The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, February 7, 1931, Page 2

| Sterling | MOST WEALTHY MAN IN STATE TAKES JOB PAYING ONLY: $4,000 Romantic Figure Rode Into Of- fice After Beating ‘Ma’ and ‘Pa’ Ferguson MADE MILLIONS IN OIL GAME Became Sailor at 14; With Only $65 in Pocket, He Married When Only 23 Austin, Texas, Feb, 7—(NEA)—The state of Texas, having had some odd and bizarre governors at various times during the past decade, faces the next two years with a governor who is both a matter-of-fact business man and a picturesque and romantic figure in his own right—Ross 5. Sterling, who beat “Ma” and “Pa” Ferguson last summer and won the office in a campaign that upset all pre-election predictions. The state's new governor, who toox office Jan. 20, has a number of claims to distinction. To begin with, he is said to be the richest man in Texas, being 40 times a millionaire and now he is taking a job that pays only $4,000 a year. In the second place, he made it all himself, starting as a poor boy without backing or in- fluence. And in the third place even his friends admit that he is neither @ good orator nor a goéd politician— and Texas is supposed to be a place where a man has to be both in order to get elected governor. Beat ‘Ma’ Ferguson Last summer Sterling based his campaign on a pledge for a business- like administration. Opposing him was the redoubtable “Ma” Ferguson. and her even more redoubtable hus- band, ex-Governor Jim Ferguson who is said to have 200,000 votes “in his pocket” any time he cares to run for anything in Texas. The politicians doubted that Ster- ling could win. He was a command- ing figure, and he had the suppor: of Governor Dan Moody, which meant a good. deal; but he couldn’t make inspiring speeches, and the Fergusons were off on one of their old-time spell-binding tours cam- paigning in typical Ferguson style. But Sterling showed that he was a fighter. His six-foot frame and 225 pounds indicated as much. He proceeded to cite the records of the Fergusons in the governor's office to prove his contention that the state had had enough, of Fergusonism. “Pa” retorted that Sterling had 22 bathrooms. esserted that Sterling was “the can- Gidate of gold and gall.” And Ster- line won a sweeping victory. Now the state is wondering what kind of administration it is going t> get. Sterling does not talk a great deal. He told an interviewer re- cently: ‘Just a Business Man’ his house, and “I'm just @ plain business man. 1 surplus of $100,000 as condition to ad- | ‘TH’ BISMARCK TRIBUNE, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1 ,N SYNOPSIS—Jack Stone, an air mail movies, is in love with Pearl Dare. Her match, and sends [rt eget ra tgs ost erm and after many adventures meets Bert Hill, pilot, who forces with him. ther they make many plans to 1 but each time they are defeated by an unknown 1 Menace. They suspect at first that thig may be Pearl's father wants her to marry, or Mrs. Richards, Homer Dare joins the cruise in Japan, and the Alaska. There Jack and Pearl are captured by a bar! tribe. chief of the tribe, Mad Dog, and his daughter, Fawn, are fooled thinking Bert Hill’s radio loud er is the voice of the ‘They release the lovers, who decide they had better get ‘once, since a mission priest is also in the village. (Copyright, 1929, by New York Graphic.) “YWZJES! cyes snapping with the spirit of the moment. i She spun around to Fawn. “You will be my bride maid!” 2 I clapped my hand on Bert Hill’s shoulder. always were my best pal, Bert!” enthusiastically. e I | Flying Three instead of the Flying Pair.” We were so excited that we for- Re the presence of the Little ‘ther from Voice of the Angels— without whom we could not very well have considered the project— for, of course, we were depending on him to officiate. “I am ,” said the Little Father, and his regret was miani- fest in voice and manner, “I cannot marry you without a ctril license. Such an act would be illegal.” It was a bombshell. the life went out of us in a But Bert revived = ray of hope. “Can't we get 2 license at Nome?” “Yes, but only by fulfil all requirements of non-residents.” His eyes twinkled gravely. “Isn't Nome etting rather close to home with the Suen of the Skies moored there?” Pearl's face fell again, and I was again cast in the dumps. ‘One whis) of our plan and father would hear all about it, Jack,” she said anxiously. Walrus Appears Again on Beene Fawn offered a clever su; “Let the Jewel go as an I dressed in my clothes. I will go as