The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-05
r. N TIN u E n
~ 1ea 49, 60
Dispatches Letter
To Ickes Saying He
Is Victim of Plot
Organized by Erickson

LANCER explained THE Leader was
organized under the direction OF
State Senator Oscar E. Erickson and
not a single person on the payroll OF
this state that know Of has been
coerced, bludgeoned, or forced III any
manner to support that paper Hun
dreds Of state employees, he said, vol
unfairly contributed five per cent OF
their salaries In exchange for SUBJ
scriptions at 81 a year.
The letter to Icxes reads in full:
Thank you for your public state
ment. It may interest you to know
that on Tuesday we will have state
political convention. You have my
personal assurance that at no time
while have been governor has there
been a levy, assessment. or charge OF
any description made upon any CWA
worker, either directly or indirectly,
or In my behalf, either directly or in
directly.
Instead Of there being any assess
ment upon those who are In misery
or any collection Of misery money
the only misery there exists Is on the
part OF chain banks. the railroads
who are in court trying to get their
taxes reduced, the utility corporations
who also have taken their taxes into
court crooked politicians and rene
gade political outlaws of various fac
tons.
"As you likely know. North Dakota
leads every other state in state-own-
ed industries. These industries have
been q success under my administra-
ton. II continue to be governor,
which depends upon my endorsement
ON Tuesday. 1t Is my belief that these
industries will continue to be success
full. There is no charge that during
nv tenure In office there has been
any graft in connection with a single
one Of these industries. There has
been no charge, In the administration
Of millions Of dollars OF money N
state affairs that one dollar has been
misappropriated.
Dailies Solidly Opposed
DAILY newspapers Of the state are
solidly opposed to the operation Of
these state-owned industries. Six
teen wears ago we had two daily news
papers and So newspapers IN favor o.
this practice. The opposition. the
leading paper Of which IS edited .,
Herbert e. CASTOR, now secretary te
Henry Morgenthau. Jr, . member o.
President Roosevelt's cabinet.
"By threats, by intimidation. ane
other such means these papers vert
put out OF business and all OF those
that remained, with the exception o.
two small weeklies. were opposed K
these industries. and the small week
" newspapers were left to fight theil
fight alone. Farmers had spent ovel
q million dollars to support these pa
pers and with no more money avail
able, they were simply unable to con
tinue the struggle.
THE Republican party Of thi
state had the chairman. elected b.
the rank and file Of the Republican
party, Oscar =. Erickson, : farmer
who is on the board Of directors o
these small weekly newspapers. Sc
lected to undertake the Job Of organ
ising ! newspaper Of statewide circu
lation. He bought . newspaper calle'
1.-THE Progressive" and not . singh
person on the payroll Of this stat
! that I know Of has been coercet
! bludseoned, Or forced in any manne
. 10 support that paper. No one tina
!. have ever heard Of has beSn threat
. ened with the loss Of his or her posi-
ton II they did not support that "a