Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1910-10-13
.BuRkE's SECOND
! MESSAGE
HOW HE CARRIED 1T OUT. GOV
BURKE SHOULD EXPLAIN
WHY HE APPOINTED
THOMPSON AND
PURCELL

.It will be your duty to elect u
nited States senator, and if ours is a
government of the people, you will,
as speedily as possible, comply with
the wishes of the people as expressed
at the polls at the last general cleo
ton.
For several years the two great
political parties of this state have ad-
vocated the election of United States
senators by direct vote of the peo-
pie. The people feel that, If the SEN
ators were elected by direct vote,
the same as their representatives,
they would. be better and truer rep
resentatives of government of the
people, and it was because. of this
prevailing sentiment that the last
Legislative assembly made some ad-
vances toward the selection of Unit
ed States senators by a direct vote
Of the people.
The present legislation upon. the
subject, however, does not meet the
demnnds of the people. It is only a
half way measure. It only enables
the different parties to select their
party choice, and does not permit
the selection of the popular choice
of the whole people. If the people
really believe in the election of Unit
ed States senators by direct vote,
then our present laws should be a.
mended so that each party could NOM
inate it's candidates, and the candi-
dates receiving the highest number
of votes at the general election should
be chosen senator by this body re-
gardless of politics"
The above statement is part of
the message of Gov. Burke delivered
to;~the legislature Wednesday, jan
uary 6, 1909. and is found on pages
and 10 of the printed message.
These are the views Of John Burke
stated publicly and officially.
MARK their import and then consid-
er his actions in the matter Of the
appointment Of United States SEN
ator.
The governor urges speedy COM
pliance with the wishes of the people
as expressed at the polls in the gen.
eral election because this is gov
ernment Of the people.
The govern states his belief that
senator's would be better and truer
representatives of the people If Sc
lected by direct vote, and advocated
the selection of the candidate re-
ceiving the highest number of votes
at the general election regardless Of
politics.
There can be no question, no
doubt, no misunderstanding as to the
governors views on this question
of the selection of United States SEN
ators.
How did Governor Burke carry
into effect his publicly expressed
views?
At the primary election in June,
1908, the result of the canvass show
ed the following vote on the sena-
torship:
Thomas F.. Marshall ). .21,527
Martin N. johnson -. 1T, ,453
H. G. Hansbrough. ..13,545 b
c.. B. Little q. :. .12,787 q
John L. Cashel 6.735
w. q. Purcell. ......... 4,466
F. Thompson. Q
At the general election in Noven1-
Der, 1908, the result Of the canvass
showed the following vote on the
senatorship: .
Martin N. johnson. .39.304
Thomas f. Marshall. :. .36,432
+. u. Thompson . Il
johnson was the choice Of the peo-
pie and was promptly elected by q
republican legislature in January.
of 1909.
The untimely death Of Senator
Johnson within q few months after
his election caused q vacancy, and
under the law Governor Burke was
vested With the power to select 9 u
nited States Senator and carry into
effect the will Of the people by select
ing their choice. II
Did Governor Burke have any
means Of knowing the choice Of the
people Of North Dakota, regardless
OF party
Here sis the choice Of the people .aa
expressed ~ \: .s ], 4