The Dickinson press., 1912-09-28
Hf[lSTR0M'S RECORD
NE Has MADE MANY PERSONAL
sAcRIFIcEs FOR PROGRESS
GIVE PRINCIPLES
A DISCIPLE or Y
Hi Achievements a. "ReSerm Ward.
On" Marks Him % q Man Of
F.! Character and AdmlnlstrAr
y tive Capacity.

NV ~oO3SsSy
Anyone Who VIM take the trouble to
'study the record Of =. o. Hellstrom,
candidate for governor.
must inevitably come to the opinion
that here 10 . 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
q hard and consistent worker for re
forms in North Dakota IL q fact well
'established. What he has accomplish
ed merits the high regard Of every cit,
l1zen.
In 1896 he went on the stump fol-
Bryan. but was warned by his corpora
ton employers to keep quiet" He
refused to be gagged. however. and al
the close Of the campaign was forced
to resign. regardless OF the fact that
his work in the service of the corpora
ton had been of tho highest ORDER OF
merit. Since that time onward be has
enlisted himself more and more in tho
contest for good politics. his ideas
have 'oroadened. his convictions have
deepened and he has grown with the
growth of the issues OF tho time until
today there 10 not in the state OF
North Dakota gubernatorial timber
that is stronger. sounder or better ma
tured.
Mr.. Hellstrom 10 mora . business
man than a politician. He does not
possess the happy faculty of "playing1
for popular favor. He has no desire
to 1im.dam the voters. Tho strongest
claim for his candidacy must be made
ION the basis Of his business career,
which includes his part in the politt
cal history o f,North Dakota. What hl
has done for North Dakota during thu
past six years 10 10 itself n of thu
best and most Inspiring pages in tho
states history.
When John Burke was elected gov
erno in 1906, Mr.. Hslstrem was ap
pointed warden OF the state peniten,
tiary. A review Of the history Of tina,
institution during his administration
brings out the following facts:
When he took charge. tho operating
fund Of the twine plant was found to
be exhausted. there was no cash on
hand to pay current bills and an un,
paid sight draft amounting to $780, 900
stared him in the face. There were
many other unpaid bills and no funds
to meet the deficiency.
All this was cleaned up as promptly
as possible and current bills were paid
as fast as they matured. All interest
on the bonded Indebtedness has beer
paid. together with $4,000 Of thu
bonds. and there is now in the state
treasury = cash balance Of $128, 900,
besides bills receivable and other as
sets maturing about November LIST, ag
gregating the sum Of $685.. 900. OF the
bonded Indebtedness amounting ia
$500 0 the sum of $94.0 0 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 tho fist Of May,
1911.
During the past year the Irvine
plant sold about $4,000 pounds Of
twine At the lowest price quoted BY
any factory or institution in the Unit.
ed States. The consumption of bind,
Ing twine in North Dakota this year
has been over 10000, 900 pounds, and
1t has been shown that prison twine
hal had q healthy effect on regulating
the price. This fact was proved by
the sudden rise in twine of SIC per
pound when It became known that tho
supply at the state penitentiary was
exhausted. Estimating that the price
would have been 2Nc per pound high
er Il 1t had not been for this competi.
ton. It will be . that the farmers
OF North Dakota were saved the sum
OF $S25.0O0 this year. figuring on q
basis Of 10000 900 pounds.
When Mr.. Hellstrom took charge of
the plant. the price Of Irvine was fixed
at a much higher scale than 1T the
Minnesota ~penitent1ary. Since then,
the price has been put on q level with
that OF thu Minnesota institution, OF
lower. r.
In 1909 the International Harvester
Co. undertook to corner tho fibre mar.
ket by purchasing all the sisal in
sight. Mr.. Hellstrom at once counter.
ed by purchasing manila hemp and
turning out manila Irvine instead. The
result was that the l. II. C. spent a
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 Irvine and in that way
saved the farmers Thousands Of dol.
lars besides giving them q much bet.
ter grade Of twine. Today the demand
for the manila grades is much greater
than ever.
I. The business improvements and prt.
son. reforms Instituted BY Warden
Hellstrom are hare briefly sunmar.
lied:
= Tr 49, A.- -E - 7## ~