The Oakes times., 1914-09-24
HE[LSTRON MAN
OF THE PEOPLE
DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR oov.
ERNoR OF NORTH DAKOTA HAS
RECORD WHICH PROVES HIM TO
BE FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE At
ALL TIMES.
Was Farmers Friend
When He Was Warden

was FARMERS Friend
When He Was Warden
"l' tho people Of North Dakota arr
looking 'or governor with the back
oohe o. j"llyflsh. then don't vote for
ne is warning made b. Frank o.
Hellsti"m. democratic nominee for
governor of this state in opening the
ca'a;aign this fall.
| This statement Is chars cteristic oi
the man. AS he says. he never was
when re was warden. and he never
VIII be as governor. merely rubber
Stamp for the political bosses"
flank o. Hellstrom Is a selfmade
mar. He has gained his large per
sonal following in North Dakota be.
cause he never made promise but
what he fulfilled 1t. because he never
turned deaf ear to his friends when
thoy were In need Of his services. and
because he hasn't simply used his
friends to further his own Interests
and then dropped them when they
We're no longer necessary for his ad.
| vancemcnt.
Born on farm. he spent most OF
his life on farm. Educated for the
legal profession. he graduated fror,
the Kansas law school In 1892. And
then he devoted much of his time to
the cultivation Of the coil in his old
hcmc in Douglas county. Kansas.
Schooled in the principles OF demo
cracy. Mr.. Hellstrom early was recog
nized as a leader. and In 1896 he
stumped the strte ef Kansas for Will
liam Jennings Bryan.
When he came to North Dakota II
was In connection with the farm ma
chinery business and for several years
was manager Of the Fargo branch Ql
the Northwest Thresher company. I,
will be said Of him by that Arm that
during his incumbency as manager the
company saw its largest years Of bust
ness in this state. which proves Mr.
Hellstrom's ability as business man
as also does his record as warden o
the penitentiary. -
When John Burke was elected gov
ernor Of North Dakota in 1906. will
the members Of the board Of contro
ne began looking around for a maj
who would be suitable for warden o
the penitentiary.
The wardensh,b is perhaps the mos
important office in the state. OUTSIDE
Of the chief executive. and this Gov
ernor Burke realized. He wcM kne,
that Il was not simply a plum to Civ
to the man who needed to be take
care Of by his friends because he ha
epent all his money on the party Q
to any men as reward for any specis
favor which may have advanced tn
governors own interests.
Governor Burke realized that unde
the 6arles business administration. tn
psnitentiasy had fallen into a deplo
able condition. Instead Of being sci
supporting as they can be made I
be. the Institution was a great tinal
elal burden on the state. Burke wan
I'd 70 and some man OF sounu busines
tdsxs who would make an honest effol
70 decrease this aebt IN two year
time. for It was then uncertain whetl
vt the Burke administration would b
e91tained at the close OF its first tern
With this idea In view. he aske
u Frank o. HeIsstrom no help him shD
"a tho people oS North Dakota the valu
Of an ecoromic administration, or
which was really alborins for the Il
terests es the pesple. He asked NJ
Hellstrom to take charge Of the per
, tsntiaFy and try to lift the great bu
den q 7hkt institution. At hrst NJ
Hellstfum 'wss loath to accept. H
realised what II meant. But fsnal
NJ persuaded. he went at Il in a mann,
that 3as reflected everlasting cred
On the state and the Burke admin
tEati0n.
Whist was Mr.. Hellstrom's record q
warden? Even the most strongly pa
? fisn republicans admit 1t was Il
be0 IN the history Of the ina4itutio
1ho fflrst 'tkinE he did was 70 abolia
the whipping post. the form OF capit
: pu1idhmsnt that prevailed Ii every i
ot1lution 'R the kind in the land.
that reform Mr.. Hsllstrom Was the pi
1s1r. .Btnee then how many stat
have followed his example and dsG
aUny 'utth whipping posts and q
6eems sof capital punishment in o.
Wy or :Haother. either by legislatil
, enactmens or otherwise? Mr.. Hel
! stnom sat the pace that has grown il
|, % Q Widespread movement
81 810 .u04I 1CI 10 W0IUeu va % =
ta1aiah the honor system. somethiu
} that brought him q national reputatio
{ anA gave 1he state Of North Dako,
much prominence. The Burke admit
!, lstsatioA's opponents at once predicte
thaf Mr.. tHsllstrom's policy would
disastrous. that the country would
ovefrun with escaped criminals. ths
Il weuld undo all the courts and tn
penitentiary had ever done, and vhs
not Have they not all been bitterl
disappointed? The Hellstrom polio
has proved sueh \ marked success I
this stsfe that Warden Taicott, tn
gift OF . republican administration. ha
made ns effort to change It in that =.
0pect. The Hellstrom policy has prov
- 20 successful that nearly er
0eate prison In the United States ha
adopted II.
i When Frssk Heilstrom became "a,
den Of the penitso1iary. II was bul
lened With debt. There we're sigh
drafts aad other debts due and unpai,
amounting to 90. 900, besides bon,i