The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-25

Lewis lake, N. ~, Sept. 2U.-Ihe
democrats Of North Dakota are on :
still hunt for a candidate for United
States senator. There are four mer
frequently mentioned for the place
though it is scarcely probable tina,
either could be considered as a can
didate. They are National Commit
teeman Breugger, State Senator Port
erield Of Fargo, Supreme Justice Fish
and former Governor Burke.
! Breugger was candidate two years
ago and is probably the man who
would be most willing to enter the
race if decision had to be reached
at this time. He had, as result of
his campaign for the senate before
and his present position, very wide
acquaintance over the state. He is
capable in many respects and has
sufficient money to indulge in the lux
uries of u. S. senatorship. The
cardinal weakness of his candidacy
would be the opposition of disap-
pointed candidates for office, as he
has been compelled to turn down from
one to a dozen every time he made a
selection.
Justice Fisk has held a place either
as district or supreme court Judge
for many years. He ranks high on
the supreme court and is widely
known for his hard common sense.
He has the respect of both democrats
and republicans. and is big both physi-
cally and mentally. 1t is not known
what his personal wishes are. It
would seem unlikely that he would
care to retire from position he can
hold as long as he will consent to
run for a mad scramble for a SEN
atorship. There is also a clause in
the constitution prohibiting a Judge
from running for any other than a
judicial position for the term for which
he has been elected Whether this
would prevent him from being can
didate for federal position is not
clearly defined. He certainly would
be unable to run for a state office.
United States Treasurer Burke.
three times governor of this state, is
said to be the man the national demo-
cratic leaders have selected for the
North Dakota senatorial race. They
believe that man who had such sig
nal success for state office should be
able to make a large showing for the
senatorship, now that the candidates
are elected by popular vote 1t is said
the former governor has no personal
desire to make the race. He is report
ed as asserting he had given up a
considerable number of years to the
political work of this state, being fore
ed to neglect his private law practice
for that purpose. He now wants to be
in a position to draw more salary than
as United States senator. His pres
ent place is more remunerative and he
is said to point out to his friends that
former United States treasurers have
frequently been advanced to high pay
ing positions in private concerns as
result Of the information and train
ing received while handling Uncle
Sans funds. His immediate prede.
cessor is now drawing $4,000 a year
and that beats a United States sena.
torship by a wide margin. There is
another phase of the situation in the
state that is seriously considered by
local democrats, but not generally rec
ognized by the national leaders. Past
political successes Of Treasurer Burke
have been attained from the cooper
alton of the lnsurgent republicans of
North Dakota. They could not be ex-
pected to assist him in his campaign
as they will have two or three regubli-
can candidates of their own political
faith. At present the only three re-
publican candidates are allied with
the insurgent wing Of the republican
party and the democrats need expect
no support from that quarter.
w. P. Porterfeld, a Fargo druggist
is frequently mentioned for the United
States senatorship. Port" as he is
generally known by his intimate
friends is a popular, hail-fellow-well-
met type. Always consistent demo
crat, he never held any public office
except on the Fargo park board, till
last fall, when he was elected state
senator over a prominent republican
in an overwhelmingly republican dis
trict.
He would make an ideal man for the
position in many respects and has a
long, clean and honorable business rec
ord. Even his bitterest political op-
ponents would never be able to dig up
anything in his past that would be
handicap to an election. A large num-
Der of his friends are urging the state
senator to try for the United States