The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-10-04
RECORD
HE HAS MAoE MANv PERSONAL
!, SACRIFICES FOR eRoGREs.
sivE PRINCIPLES
A DISCIPLE OF BRYAN
His Achievements as "Reform Ward.
u" Marks Him as = Man Of
p Character and Administra.
...... tive Capacity.

study the record OF r. u. HellstTOm.
democratic candidate for governor.
must inevitably come. to the opinion
that here is a man Of the people who
has the common welfare at heart. who
has drawn his political inspiration
from high and noble sources and up
on whose political history there is not
the slightest faint. That he has been
a hard and consistent worker for re.
forms in North Dakota is a fact we'll
established. What he has accomplish.
ed merits the high regard of every cit.
izen.
10 1896 he went on the stump for
Bryan. but was warned by his corpora.
ton employers to keep quiet" He
refused to be gagged. however. and at
the close Of the campaign was forced
to resign. regardless of the fact hat
his work in the service OF the corpora
ton had been of the highest order OF
merit. Since that time onward he has
enlisted himself more and more In the
contest for good politics. his ideas
have b%roadened, his convictions have
deepened and he has grown with the
growth OF the issues of the time until
today there is not in the state OF
North Dakota gubernatoriai timber
tured. -
Mr.. Hellstrom is more a business
man than a politician. He does not
possess the happy faculty of playing"
for popular favor. He has no desire
to Aim-Aam the voter The strongest
claim for his candidacy must be made
on the basis OF his business career.
which includes his part in the politt-
cal history Of North Dakota. What he
has done for North Dakota during the
past six years is in itself one OF the
best and most inspiring pages in the
states history.
When John Burke was elected gov
ernor in 1906. Mr.. Hellstrom was ap-
pointed warden Of the state p%eniten-
tiary. A review Of the history of that
institution during his administration
brings out the following facts: q
When he took charge. the operating
fund Of the Irvine plant was found to
he exhausted. there was no cash on
hand to pay current bills and an I'M
paid sight draft amounting to 100000
stared him in the face. There we're
many other unpaid bills and nc funds
~ rooot chs AnRoionnu
All this was cleaned up as promptly
as possible and current bills were paid
as fast as they matured. All interest
paid, together with S94. 900 of the
treasury a cash balance Of $128.000.
besides bills receivable and other as
sets maturing about November LIST, ag-
%gregating the sum of $25S.0OO. or the
bonded indebtedness amounting to
$169. 900. the sum of $4,000 has been
paid during Hellstrom's administra-
ton. and funds have already been pro.
vided to take up $4,000 of the bonds
which mature on the 21st OF May.
1911.
During the past year the Irvine
plant sold about 3,120.000 pounds Of
Irvine at the lowest price quoted by
any factory OF institution in the Unit
ed States. The consumption Of bind
ing Irvine Inv North Dakota this year
has been over 30,000,O 900 pounds. and
1t has been shown that prison Irvine
has had a healthy effect on regulating
the price. This fact was proved by
the sudden rise in Irvine Of SIC per
pound when it became known that tho
supply at the state penitentiary was
exhausted. Estimating that the price
would have been 2Ac per pound high
or II 1t had not been for this competi-
ton, 1t will be seen that the farmers
Of North Dakota were saved the sum
Of 1926. 900 this year, figuring on .
basis Of 30.000,0 900 pounds.
When Mr.. Hellstrom took charge Of
the plant. the price OF Irvine was fixed
at a much higher scale than at the
Minnesota penitentiary. Since then,
the price has been put on a level with
that of the Minnesota institution. or
lower.
In 1909 the international Harvester
Co. undertook to corner the fibre mar
ket by purchasing all the sisal in
sight. MI. Hellstrom at once counter
ed by purchasing manila hemp and
turning put manila Irvine instead. The
result was that the 1. H. c. spent q
great deal Of time and money in an eff
fort to convince the farmers that sisal
was the best material for Irvine and
urging them to beware Of binding
Irvine made from other materials.
Warden Hellstrom kept the prison
plant in constant operation manufac-
turing manila twine and In that way
saved the farmers thousands Of dol
lars besides giving them q much bet
ter grade Of Irvine. Today the demand.
for the manila grades is much greater
than ever.
The business improvements and pri-
son reforms instituted by Warden
Hellstrom are here briefly summar.
lied:
Lowered freight rates from Biz
marck to consumers 38a1hh per cent.
Reduced rates on fbre from Philip
pine Islands from 85c per cwt. tos62hc.
per cwt.
Secured junction OF 500 line with:
p~enitentiary track and eliminated
switching charges OF $500 per foreign
car, saving $4,000 per year.
Built up the ~penitentiary brick In
dnstry from an old Observation-Disclosures ia.