her sister.” a “T'll try anything, dear,” T said to Goes & Pearl, desperately. “We may not have a hance like this again.” e: “I will wait for your return at the Mission,” the Little Father assured us, falling in. with this scheme wholeheartedly. And so it was agreed. Pearl, Fawn, Bert and I were to fly to ‘Nome and try to obtain a marriage license; thence to the Voice of the Angels, the wedding knot and off on the trail of the Queen of the Skies on her trip across the North Pole. While Pearl went with Fawn to dress in disguise as an Indian girl, and I our » It — a po! for the polar jaunt?” ment for thing “We are going tensed special three or nerve, Aan aiad) old top.” the Zeppelin fever awfully a any other of back home.” or words to that effect?” estion. lian girl, - sporting and his way—forever. the whole secret of this Ze au across the top of the world his gas bag Pole, and Pear! flashes he ring and the little It was Bert's turn to ing about wedding rings, enough money in tes. ueenee And “You scratched my head in perplexity. at flight,” I agreed. with four motors.’ “We're biting off a big job, Say with a wife cage | us,” id Bert in his candid way, adding, quickly, “Not that we haven't the I laughed. “That was rather “If you want to take it that way. To my mind of thinking, he never ‘inks turn when Horn-Paced were ne Sete ae ee and for that matter, about the ri med I will marry you here and now, Jack!” cried Pearl, gently releasing herself, her beautiful blue 1 should have been. elated at the outlook of our early mar- ge. And I was di ith the joy of anticipation! the same time I wond first flush eS Al lered, now that un “Ym ready to be your best man, old timer!” said Bert, “And, hereafter, we'll be known as The hag been done was a smart, streamlined four- seater, brand new, from a Middle West factory. “I promised to turn this bus to its owner at N Jack,” explained Bert. te- th jome, “He's a big reindeer man, who has taken up flying. What are we going to do for I was almost read; Pearl that. she mnake the ¢ = Zep polagge pred seas plane. jurally, her to be the tirat. fem: fe on such @ voyage, Scross and back safely. P. me Dare's bitten with hard since he joined us at Tokio. He's better sport that way than almost the big business men the §u_mean? Sending » Horn-Faced Hass Momagel”, aI ” I called. “Take look at that old what-you-! it! He’s got somethi his mind. He sure did Fh za bs fa T laughed again. “He'll be shocked with lockjaw when we fly all around ht there at the old hes Ee ee tn wane wh a , the his iar, shambling It, 5 ex- into . We followed: Ho stopped behing’ s: huge | LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR Bills Introduced in Senate |administrators to sue in North Da- S. B, 154—Fine of Benson: Requires! kota. H. B. 177—Mau of Ransom and plan to give Texas a business admin-| mission of foreign mutual companies | Schall of McLean: Prohibits any gas- istration. I'm going to put into it everything I've got—everything I ever} put into a business of my own.” That sounds trite, but if Sterling lives up to it it is a good augury; for he has been as successful 2 business man as any state can produce. 1) He was born 55 years ago on a farm near Anahuac, Texas. His ancestors to do business in state. cline, other than anti-knock gasoline, 8. B. 155—Appropriations commit-| from containing any foreign coloring ‘tee: Appropriates $2,321 to pay de-; matter. ficit in premuims for insurance on} #1. B. 178—Johnson of Trail, Fitch state capitol due to state fire and of Cass and Indergaard of Foster: tornado fund. | Designates Carl Ben Eielson as 8. B. 156—Sperry of Burleigh: Re-| worthy of national commemoration |quires firms writing burial insurance|by having statue placed in statuary ‘to comply with laws governing legal) hall at Washington. ‘ * had settled in Texas when it was ajreserve life insurance companies, re-! part of Mexico and had taken part in} quiring payment of policies or cer- the rebellion that took Texas away tificates in money. from Mexico, and his father had| §. B. 157—Bonzer of Richland: | served with distinction as a captain! Provides for appointment of chief in the Confederate army in the Civil] highway commissioner and reorgan-| ‘War. But the family was poor; and jization of present commission. H. B. 179—Cox of Burleigh: Pro- vides for a lien for garage keepers for storage of motor vehicles. H. B. 180—Cox of Burleigh: Vali- dates foreign receiver's deeds. H. B. 181—Holthusen of Richland: | Repeals act requiring assessors