The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-21
C. ON TIN U E D
from page ono'
Demands Probe of
Felony Conviction
In Federal Court

Felony Conviction
In Federal Court
diction. My duties Is governor are
taken away from me by reason Of the
action Of the federal court In find
Ing me guilty Of q crime. The only
reason why I cannot function as your
governor Is because q federal court
found me guilty Of conspiracy which
involved receiving contributions to
maintain our Nonpartisan League Or
ganization In this state. They have
convicted me Of q crime Of conspiracy
because there happened to be In
volved less than $500 Of money which
they said was solicited from men who
received federal money and because
they claim that this constituted q
conspiracy to obstruct or to defraud
the federal government. The only
reason I am today not able under the
decision of the supreme court to per-
form the duties Of my office Is be-
cause I have tried to maintain and to
build q peoples organization, support
ed by peoples money, and because I
have refused, In building that organ
ization, to take money from corpora
lions and to bow my head to their
will and to their desires. II I have
been guilty Of any corrupt conduct;
II the verdict Of guilty, returned by
the federal court, by the jury. and
the sentence given by the Judge Is
proper and Just, I want this legisla-
tive assembly to impeach me and to
remove me from office. I want no
uncertainty about this matter. !
want this legislative assembly to in
vestigate and to investigate fully
what sort Of interference the federal
government has been making in the
conduct Of our state affairs. I want
this legislative assembly to investi-
gate how the federal government and
the federal officials have prosecuted
me, with the advice, and aid, Of Ger
aid p. Nye, to the end that they
might destroy not only me but our
Nonpartisan organization In this
state. I want this assembly to In
vestigate how the federal grand jury
was drawn, how the indictment was
returned, how the jury itself was
drawn, how the court acted during
the course Of my trial, and what
pressure was brought to bear 50 that
your governor might be convicted Of
a crime under the federal laws. ]
want this legislative assembly to in
vestigate the whole system Of max
ing political contributions In this
state. want them to investigate
not only political contributions chat
the Nonpartisan League have solicit
ed or that I have solicited, but also
the system Of political contributions
that are now being made, and have
been made. for years and years In
this state by state officials who have
been opposed to my administration
and by federal officers not only In
this state but outside Of this state.
People Come First
II want this legislative assembly
to investigate political contributions
that are begin made and have been
made by corporations-the big cor
porations as well as the small ones
to parties and organizations inside Of
this state for purposes Of defeating
the administration Of the people. II
you will make this sort Of an investi-
cation and will make your findings
after you have made such an investi-
cation upon ell of the facts, and then
YOU find that should be impeached
for the things that I have done in Of
flee and for the soliciting for which
l have been convicted, not by our
own laws but by q federal court, then
I want you to impeach me and to re-
move me. not temporarily but perma-
nently, from office. ! am firm be-
lever in the rights Of the people and
in the rights Of the people to rule.
At my election before I became gov
ernor, I received . large majority,
which expressed the will of the people
In my favor. On June q, 1894, even
though l had been convicted Of this
federal crime, the people neverthe-
less at the polls gave to me won
derful vote OF confidence. II they
were wrong In this expression of con-
fidence, II they were wrong by their
vote-which must have meant that
they did not feel that I was guilty
I want this legislative assembly to
say 80 and to impeach me. This leg
islative assembly can act as court
Of impeachment.
Charges Olson Afraid
"Ole Olson seems afraid to h.:ve this
legislature act and to investigate.
There are laws that should be con-
sidered. Is Ole Olson afraid to let
this legislature consider the mora
forum. to consider aiding and assist
Ing the poor and the distressed by
exercising powers that you have? Let
him speak to you and tell you'll will
cooperate with you.
AS ! have already stated, appear
before you today as your governor,
and while I am recognized as such,
by reason Of q recent decision of our
supreme court I am said to be dis
abled and I want to make 1t clear to
you people that what I am about to
say is said for the sole purpose Of
aiding you as far as possible in ayriv-
ing at correct understanding Of the
conditions which exist In our state
tnflav and that there NAV he m dollht