man and Philippines war veteran, he could serve as a compromise candidate. But most agreed the logical choice was the incumbent Republican Governor, Frederick Fancher. Born on this date in 1852 and elected governor forty-six years later, his administration most notably established the twine and cordage plant at the state penitentiary and ended Fargo's reputation as Divorce Capital of the West. By 1900, Fancher still enjoyed statewide support as well as the political backing of McKenzie.
When Republicans gathered at the convention in July of 1900, Governor Fancher easily took the nomination, helped by Frank White's nomination as lieutenant governor. The Red River Valley's progressive Republican revolt had failed. But as Dakota's western newspapers celebrated the ticket, a new and greater danger became evident. In suppressing the progressive uprising, the McKenzie machine created a ticket lacking any Red River Valley Republicans; a blunder the Democratic Party would surely capitalize on. Complicating matters, Governor Fancher was in California on a prolonged stay due to ill health. Sensing defeat, Republican leaders decided to drop Fancher from the ticket and hand the candidacy over to Frank White. A popular war hero, White won the governorship, but the stormy political season spelled the beginning of the end of Alexander McKenzie's political domination.
Written by Christina Sunwall
Sources:
Caron, John, "Fargo, North Dakota: Divorce Capitol of the West", Institute for Regional Studies, NDSU http://www.fargo-history.com/early/divorce-capitol.htm.
"North Dakota Governors Online Exhibit", State Historical Society of North Dakota http://history.nd.gov/exhibits/governors/index.html.
Tweton, D. Jerome. "Sectionalism in North Dakota Politics: The Progressive Republican Revolt of 1900." North Dakota History 25, no. 1 (January, 1958): 21-28.