The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-26
BURD|CK FOR
STATE TICKET
Lieutenant Governor Makes
Statement Concerning His
Own Attitude.

Lieutenant Governor u. l.. Burdick
mas given a statement to the Williston
Graphic defining his views of present
day political conditions. state and ma
tional, and it follows:
Recently | have noticed several ar
t!cies IN the newspapers of this state
claiming that | have joined the dem
ocratic party. This is untrue. Since
| cast my first Vote l have been a
republican. and before deciding which
party to affiliate with, | studied the
history OF th" tWo great parties and
concluded that the party of which
Abraham Lincoln was the Immediate
founder. and which believed in the
principle OF protection to
our home manufacturers and favor
our laborers, was the most represent
tatlVc of N needs as Il nation. But
as time vent on and the party be
am blinded by repeated victories,
IL became evident that certain leaders
IN the party We're using its power and
prestige to shape legislation and APP
polntnents IL even court decisions
IN the interests of great special priv
iiege seeking industries. The COM
mon people were forgotten. The
tarlff had % grown much of its orig
NAL USEFULNESS. Protected indus
tries. especially ti1os" dealing in the
necessities of life had become real
l~h"h"poi!"S; for cNamplc-the steel
trust; the lumber trust. the sugar
trust. the oil trust. the beef trust, and
a score Of others--all made possible
by a tariff wall. The people clamored
for reductions but the special interests
controlled elections, controlled repro
SrhtatlN"s in congress. and Ven show
cd their powerful hand in state cleo
tons. To an original Lincoln repub-
l''an this sort of thing was not re-
publican.
The progressive movement was
organized for the purpose of driving
special legislation ont of politics. 1
Joined the Very first movement of
this sort in his state and / have
never deNiated Il particle from his
stand. In office and cut office have
done everything in my power to make
u party what it was orce--a party
OF the people. by the people. and for
the people.
State Situation.
The party in this state today has
the confidence of the people. Two
years g it adopted a progressive
Platform and a progressive house in
senate made every promise good
something that had not been done be-
tore in the history of this state. The
party is now progressive and l think
we may look forward with confidence
to the next republican legislature.
We will see the initiative, referendum
and recall and other progressive
measures passed, including a bill pro-
Vidlns for the physical value of rail-
roads in this state. The movement
Within the republican party in this
state to make h party what it orig
lnally was has indeed been successful.
This being true, there is in my opin-
ION no need for a third party ticket
in this state. and while I favor much
OF the platform recently adopted at
Chicago by the new party. 1 am UNI
wiling at this time to subscribe to
any plan of a third party ticket. We
can think accomplish more by stay
lns IN the party and doing n%ationaliN
What we have done in his state. A
few more senators La Toilette. Bourne.
Borah, Cummings. Gronna and others
will re-establish the republican party
of Lincoln.
In this state a party is progressive
ana nearly every man upon our state
tlcEet Is a progressive. from L. B..
Hanna down and their nominations
nave been obtained by a direct vote
or the people and they should, there
fore. receive the support of the peo-
PIE and we cannot as progressives
quitting the party. but to Remain a
true republican Hoes not mean that
We shall blindly accept every NOM
ination as binding upon US. a stolen
nomination or n obtained by man
lpulation. plainly in disregard of the
VIII of the people is not such a NOM
ina'ion as should command the re-
spect of any partisan.
To remain a loyal republican does
mean that a platform adopted hy Il
convention composed OF - "r
egates shall he " creed. AS a pro-