The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-04-09
AN IMPORTANT AFFAIR.

It will be noted that in its accoun
Of the banquet Of the Republican con-
mitteemen Wednesday evening, tn
Times Record has given little or NJ
account of the speech made by U. L
Burdick, candidate for governor. Thi
paper wishes it distinctly understood
that this apparent slight is in no way
intended as a personal or political re
Election on Mr.. Brtrdick. On the con
trary, we have the highest respect fol
| Mr.. Burdick, both as man and a
square" politician. Under other cir
cumstances it would give this paper
considerable pleasure to report his
speech as a matter Of news, and give
the usual space to his part in last ev.
ening's events.
The blame for last nights unfortun-
ate incident, resultin as it did in some
thing closely approaching a split in
the central committee, appears to
rest upon the shoulders Of one man,
who invited Mr.. Burdick to be present
as the principal speaker of the even
ing. Mr.. Green, as chairman of the
central committee, went beyond all
bounds, when he exceeded his author
ity by injecting fractional politics in
to what was Intended to be get.geth-
or meeting.
No one acquainted with the most
primitive form of politics but knows
that it is not within the province of
a central committee, be it county or
state, to indorse any fractional candi-
date for Office, but nevertheless it re-
ported on credible authority that the
chairman of the committee proposed
to make such an endorsement, and
when this was stopped, purposed
toast to ''the next governor Of North
Dakota" It was an attempt to make
political capital out of a courteous re-
ception to visitor, and that it failed of
it's intended effect is due to the good
sense Of those who attended the meet
ing.
The protests against Mr.. Burdick's
making a factional speech at non
partisan Republican meeting began
before the banquet started, and after
wards, when the affair was thoroughly
discussed and aired, there could be no
doubt but that it had reacted through
the chairman of the central commit
tee, upon his candidate.
1t is unfortunate that this should be
the case, as Mr.. Burdick would not,
we believe, stoop to chicanery in poll
tics. Nevertheless, upon his should
ers must the burden of the results fall.
Had he known the real nature of the
affair which he was attending, that it
was made possible by money furnished
within the county from all factions of
the party, solicited by men from both
factions, we cannot believe that he
would have appeared in Valley City.
Other leaders who were present last
night, disclaimed knowledge or re-
sponsibility for Mr.. Burdick's presence.
In fact, as soon as the effect upon the
committeeman began to be seen, there
was a decided tendency to shift the
responsibility upon some one else's
shoulders. Even Mr.. Burdick's staunch-
est supporters admitted that 1T was
not good policy" and that bad mis-
take had been made. .-@
It was said today that the antagon-
ism to the present incumbent, which
resulted in Mr.. Burdick's presence last
night, was caused by failure to secure
a political appointment from Governor
Hanna some months ago, when there
was vacancy on the board of trustees
of the Agriculture college.