Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-10-06
<z'a;Ee| bszE>
WHY REPUBLICANS SHOULD WIN

WHY REPUBLICANS SHOULD WIN
Following the address of Secretary
Taft I'M the state, the Republican |
committee has arranged for vigor-
Gus campaign, and it will be pros
ecuted without cessation until the
election. North Dakota, it is safe
to say, will give normal majority |
for the national ticket, and will elect |
its state ticket by substantial major
tiles from the head of the ticket to
the tail of it. For governor, G. A. |
Johnson of Minot, will have a sub
stantial majority. Mr.. Johnson is a
clean and worthy representative of
the Republican party There is no
party exigency or necessity of econo-
mic state policy through which any
Republican should vote for a Demo-
cratic candidate for governor or any
other: state office. Two years ago we
had a campaign on the part of the
Democrats during which every pos
sible reform and Improvement was
promised in return for the election
Of Democratic governor. Now we
are having another campaign of
promises, but they will not appeal to
the electors Of the state. One of the
fertile sources Of promises on the
part OF the Democratic campaigners
is with regard to the enforcement of
the prohibition law. The Republican
party of the state has stood; by the
prohibition law when the Democrats
Of the state attacked it. The relative
attitudes Of the two parties has not
changed. The state platform Of the
Democratic party does not mention
prohibition or the enforcement OF the
prohibition law from its first to its
last line. The Republican candidate
for governor is consistent support
er OF the prohibition law and is in
accord with the expressed policy Of
the Republican party.
With respect to other matters of
state policy, the Republican party is
progressive and its candidates are in
accord with its platform. Republican
state boards of equalization for the
past fifteen years, since the Demo
cratic administration of 1893 and
1894, have stood for a gradual and
fair increase in the assessment of
corporate property. The assessment.
OF corporate property of railroads,
which the Democrats left at $500 a
mile in 1898, has been Increased by
the Republicans to $4,000 mile for
main lines, and $4,000 for the
branch lines. This is believed to be
a fair assessment considering the
valuation Of other property in the
state. There has been some talk ON
the stump as to the increase OF ST.
900 mile for main lines at the last
meeting of the state board Of equal
ization. 1t is matter Of fact that
the Republican members Of the
board held a meeting before the final
meeting at which the increase was
made and agreed that such raise
would be fair and should be put into
effect. A similar increase was made
in 1906, when all members of the
board were Republican. The Repub-
lican party has carried out its pledg-
es in this regard, and has followed
out consistent line of policy, which
n is to do justice by all interests in the
state, whether corporate or indiyidu-
al.
1t was a Republican legislature
that passed the primary election law.
+ It was a Republican legislature that
created a commission to ascertain
the value OF corporate property for
purposes of assessment. It was a
Republican Legislature that carried
out its pledges to the people and en-.
acted legislation tending to eliminate
blind pigs and enforce the prohibi-
ton law. The Republican state plat
form this year covers the matters
agreed to be progressive" policies
and the party may be relied upon to
carry out its pledges.
It is natural Of course, that the
Democrats should End many reasons
for voting for the head OF the Dem
ocratic state ticket at least. The
principal reason is that it gives the
Democrats an organization. control
Of the state patronage, OF all the
state institutions, TO be used In sup
porting the national Democratic adj
miniatratien There Is no reason Why