The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-09-22
HON. C.P EBURT'NlESS II
STA IS ATTITUDE

Hen. G. b. rtness, representative
in congress s first district, is the
first n!emoer the North Dakota del
ege...t;i IN nington to respond to
the .euIest in the Joint Campaign
.committse THAI the states federal rep
rcss. .tatiyes state their attitude as to
t Z lending recall election and the is
Ic; involved.
~. Sulrless comes out fatfootedly
as.4nst the present state administra-
ton, endorses the recall and pledges
his support N the campaign. He points
to his .vcsrd as fighter against of
fc:als who are merely manikins OF
.seif-a1pointed dictators" and declares
chat sine sole issue now is whether
the record of the present administra-
tion is such the voters want 1T con-
tinued in office"
In his statement addressed to the
Joint Campaign committee in Fargo
Mr.. Burtness says:
Grand Forks, N. D.,
Sept. 18th, 1921.
Joint Campaign Committee, Fargo
N. D.
Gentlemen: NV attention has been
called to the resolution passed by you
on September 18th, 1921, asking, in
substance, that the members OF North
Dakota's delegation in Congress COM
nit themselves on the issue in the
pending recall election.
I feel justified in assuming that no
one in the state doubts where stand
I believe my past record speaks loud
er than words or promises. l have
spent, time, money and energy in past
campaigns in trying to carry the truth
to the people of the state. and shall, to
the extent Of my ability and consistent
with nv duty to my constituents in the
office hold, do so in this campaign.
believe in constitutional represen-
tative government as intended by the
founders of our republic as the only
safeguard of the rights of the people
both the majority and the minority. l
have. therefore only one course open
to me, namely to vote for and support
men for Office like Nestos, johnson
and Kitchen, who will honestly and
intelligently exercise their own Judg-
men in the business affairs OF our
state along announced and well con-
sidered principles and not to support
an autocratic political machine whose
record the past five years shows that
the officials selected by it are mere
manikins, servilely doing the will OF
few self-appointed dictators, most
of such dictators not being interest
ed in the State of North Dakota ex-
cept as they may be theoretically in
terested in visionary socialistic ex-
periments and in the direct profits
which may accrue to them personally
therefrom.
Somehow to me the safeguarding
of the elementary principles of repre-,
sentative government seems even
more important than bringing order
out Of chaos in the present financial
difficulties in our state, for most OF
which the present administration is di-
rectly responsible. At any rate there
are almost countless arguments, any
one of which amply jestifies vote in
favor of the recall.
To those who suggest that 1t IS po-
litically unwise for the Independents
to force recall at this time l can
only say that while was in doubt
thereof before the Devils Lake con-
vention, the unanimous decision OF
that conference. reached after full
and fair discussion participated in by
delegates of the Independent voters
from all parts of the state became my
decision. The issue of it's advisability
has also been settled by the rs 900 vot-
gers signing the petitions. The sole
issue now is whether the record of the
present administration is such that
the voters want it continued in power.
Wishing your committee success:
and assuring you Of my hearty cooper
alton, remain
Very truly yours,
o. B. BURTNESS.