to se- a few years of studying in a little one-room rural school was all the schooling he ever got. As his first job he became a sailor ‘at 14, after working for several years in his father’s cotton field. He and his brother bought a small schooner and used it to transport farm pro- duce across the bay to the markets in Galveston. The venture prospered, ‘but an injury suffered afloat made young Sterling return to the land. He once said, “If it hadn’t been for that mishap I might still be freight- ing on the bay—I loved it.” $65 When He Wed Coming ashore, he established 2 little store on Double Bayou, near Anahuac. At times he went out on the road with a brother, buying and selling produce. At 23 he was mar- ried to Miss Maude Abbie Gage. The bride and groom had just $65 be- tween them, and they spent it all on to be taken each odd-numbered year. 8S. B, 158—Murphy of Walsh: |cure agriculture, horticulture and Provides for duplication of notice of | livestock statistics. ‘expiration of period of redemption} H. B. 182—State affairs commit- relating to certificate holders and tee: Creates fund designated as mortgagees. '“capitol fire replacement fund,” and 8S. B. 159—Patterson of Renville: authorizes emergency commission to Provides revenue by taxation of con-| transfer from that fund. tracts for sale of personal property, H. B. 183—Appropriations commit- on installment plan. tee: Apprcpriates $5,000 for printing 8. B. 160—Ployhar of. Barnes and funds for department of public in- Cain of Stark: Provides for capital’ struction. punishment if recommended by jury,| H. B, 184—Traynor of Ramsey: mode of death to be by electrocution “Creates state governmental survey by warden of prison. | commission. 8. B. 161—Cain of Stark: Legalizes; H. B. 185—Johnson of Traill and and validates judgments and sales in| Northridge of Barnes: Repeals pro- foreclosure- of mortgages-on real vision for insurance of grains stored estate by action prior to take effect; under farm storage act and makes of bill where assignment of mortgage | minor amendments. were not recorded before instituting; H. B. 186—Timm of McIntosh: Ap- of action to foreclose such mortgage | propriates $29,815.95 from state hail by assignee. insurance fund to reimburse school 8S. B. 162—Crocker of Ransom: | and institutional funds for hail in- Provides for filing by ministers of | demnity taxes paid on lands acquired their credentials before performing by state through foreclosure proceed- marriage ceremony. | 8. B. 163—Renauld of Rollette: Re-| Bills Passed By House quires gas companies operating pipe) H. B. 70—State affairs committee: lines between stated terminals to! Provides for capitol commission to establish and maintain reserve gas| build state capitol building. Emer- tanks connected with their pipe lines.| gency clause lost. For 61; ‘against 8. B. 164—Renauld of Rolette: Re-| 52. quires power companies to rebate tol HB 37—Appropriations commit- ‘consumers for failure to furnish con-| tee: -. Appropriates $30,000 for voca- tinuous service. as education and rehabilitation. . B, 36—Cox of Burleigh: Extends Bilte Ruled by Senate Commi titing| time within which additional taxes po isbarnas fey Ser eee, re = H. B. 81—Halvbrson of Ward: Pro- vides for disposition of interest on all Bills by 8. B. 54—Whitman of Grand Forks: "| Defines intoxicating liquors to provide | monies in custody of commission of for pasteurization of malt sold in| university and school lands. hermetically sealed and labeled} H. B. 140-—-State affairs commit- bottles. tee: Requires all investment com- 8. B, 129—Requires school census| panies to forward to securities com- mission necessary. documents to is- sue 8 “lieu ¢ .” . for commission! measure result.of capitol fire. to ascertain conditfon’ of teachers in-! H. B, 6¢—Fitch of Cass: House competent war tetergns and HL. B. 173—Wilson of Slope: Author- | children of disabled izes municipalities to issue bonds for’; veterans and_commil Jutstanding in- ' ans. curred prior to January 1, 1931, certain in| Bills Killed By House cases. H. B. 174—Erickson of Kidder: De- tial moratorium for three indebtedness. strike, and quit his job never because over his tri 3 Provides it of guardian of in- deceased war it of veter- |* H. B, 139—Required mother to be vesident of county three years, instead project—the project that resulted in the digging of a ‘ship ‘canal whicn made Houston, 50 miles from the gulf, @ full-fledged seaport with im- mense docks and a huge export trade. Sterling was