Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-10-03
HELLSTROM'S RECORD
HE HAS MADE MANY PERSONAL
SACRIFICES FOR PROGRESS
SlVE PRINCIPLES
A DISCIPLE OF Y
His Achievements as "Reform Ward
en-" Marks Him as a Mar of
Character and Administra.
tive Capacity.

Anyone who will take the trouble to
study the record of F.. o. Hellstrom.
democratic candidate for governor.
must inevitably come to the opinion
that here is a man of ~thespeople 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 well
established. What he has accomplish
ed merits the high regard of every cit
tzen.
In 1896 he went on the stump for
Bryan, but was warned by his corpora
lion employers to keep quiet" He
refused to be gagged. however. and at
The close of the campaign was forced
to resign, regardless of the fac that
his work in the service Of the corpora
ton had beer 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 %broadened. his convictions have
d%eepened and he has grown with the
growth of the issues of the time until
today there is not in the state OF
North Dakota gubernatorial timber
that is stronger. sounder or better ma
tured.
MI. 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 him-fam the voters. The. strongest
claim for his candidacy must be made
bn the basis of his business career,
which includes his part in the politi-
cal history Of North Dakota. What he
has done for North Dakota during the
past six years is in itself n 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 peniten-
tiary. A review of the history of that
institution during his administration
brings out the following facts:
When he took charge, the operating
fund of the Irvine plant was found to
be exhausted, there was no cash on
hand to pay current bills and an un-
paid sight draft amounting to 100000
stared him in the face. There were
many other unpaid bills M 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 been
paid, together with $4,000 of the
bonds, and there is now in the state
treasury a cash balance of $128,OO0,
besides bills receivable and other as
sets maturing about November LIST, ag-
gregating the sum of $258, 900. OF the
bonded indebtedness amounting to
$3.50. 600, the sum of $94, 900 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 100000 pounds Of
Irvine at the lowest price quoted by
any factory or institution in the Unit
ed States. The consumption of bind
ing Irvine in North Dakota this year
has been over 10000. 900 pounds, and
it 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 size per
pound when it became known that the