Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1894-05-24
E7ATE EXPENSES COMPARED.
North Dakota's Extravaganza,
South Dakota's Economy
in state Expenses.
Sadly Needed Reform in
Our Legislative APP
preparations.

The matter OF state finances is again
demanding attention, as it is stated that
before January let, noxt, the treasurer
r;ll be six months behind in the pay
ment OF bills for several OF the institu.
tions. The state has been running about
three months behind, but the trouble is
osttinp more serious each month as the
de6ciency in the revenues become
greater.
Auditor Porter will shortly make
,tatement of the condition Of the treas.
nrv to the various state boards and sug-
rest to the governor the desirabillty of
Ealing together, at an early date, repre-
entatives OF all the state institutions,
with the object Of agreeing, if possible,
apon general reduction in expenses. 1t
believed that IN the matter Of the uni
sersity and normal schools, soldiers
home, aud possibly the penitentiarv,
ssylum and other institutions, n.ces.
pary economy can be practiced without
detracting from the value Of their work.
snd thereby saving a large sum in the
apgreeate, and at time when it is most
necessary to do SO. Such suggestion
WAS proposed last year, but nothing came
from it, and the various boards have
gone ahead and spent the money appro-
priated, not waiting to determine where
it was coming from. The condition of
The treasury again demands that some
concerted plan of economy be adopted
by the various boards, and it remains to
be seen if such desirable retrenchment
can he had
Auditor Porter has been looking up
the cost of running the state of South
Dakota, which has more institutions
than North Dakota, aud population of
100000 people, double that OF this state.
The comparison is not creditable to the
legislatures that have fixed our annual
expenses and scattered 80 many costly
Institutions around the state to be an
aually provided for; and especially not
CONT plimentary to the last session OF the
legislature that met in this state.
The auditor has received from the
auditor Of South Dakota the figures
above referred to and they are correct.
Auditor Porter, speaking of them says:
South Dakota paid for the last ses-
sion ot the legislature $4,000 for clerk
hire; North Dakota paid $4,000 and
$4,000 for members, or within $4,000 Of
as much sfor clerks as for members.
South Dakota's legislative members, with
twice the population, cost that state
only $42,267, wide difference between
the amount that state paid for clerk hire
and what North Dakota expended.
For legislative printing North Dakota
paid $4,000, South Dakota $4,000.
North Dakota paid $4,000 for militia,
South Dakota $4,000 for the two years.
"The university Of Grand Forks cost
the state of North Dakota $73,92O; the
university Of South Dakota cost S54, 500
Tor two years service; a difference OF
nearly $4,000 in favor of South Dakota.
In various other ways South Dakota
shows an economical advantage over
North Dakota in running the state. For
instance, the penltentiary in South Da-
kota, for two years, cost 364,932 With q
much smaller number of inmates the
maintenance alone OF the North Dakota
penltentiary cost S65, $50 and 5000 were
appropriated for buildings.
"The two Normal schools at Mayvllle
aud Valley City cost the people OF this
state more money than the two large
scaools at Madison and Spear Fish,
10 south Dakota, although in this in-
stance portion OF the appropriation
was for new buildings in this state.
The state officers salaries in South
Dakota, under the constitution, are for
svo years S25,OOO. North Dakota state
o@cers' salaries are s57, 900; more than
.soe as much. The supreme court OF
oonth Dakota gets $4,000; North Da-
Iosa $4,000. District courts in South
Dakota 1000; in North Dakota $36, ,OOO
%nntenance OF South Dakota capitol
oulldlng $5,795; North Dakota capitol
building $4,000.
The total appropriation for the South
uakota agricultural college for two
years is $4,000; for the North Dakota
college $55, 900, this being for building.
Two years mainteiance Of the
oepltal for the insane Of North Da-
sofa cost 3139.O7O. The hospital for
soath Dakota, with much larger num-
sof patients, cost only 3l53,5OO, or q
ulaerence Of but e14, ,A3O 10 favor OF this
'A'e, With halt the population. There
.'le no funds appropriated FOR build
'ORs in either state.
~ is proposed in North Dakota 10 es.
'.ohsh Q reform school. South Dakota's
worm school. which 10 already estab.