chairman of the port commission all through the develop- ment of that project, and much of Houston's recent growth in size and prosperity is ascribed to the ship canal. Busy in Many Lines He also found time and energy for other ventures. He bought the Hous- ton Post Dispatch, and put up a 22- story building to house it. He is also putting up a 21-story office building. A few years’ ago he supervised the building of a $1,500,000 charity hos- pital. He also owns a@ large cattle ranch in west Texas. In 1927 Governor Moody made him one of Texas’ three highway commis- stoners. Texas’ 20,000-mile road sys- tem had fallen into such a bad state that the federal government was withholding $6,500,000 federal aid. The highway commission had $600,- 000 in funds and $6,000,000 in debts. Sterling organized it, got the high- ways into shape and left the com- mission going, business-like con- cern. On this job, incidentaily, he drew an annual salary of $2,500 which he gave to state charitable in- stitutions. : The new governor's home is in . Heehas four children, all over 21; one son and three daughters. Stocks of grain in terminal eleva- tors at Duluth, Minn., on January 1 were 32,285,000 bushels. ‘-preof wallet. they touched a Golden th poe jornton had it!” id in a 5 ‘The next object was the leg-band of the carrier pigeon. “Thi posit , identifies him with th Rent Menacel® I shouted. “And with Homer T. Dare,” put. be he was The first ob} could not find him. “Surely, Homer Dale could not be the Silent Menace. “Gone' fly?” cried Bert, itically know that’s all mere ill than cee in of ‘Texas, Matter-of-Fact and P z 5. I : i Bea 3o EB F il Then Fawn delivergd -8 8g they He rte z ea ventare—“On 8 BA ee a FE i i ee it, : ge 5 im 5 plain cuckoo? Do you who you are talking to, or winkled. “Say! You p into rion ship a wurselves have to'bave you y Inter Bert and I were for the North Pole! ‘TOMO! ws Tastalionent ty this Cupid's Wi Kneeland Launches Attack on Tribune; Answer Is Presented (Continued trom page one) delegation are for Jamestown. They would be insane if they were not.” |. Fred G. Kneeland of Stutsman county was the man who rose to a ;Point of personal privilege and ut- tered vehement denial of reports that he and A.J. Rulon, his fellow I. V. A. from Jamestown, had entered into a “trade” on the capitol building bill. Rulon also rose to the defense of his legislative purity, as did W. J. Flannigan, a Nonpartisan from Jamestown. Before the roundelay of expurgation jhad finished, the Stutsman delegates had been absolved of any charges of trading by Gordon Cox, Bismarck, and HL. F. Swett, Kidder county, Nonparti- san leader, while L. L. Twichell, Fargo, had contributed the information thet offending ney en could be hailed before the bar of the house for Kneeland’s protest was directed at of a story carried by the Bis- situation and The alone was mentioned. He labelled the statement as “scandalous and lous.’ ‘The Tribune was charged with hav- ing made reference to the numerous rumors and the inference was strongly taken the speculation which was rife following the action of part |marck Tribune regarding the capital tr removal ‘Tribune the house committee of the whole on the capitol bill Wednesday afternoon The two statements which precede this article show to what extent Knee- land was justified in assuming that The Tribune alone had infringed upon his legislative probity—if infringement there was. One is an exact reprint of the Tribune's statement. The other is a reprint of an article prepared for the Associated Press bureau at Bismarck Drove clearly that talk of on whatever basis, was current enough to justify recognition by any newspaper. stories In this connection, it may be noted that the Fargo Forum, in an article by its editor.as early as Janu- ivy is ny * ie seen cee ace Reiterates Trade | Again, on February 5th, The Forum's top headline said “Capit Trade at ” and s minor “Jamestown claims 5, ae a certain members of this House, par- .