The Evening Times

SPEECH OF SKULASON.

An Able Effort by the Brilliant Attorney at Opera House.

One of the most pleasing and sensible speeches of the municipal campaign which just closed, was that made by Attorney B. G. Skulason at the Metropolitan Saturday evening to an audience of something like a thousand people. The speaker in referring to the issues of the campaign said in part:

"The issue before the people of Grand Forks at the present time is purely a question of the management of the city's affairs. All extraneous matters, such as state politics and cries of 'gang' have absolutely no bearing on the subject.

"As I see them, the questions which the people of this city have to consider and the issues presented are:

"1. Economy and general competency.

"2. Solution of the gas problem.

"3. Personal villification."

Referring to the first issue, Mr. Skulason said that if one man could conduct the affairs of this city more economically than another, then he was the man we wanted. "That John Dinnie is that man," said the speaker, "has been demonstrated in the past."

Referring to the gas issue, the speaker stated that there had not been one scintilla of evidence presented during the campaign to show that John Dinnie had any connection with the Grand Forks Gas & Electric company, but that on the other hand, he had endeavored to compel an adjustment of rates in the people's favor.

On the personal villification question, Mr. Skulason suggested that Mr. Dinnie, in his desire to be made executive of this city, could not certainly have been actuated by salary inducement, inasmuch as the mayor of this city is paid only $100. Neither could he be after the honor, as he had already had enough of that in the past.

"Investigation," said the speaker, "has not disclosed a single flaw in the character of John Dinnie. No man can live a quarter of a century in a city like this and not be found out, if he is wrong.

"Such extraneous matters as state politics have no place in this fight. The 'gang' issue was injected into this campaign by the Duis adherents simply as a last resort, every other question having been met and answered fairly.

With reference to a recent suggestion in The Herald that he (Mr. Skulason) was looking for political honors, the speaker made denial, saying:

"I have never aspired for public office and I do not today."

Geo. A. Bangs made a brief but explicit talk, touching upon the filtration question and taking up, also, the matter of wasted franchises under the Duis administration.

Colonel Brown, the first mayor Grand Forks ever owned, also made a brief talk. Colonel Brown emphatically endorsed the previous administrations of John Dinnie, stating that Grand Forks had experienced her greatest growth during the eight years in which her executive powers rested with that man.

As a wind-up to the meeting, Chairman C. H. Howard made a brief talk in which he called attention to the fact that during the Duis administration his taxes on the grocery store were $16 greater and that with $700 less stock.

John Dinnie made an address after repeated calls from those present, although, as he himself expressed it and as was very evident, he was so hoarse he could scarcely be heard.

All the speakers were roundly applauded as was also the Grand Forks City band, which furnished some very excellent music.