The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-27
4. c. HANSBROUGH
WRITES HIS CRITICS
SENSIBLE LETTER TO TRIO OF
EDITORS WHO SEEM TO ENJOY
VELLIFYFNG THE FORMER u. 8.
SENATOR -. SOME PERTINENT
QUESTIONS.

The following is a. copy Of a letter
sent by former U. S. Senator Hans
hrough to the editors of The Fargo
News, The Valley City Times Record
and The Rugby Tribune:
| To the Editor: 1t would be difficult
for me TO even attempt to measure my
republicanism by the evil things that
the leaders and some of the newspapers
of both factions Of the party in North
Dakota saw fit to do and to say Of nae
two years ago, and that some of them
are now saying. / am the kind of
christian that, while he may not sub
scribe to a particular church doctrine,
yet he believes in God, and greatly re-
grets the conduct OF some of His pro-
fessed disciples.
Your personal illusions to me-in
other words, your villification-sounds
familiar. Permit me to say that In my
Judgment it is a waste of energy and
of space; am not running for office
Still, do not object to it, but have
thought thar, so long as you have been
so kind as to devote some of your val
liable time to me, ought to discuss
the matter with you, even briefly, and
entirely aside from personalities.
What is the issue in this campaign?
When we analyze the business condi-
lions OF the country, we do not find
that they are suffering. Therefore,
we must concede that republican
party policy has been and is as nearly
perfect as 1t has been possible to make
1t; II is the climax of political ingenu-
lily, from an industrial and commercial
point of view. OF course there are a
few gentlemen always who succeed in
persuading themselves and q. few Others
that If they were in Office conditions
would be better. Your denunciation of
lndlvlduals who do not agree with you
IN matters Of public policy may be
oenef1clal to those of your friends that
they think they ought to be chosen to
make and to administer the laws: but
cannot see how the individual changes
you advocate would better conditions
that are already good. Nor is there
the slightest danger that these condi-
lions are going to change for the worse
Why, then, your dread approximations?
80 that, by sending new men to
Washdngton-men opposed TO the poll
cies that have brought prosperity to
the land-North Dakota as a whole
would gain nothing. Indeed, I think il
would lose much.
Now, you denounce the tariff law.
No, not so much the law; you denounce
the men that made 1t. Indirectly.
therefore, you denounce the president
that gave it his approval. Democrats
are engaged in doing the same thing.
Thus they hope to get into Office. Is it
this also that your factional friends are
for? Perish the thought! Yet.
In your denunciation of individuals, |
you do not point out where the tariff |
has injured North Dakota. farmers and
other business men. Of course not. for |
they have NOT been injured, and are not
likely to be injured, unless you sue
coed in scuttling the ship of state.
SO, when read your very interesting
journal, knowing as / do the political |
history OF the men you are in favor of; |
recalling their earlier professions in
regard to party solidarity, and their
former faith in so-called stalwartism;
overlooking not the machine" methods T
they are now practicing; forgetting
1ot the machine methods they used
20 indulge in-weIl, as the private citi-
zen that am now, somewhat sobered
and cooled off by my twenty years of
public life, and my familiarity with
frankly must say I am
with the conviction that You
ire simply engaged in vain struggle
20 crafty the ambition Of a few gen
tlemen who, for reasons more personal
hat patriotic, are anxious to get onto
The payroll. I regret that I am unable
% take more exalted view of your
Respectfully,
III. G. Hansbrough.