The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-07
Pokes Gentle Fun at jamestown
Propaganda; Says Not All
Are Fat and Proves 1t

w. F. OavleS, dean OF North Oa-
kota's editors, rises to defend the
fianks OF men in state offices and to
direct a bit of gentle irony at James,
towns effort to remove the state cap
ital to that city.
Mr.. Davies writes a personal col
umn for the Grand Forks Herald un-
der the heading THAT Reminds Me"
Because his comment on the James,
town propaganda contains many Bis
marck names and is of general inter-
est to Bismarck citizens, the Tribune
herewith takes the liberty Of re-
printing it.
BY w. p. d.
I was greatly interested the other
day in reading the account of the
appeal made by Percy Hanson of
Jamestown for the Jamestown cap
itol removal project before the state
affairs committee Of the house at
Bismarck. On behalf of his group
MI. Hanson asked that the commit
tee eliminate the emergency clause
for the bill providing for the crea-
ton of 4 capitol commission and in
Structing such commission to. pro-
coed with the erection of a capitol.
He also asked that the clause in the
bill providing for the erection of a
new capitol at Bismarck be changed
to provide for the building at the
seat of government" the idea being
to leave the location open until a vote
has been taken or the proposed con-
stitutional amendment moving the
capitol TO Jamestown.
X +
One Statement in the argument
puzzled me. Mr.. Hanson reported a
conversation which he had with one
CT three officials whom he met on q
train between Fargo and Jamestown.
This official told MI. Hanson, If l
understand the statement correctly,
that it cost the state $20s40 more for
him to make the trip from Fargo to
Bismarck than it would have cost
for the trip to jamestown. That
sum, multiplied by three, made SCI 20
which it cost the state for that single
trip Of the three officials because the
capitol Is at Bismarck instead Of at
Jamestown.
Bismarck is 100 miles west of
Jamestown. Railway fare between
the two points is less than $500. Pull
man fare, il the officials were max
ing a night trip. is about $50 nor
I can account for those figures only
on the basis that the officials must
have been travelling by special train,
and it Is not said that they were.
Another statement In the argument.
myStified me. MI. Hanson assumed
that many of the present state Off
Gals would be opposed to capitol re-
moval, and he described these off,
Gals as having grown old and fat In
the. pay Of the people of the state.
living in fine homes, driving luxurious
automobiles and wearing extensively
tailored suits. That seemed queer to
me.
It istnot my good fortune to know
all Of the present officials Of North
Uakota. nut I have known several Of
them for q good many years, during
which time they have been pretty
regularly in the service Of the state.
/ admit that these men are not as
young as they were when / first met
them. I know little about the style
of their domestic establishments and
nothing about their taste In automo-
biles or the cost Of their clothes. It
never occurred to me to inquire about
these things, not supposing. In my
innocence, that these matters would
become political issues. But as to
their being fat-.tut. tutl Percyl
\ \ \
Take my old friend Judge Burke,
three times governor Of the state,
and now q distinguished member OF
its supreme bench. I don't believe
Judge Burke is any fatter now than
when he practiced law at Rolla and
Devils Lake. Nor should I call Judge
Christianson fat, and he has been a
supreme court justice for q good
many years. And judges are requir-
ed to do some travelling, and I sup
pose they take their meals in dining
cars.
X
I think. too, Of another official, ].
Nj. Devine, who. as lieutenant gov
erlaor, governor, superintendent Of
schools and commissioner Of immi-
grafton, has been a state official most
of the time during the past thirty
odd years. Mr.. Devine's present du-
ties require him to do considerable
travelling. but when ! last "a him /
could not observe that he had gained
greatly IN weight. He was as chi
thusiastic as ever. and as great a