The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-03-26
Present Commissioner of Az.
riculture Will Not Try to
Succeed Himself.
ILLNESS OF WIFE
GIVEN AS REASON
Has Held Position Nine Years, Bejnr
Elected Five Times-Wlthdrswal
Lends New Strength to the Csndi.
dacy of w. e. Holbetn.

Commissioner of Agriculture and
Labor w. c. Gilbreath will not be a
candidate for reelection.
Definite announcement to that eff
feet is made by Mr.. Gilbreath, in a
signed statement issued from his Of
Ice at Bismarck.
In declaring himself out of the
race, Mr.. Gilbreath says his action is
prompted by the critical illness of his
wife. which makes 1t impossible for
him to give his time and attention
to the campaign that would be es-
sential to success in the coming pr-
mary election.
New Strength for Holbein.
Already w. E. Holbein Of Lansford
has announced himself as a candidate
for the position. and it is expected
that Mr.. Gilbreath's withdrawal will
bring additional strength to the Lans-
ford mans candidacy. No others
have, as yet, announced themselves.
Gilbreath's Statement.
Mr. Gilbreath's complete statement,
in which he sets for hfs reasons for
dropping out of the race. follows:
Some few weeks ago q statement
was published in the daily press and
some weeklies, under a Bismarck date
line. to the effect that I might be a
candidate this year. for the Office of
commissioner Of agriculture and la-
Dor.
prior to the publication of this
statement considerable pressure was
brought to bear to induce me to be-
come a candidate for this position.
which had previously announced
that I would not accept under any
circumstances. Under repeated urg-
ing ] at last yielded and stated that
in the event my wife regained her
health, l might consent to become a
candidate. Under these conditions
Illness Precludes Possibility.
The continued dangerous illness
Of my wife precludes the. liability
OF my becoming candidate for the
sixth time for the position now hold,
North Dakota have elected mo flye
times IA snccesAfon.- ,sa A. ..,6; =
II have neither the time nor the
disp0Et1on TO- Asrote any conddera-
tionato campaign under Tho existing
circumstances or am willing to leave
my wife to mako q canvas for any
political Office during the next three
months.
Leaves the Field Open.
Il am constrained to thus early
make this statement in view of the
fact that there are several competent
and thoroughly experienced men who
have hitherto refrained from an
nouncing themselves as candidates for
the position Of commissioner of agri-
culture and labor, out Of considera-
tion for my possible candidacy, and
that they may be at liberty to do SO
at the earliest moment and not be
handicapped by q late entrance into
the race.
81 am not insensible to the many
friends MO have so loyalty supported
me In the past five campaigns and had
the power to reward them for these
acts Of kindness and confidence, each
would wear q crown of glory in the
great beyond.
Growth During Tenure in Onlce.
For over nine years have given
my entire time to the duties Of this
ONCE to the neglect of my private af-
fairs, which have suffered in conse-
quence. At the beginning Of my Ia
bors rs immigration agent in, 1906,
the population of the state was .437,-
070, and today 1t is q tribe over. 6O0,-
900, or an increase Of nearly 166. 900.
While I do not take the entire credit
for this remarkable growth, am
confident that the department of agri.
culture Of North Dakota has, through
Its advertising methods, publicity
pamphlets and its seventy exhibits at
county aud state fairs, been q potent
influence in bringing about these re.
suits
IVY. G.. Gilbreath"