Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-03
MAYOR SMYTH
REPLIES TO TRIBUNE
Bismarck, N. D., April 2, 1908.

Bismarck, N. D., April 2, l9OS.
To the Editor of the Bismarck Daily
Tribune: In an editorial in this
mornings Tribune you say: IBIS
marck now has democratic mayor
and subordinate appointees of the
same faith" If by this it is intended
to convey the impression that / have
endeavored to take advantage of my
position as mayor to build up a po-
litical machine, can assure you that
you are mistaken. In not one single
instance, in making appointments in
the citys' service, have even in
1uired as to the appointees' politics,
and my sole aim has been to make
appointments in the best interests OF
the city. AS far as know all the ap'
pointees, with one exception, are re
publicans, and it is only within the
past week or two that accidentally
learned that the official excepted afili-
ates with the democratic party.
The following is list of city off
cials holding Office by the appoint
ment of the mayor, and your readers
can judge for themselves if they
were likely to be appointed for parti
san reasons:
City auditor, F. e. Young; city at
torney. F. H. Register; city engineer,
T. R. Atkinson; chief of police, F. NJ.
Carr; health officer, N. o. Ramstad !;
night police, E. Ely; street commits.
sioner, H. McCrorie; assessor, E. E.
Morris; member special assessment
commission, e. S. Beardsley; watch
man, fire house, E. Jenkins.
Special policemen have also been
appointed from time to time, but in
no case has anyone been asked by NE
or at my suggestion as to his politics,
creed or how he voted.
Without counting or pretending to
have earned the title of reformer,
do claim that the present administra-
ton has endeavored to enforce the
law as laid down in the statutes
which I, in common with other city
officials, have taken an cath to en-.
force. In continuation of this policy
and with a determination to help il
the upbuilding of our city will de
what can and urge upon our citizens
to elect men as members of the coun
ell who will work for the good of the
community and not only have opin
ions of their own, but courage to sup.
port their opinions with their votes
Such blind partisanship as the Trib
une urges on voters, to support can
dfdate who has openly declared that
he is in favor of open violation OF the
law, because it is good for his bust
ness, simply because he belongs t.
one political party or another, car
neither be considered good citizen
ship nor in accordance with the teach
ings of the Tribune for the past year
It should be source of satisfac
ton to our citizens who laid aside
party to rescue our city from whar
the Tribune designates as Patterson
ism, to know that Mr. Patterson has
Loyalty accepted the verdict of the
people and has on many occasions as
srrod me of his desire and willing
ness to assist in enforcement of Law
observance. He not only has givel
this assurance, but has shown his sin
cerity by furnishing Information re
garding illegal sales of liquor that hal
been of great service to the mayo
and police officials and has urges
upon me the arrest of his own employ
es or anyone in any of his building
who violate the Jaw.
If our citizens will do their par
and elect officials who will be faith
full to their duties and willing to as
sist in improving and making GU
city what it ought to be, the healthies
and finest in the state. I, for one, car
not whether they elect republican
democrats or simply good citizen
without political strings on them. Re
spectfully, FIR. Smith,
Mayor.