The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-06-03
BURDICK'S ATTACK
ON GOVERNOR HANNA

Hon. U. L. Burdick, for the republican
nomination for governor, delivered in
Mandan Saturday, was an ~arraign-
ment OF Governor Hanna's admins
tration and theoretically a promise
that he. Burdick, if elected, would
sight ali lie wr 'a;s with which the
body polite is afflicted. The great
majority present were, to say the least,
disappointed in Burdick. He had been
fl ON whom the people might expect n
really instructive address and an able
argument on the issues of the day. In
stead, however, they were RECALLED With
TACK handed slaps at Governor Han.
ma INC a studied effort all through 10
make it aplear that the governor was
W.iltu!'y negligent or Indifferent ID
the welfare Of the great a Of peo-
pie. He reCited the ineffiCienCy Of our
laws to protect wOrkingmen and to
provide proper compensation in case
Of injury. and accused the governor
of being insensible to the need Of
proper laws on this matter. He ar
raigned Hanna for his veto of a bill
to provide for the expenses Of the
state tax commission and dWelt at
length on the matter of taxation. OF
the money deposited in banks, Mr..
Burdick said only $250,0O0 had been
taxed last yea n he would tax the
deposits Of farmers and merchants and
business men who were SO fortunate
as to have q bank balance.
Of the possibilities for good to the
state through a revision Of the method
of taxation, The Pioneer is aware, and
is hopeful that some good may be
brought out Of the work Of the state
tax commission. But until some
greater change can be made in the
method of making appropriations by
the legislature, we are convinced that
the modest taxpayer will not see his
taxes reduced for though the railroads
and CORPORATIONS and all other forms
of wealth paid double their present
tax, it would be but an incentive as
it has been in Wisconsin, for the most
extravagant expenditures by the leglS-
lature.
Mr.. Burdick attempted to belittle
the work of the state auditing board in
retiring over 5000 900 of bonds not
yet due, thereby saving the state
thousands of dollars in interest. He
had a great deal to say about the
newspapers Of the state NJ con
stantly referred to the governors
newspapers" This the free press of
North Dakota should resent. There
is no state in the union where the
press is so little under the influence
of outside POLITICAL or financial inter
ests, and when a newspaper elects to
support either Hanna or Burdlck for
Governor, Gronna or Miller for the
senate, it is n~inety-nine times out OF a
hundred the editor who is volclng ms
own independent views and prefer
ences.
One of the rather unfortunate and
UNPLEASANT things injected into Bur
dicks speech was his allusion to Gov
ernOr Hanna's private income, ano
which was so crudely presented that
it stood out as a barefaced attempt
to disCredit the governor and win the
enmity of those less faVorably fixed
because he had been thrifty and sue
cessful in accumulating wealth.. Per
haps we have men Of BurdiCk's type
to thank for the enactment of laws
which make it almost impossible for a
man of moderate means to run for a
state office without hazarding all he
has saved and even if successful, Of
being broke before he gets out of
office.
1t is we'll for the state that a mar
Of wealth and probity will consent tC
SlN0 Ills IllllO u la oS"NS dAu A@
ton. There is no temptation fol
such to sell themselves and they fine
their greatest pleasure in the honOrs
of office and the honest business-li i
administration OF its affairs. No mar
should be voted for because of what
he has or has not Of this worlds
goods and it Is pur demagogery &c
inject this into a campaign.
These few instances will serve tt
acquaint the readers of The Pioneer
who did not hear the address of the
campaign methods being used to de-
feat Hanna. We have heard the
statement made since the address
that all Is fair in politics." but Is
it? Isn't the propaganda Of those
who are supporting Burdick, "clean-
er politics2"
Will the intelligent voters of North
Dakota be taken in by such clap-trap?
We hin not.
The state is enjoying the ~cleanest
most business-like administration n
it's history and If reforms of taxa
ton methods, better protection fol
farmers, merchants or plain citizens
is not forthcoming mOre rapidly, il il
because of the cumbersome laws un,
der VIII CHI we are trying To run the
state and not because of any act o.
emission or commission Of the chic.
executive.
Lest we be :used OF being sub.
sidizcd as Mr.. BurAjck inferentially
acLusao other newspapers, It may no.
he cut Of place to state here thai
Governor Hanna is not a stockholdeI
in The Pioneer. o Gas this paper Oh
it's publisher eve received a dollal
from the governor outside of the price
Of a subscription, nor has he evel
favored US with an order to run his
political announcements.