The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-05

~ KNOWN as Inc Leader. mySclI,
as governor of this state. contributed
five per cent of my salary. Some Of
my assistants in my office contribute
ed and some did not. Hundreds of
employees in the administration have
not contributed one penny to the
support of the Leader. and have re-
tanned their positions with no de-
creases in salaries and with the same
privileges given them as those that
did contribute. The newspaper has
grown from the circulation of 500 that
it had last July to one of $4,000 per
week. I, as governor, have no con-
nection with this newspaper, but I
am supporting 1t in every honest way
that / can support it and shall con-
tinue to do so as long as am COVER
nor. Investigation diScloses that
some engineers and eight office en-
ployes out of the score OF such en-
ployees voluntarily. and freely. took
subscriptions to that paper. The ones
that did not do SO still have their
Jobs. OF the people that did subscribe,
there was not a single so-called mis-
cry worker No one would have been
quicker to reject subscriptions or such
nature than the publisher, Mr.. Erick-
son.
Attack by Opposition
"This purely is an attack OF the
opposition. It Is timed to sway the
delegates to the convention Tuesday.
1t is purely political propaganda.
We like your suggestion that this
matter be submitted to a grand jury.
We welcome the suggestion. We want
it submitted and we are entirely salts
fled that when it is submitted. the
testimony will show that out OF the
millions spent in North Dakota that
less than 5000 in over year has been
taken in subscriptions by the relief
workers and the administration office.
A few engineers may have contribute
ed approximately that sum. Men and
women in North Dakota are still free
American citizens. They still have
the right to support q progressive
weekly newspaper if they care to do
50. The Republican party still has q
right to support progressive papers
and the Republican party, while am
governor. is going to stand up on Its
hind feet and demand justice in the
courts and newspapers Of this land
II there has been graft, II there has
been dishonesty, If there has been en-
bezzlement or crime Of any sort in the
administration of the affairs Of this
state. or if any money sent to this
state by the federal government ha.
been Incorporated. We want II
brought before grand jury. AS gov.
ernor. have repeatedly challenged
enemies of my administration In thu
state to point out any violation Of thu
law in the administration Of state at
fairs in North Dakota. These po'
|liticians have sneaked to Washington
there filed some affidavits, and In
weighed outstanding men into ISSUING
the statements made without any in
vestigation by themselves personally
Knowing the character of the oppoSi
ton here, we expect the arrest no
only Of myself but Of many Of m
subordinates, and while our character
may be blackened in the name Of cor
lrupt politics, the outcome, in my judg
ment, will definitely show that no Ia,
has been violated and that the entir
, affair is simply and purely q desperat
attempt to sway the l4l delegates to
political convention in the hope tha
candidates may be nominated who,
, elected, will not be fearless and wi
not be friendly to the state-owned In
dustries 50 hated by the opposition"