| ticularly my colleague from Stuts- man county, Mr. Rulon, and myself. The statment as made in this article referring to the discussion and the Committee of the Whole when the sideration, that rumors had been. heard to the effect that the Indepen- dent members of this House from Stutsman county have been engaged in trading with the Non-Partisan -|members of this House to obtain their jsupport on the motion to elimi- jnate the emergency clause from the bill in consideration of our vote on. sans may be interested in later on. And the article further adds an al- leged reason giving added weight to the reports. In order that I may make clear the scurrilous and libellous character of such allegation, I wish to read a por- tion of Section 40 of the Constitution jof the State of North Dakota: “If any member of the legislative assembly shall give his vote or his influence for or against any meas- ure, or proposition, pending or pro- to be introduced into such leg- islative assembly, so to do upon con- dition that any other member will give, promise of assent to give, prom- ise or assent or offer, promise or as- sent to give his vote or influ- or proposed to be introduced into such legislative assembly, or in considera- tion that any other member. hath given his vote or influence, for or against any other measure or propo- sition in such legislative assembly, he shall be deemed guilty of bribery. And ‘ny person, member of the legislative assembly or person elected thereto, who shall be guilty of either such of- fenses, shall be expelled, and shall not thereafter be eligible to the legis- tol ‘lative assembly, and, on the convic- tion thereof in the civil courts, shall: be Hable to such further penalty as On| may be. prescribed by law.” election as the consideration for Non- Laws and Morals statements as a matter of fact, and the only defense that 4 newspaper can furnish to any such publication is the truth of the allegation or the truth such matter set forth. I realize that as far as Mr. and myself are concerned, this ment is definite enough or, at 1 ig Fill in each set of five dots shown ‘above with the name of a different fruit that contains the same five letters. If the ee icturesque’ . ecessary that some member should Protest against such statements 85 T have referred to in the public press, I want to say, Mr. Speaker, jdo not believe any member of House will dispute or question me word, when I say that no member of the Non-Partisan , shape or man- ‘House has in any Wy; Pe atimated and I say, tioned to any member of that ‘not meni ve mie give them on any measure in which they are interested. Dictates of Conscience I believe further that no mem- ber of this House or any fac-" tion for a moment questions that both Mr. Rulon and myself have voted on this bill according to the dictates of our consciences and with- lout any trade, promise or considera~ tion from any member of this House or anybody else. But I think it is in very poor taste that a newspaper ” should make such public expression when such a bill is pending before the House, of intimidating some members as to their votes. I also believe that it is time that protest be made wgainst” such publication, and I do protest against such libellous and scurrilous remarks in the public press in re- gard to the integrity and honor of this House or members of the House, Twichell’s Statement Twichell’s remarks were not taken by the stenographer, but he recon- structed them for The Tribune Sat- urday as follows: “I had taken no notice of this matter. This tsthe-fizst I have heard of it. However, I am Wondering if the members of this house-have full knowledge of their rights whén state- hoo such as these are printeé. about em. “If they wish to do so, they can hall, any man who publishes false or cal- umnious statements reflecting upon this house or any member thereof, before the bar of this body for hear- ing upon charges presented, and convicted he can be censured or put in jail. However, I would not advise it in this case. “I have got so used to being at- tacked by newspapers that I pay no attention to what is sald about me, but when an attack is made on oth- er members of this house it becomes a different matter. I want the mem- bers of this house to know that they can protect themselves from such at- tacks.” Rulon Protests Mr. Rulon: I believe all the mem- bers of this body, when they were in took a votes had in this House and in the| Personally Capitol Building Bill was under con-| 8° |some measure which the Non-Parti-|®2Y ence in favor of or against any other|been ';|such measure or proposition pending ty faction or the Non-Partisan There has been no trade e: my knowledge, with any of the man county delegation fight. And I think that I Par any, Vote that may be y the minority faction conscientious vote. leigh County and Bismarck, much interested in this {battle in this House, say that I have absolut in the integrity and Rulon and Mr. Be [ HY i) é 4 ; | Fk 5 BEE 138 ii i ou faction of this 4 with the possible intention ~ ea j i | i |