The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-14
GOVERNOR SAR[ES
INTERVIEWED BY
WANDERER
Hera1d's Political Scout and
Agitator Given Printed In
terview to Publish.

| SSA vASW w 4 NN&x0As
The Herald's political scout and
| freebooter recently paid Hillsboro a
visit and applied for an interview with
Governor Sarles. The governor, 1t is
understood, having noted the inter
views" published in the reform or
gan and the subsequent protests of in
dignation from residents wherefrom
the interviews were secured, took &C.
casion to guard against any misrepre-
sentadon In his case and furnished the
muck-rake envoy a printed COPY, de-
l1vered to him In the presence of wit
nesses, with the instructions that it
be published as written, or not at all,
For that reason, this interview NAV be
relied upon IL the Herald for once in its
existence played fair and above board
even If because of necessity. as being
authentic and is reproduced from the
article as follows,
have not yet laid down and given
up the fight" was Gov. Sarles' cheer
full reply to the query, as to how
things were shaping themselves for
his denomination. II believe l will
have no trouble in securing the nomin-
alton" he continued. II have heard no
particular complaint as to my conduct
OF the office of governor, and believe
tnat my denomination is the wish of
majority of the people of the state,
However, would like to correct
one or two things said by Mr.. Spald-
ing in his speech at Minot. | lust re-
ceived a copy of Marshal McClure's
Eagle containing the text of tile
speech While there is nothing serious
SO far as | am concerned, Mr.. Spald-
ing falls short of stating things as
they happened, in one or two in
stances. Relative to- the accusation
that signed up a schedule including
all of the ,appointive Offices of the
state at the demand of party leaders
Is putting it in false light. l have
never been ordered to do things, nor
were they demanded Of me. either, be-
fore or after becoming governor. If
Mr.. Spalding has said that l had been
requested to do certain things by the
party leaders, that would not have
been SO bad. AS matter of course.
I consulted with my friends, relative
to appointments. the same as M.
Spalding did when he was in public
life. My relations with the so-called
gang have been very pleasant. Mr..
Mckenzie has always been very CON
siderate.. and has never made a de-
mand of me. On the other hand, he
has always accompanied his, requests
with the admonition to turn them
down If did believe that they were
not right.
Again. Mr.. Spalding says that
when became governor there was.
$4,000 in the state treasury and at
the end of the first year it was gone,
and that the state was in debt $3.50, 900,
for which amount bonds had been
issued. The fact is that there was
$4,000 in the general fund of the state
treasury from which all current ex-
penses Of the year must be paid. To
be sure, 1t was spent during the year.
But we did not go in debt $15O.OOO for
running expenses. There was that
amount standing out in the nature of
floating Indebtedness when 1 took the
reins of government. The debts had
been contracted by the state insti-
buttons, such as the university and
the normal schools on account of the
lack of large enough appropriations
to meet the needed expense. Bonds
were issued and sold to the board of
university and school lands, to take
up these warrants and floating debts.
We cut the interest in two and saved
something to the state"
He further says, Z" that it has been
the custom of state treasurers to keep
large sums in the various banks of
the state and carry the amount in
the treasury in the nature of bank
checks payable to the state; the state
drawing no interest on these sums
| do not know what other administra-
lions may have done, but not one red
cent has ever gone to any bank in
the state since l have been governor
without the state drawing three per
cent interest on it.
Il do not believe that my conduct
of the financial interests of the state
| is deserving of criticism, not of that
made mistakes, but they were of the
head and not of the heart. have tried
to conduct the business of the state,
the same as l have conducted the
banking business in Hillsboro. l
challenge any man to find any trans
action in all the years have done
business in this county which reflects
discredit on my name. l have tried to
conduct the affairs of the state as l
conduct my own business-I cannot
afford to do it otherwise could not
afford to tear down the record of a
lifetime for paltry political prefer
ment.
This job of governor is not such a
difficult one to man of business
training. 1t is larger, but not differ
ent, from the managing of system
of banks, or of lumber yards, such as
we are conducting il our business
here. 1t might be different if the state
had large manufacturing interests
with the consequent labor troubles
etc. The most difficult task had to
confront this term was the pruning
/, of the appropriations of the legisla.
ture to the income of the state. The
members did not leave things in the
hands of their committees on appro-
priations, but passed bills recklessly
| AS a result, had to use the veto to
| bring the sum down to about $3.50 ,0OO
from $1,3OO,O00.
II have been reading your articles
from over the state with considerable
interest. Two things are noticeable
to me, one is that am not coming in
1 for much criticism, and the other is
that most Of the leaders of the so.
called reformers have an eek" in
front of their names. Most of them
are men who failed to get the support
of their home counties and were
dropped by the organization. Some
of them may have genuine grievances
but most of them have been honored
by the republican party and are dis
gruntled because their hopes we're moi
fulfilled In certain directions.
Yes, believe I will be re-nomin.
ated. l do not think that there IL
j much fault found with nv administra.