The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-09-16
LA TOILETTE is NOMINATED
S0RLIE REPLIES TO CHARGE
THAT STATE IS UNPR0DUCTIVE
in FIELD OF ART AND LETTERS
Executive Resents DerOga-
tory Statements Published
in Pacific Coast Paper

When Bruno Lcssirg wrote an ar
ticle in a Pacific coast paper in
which he condemned North Dakota's
alleged failure to "make the slight
est contribution to art. science. III
erature or any other Of the activi-
ties of the human mind which beau
tify and improve life" he started
started something which bids fair to
become small storm.
State officials and others here re-
sented the charge as untrue and a
slur on the name of the state. Sew
eral formal answers to the charge
have been prepared. Among them
is one by Gov. Soriic. In his state
mert the chief executive sad:
"North Dakota, no doubt. vas by
the Creator Of all things primarily
ir'erdcd f." HGr;culturc-thnt we IN
the Best Of the West should provide
a livelihood and produce the staff
of life for others whose time and
mind are occupied in different
lines.
State Is Young
eve are comparatively young
state and have therefore as yet a
comparatively small population, only
a little more than six hundred thou
sand. We produce about one half OF
the spring wheat in the U: S.. as
we'll as about one-half Of the flax
products on. Our percentage in other
agricultural products is likewise
high. Hence. it would appear we
are doing the part we are intended
for exceedingly we'll.
"Nn ct1fn h1Cp CSt1hllS she.
a laboratory through which our pro
ducts can be tested and mcrchandisec
on a scientific basis. We have dis
covered and proved through our lab
oratory that we have the highest pro
tain hard spring wheat in the United
States, and that is the kind Of whea
from which the best patent flour is
made. Further, we have proved tina
age of oil. So up to this time, w
have been attending to the more
urcent affairs.
During this same period a mum
Der Of our people have worked alon'
other lines, however. For instance
James Foley, known as our "prari'
poet" has endeared himself to man.
through his verse. Gotfried Hult,
member of the University Of Nortl
Dakota faculty, who has spent tn
greater part Of his life on tn
prairies of our state, has had severa
collections Of his poems published il
book form Now of New York. bu
formerly Of North Dakota, we fin
Maxwell Anderson, a prominent poe
I and playwright.
Cs&.. oAoeeo~,n,
"Vilhjalmer Steffanson, Arctic eX
plorer and discoverer of the blond
Eskimo, was born and raised il
North Dakota. The late Dean Bah
cock, who came here as young man
became internationally known in tn
mining-engineering world. Curti
Wilbur, secretary of the navy, AM
Lyman Wilbur. president Of Lelan'
Stanford University, both received
their early education in our Nortl
Dakota schools. Besides these. ther'
could be mentioned other outstand
ing figures who have been born ant
raised here or who came at an earl.
age.
"While we may not have contrib
uted as much toward literature ant
art as sections Of the United State
located in the picturesque mountain
or shady lake regions, that breed
poetic and romantic atmosphere, ye
we have this to our credit. that. evel
though we may not have produced
the extraordinary, we have less thar
one per cent of illiteracy in ou
state (including our Indians). So
all in all, we are possibly doing ou
bit'."