The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-24
YET NORTH DAKOTA HAS FUNDS
LYING IDLE IN THE TREAS
URY.
QUEER STATE OF AFFAIRS
WHERE THE PEOPLE SUPPOSED
THE INDEBTEDNESS WAS BE-
ING DECREASED.
NO AUTHORITY OF THE Law
For Recent Issues. OF Warrants
School Funds Drawing No
Interest.

Special to the Globe.
JAMESTOWN, N. D., Sept. 23.-The
financial condition of North Dakota is
not improving, rather the reverse. not
| withstanding the administration re-
trenchments by means of the public
schools of the state-the norinafs and
university. The MISUNDERSTANDING
| tration was put lin the hole about
100000 by an extravagart legislature.
This deficit, instead of being diminish
ed. as popularity supposed, has been
increased until there are now about
$145,000 worth of warrants out stand
ing.
The last legislature-Republic by
large majority-without constitution
al right, passed a bill authorizing
Treasurer Nichols to issue $50, 900 Of
warrants to pay the expenses of the
legislature and $19O,000 of funding war
rants to pay unpaid bills The state
was then up to the constitutional debt
limit. From the statements of Treas
urer Nichols for August and January
1t is found that not only this $210, 900
worth of warrants was issued and sold
but another lot of $4,000 within the
past six months, and without authority
OF law. was also issued and sold. This
makes total of $230,000 of funding
warrants issued by the present admin
istration, and the same reports of the
state treasurer show that but $4,000
| Of this amount has been paid. 1t is
strange that the state is not in better
financial condition when it is consider
ed North Dakota cut itself loose from
all expenses connected with it's two
normal schools and it's university, not
to mention bounties formerly paid upon
forest timber, wolves, etc. AS there
was but $1,56893 in the general fund
July 1st, it is not probable the indebet-
edness will be materially reduced be-
fore November 1st, when the last war
rants fall due. The actual efficiency
In the states general fund December
1st, 1894 as shown by the auditor 8
report, was $75,036.11 and January 1st
| 1895 was $121036. This latter difici-
ency was reduced by S1S 900 few days
later Today. the deficiency is $145, ,000
The treasurer's report also shows that
Jan. / there was in the permanent
school fund awaiting investments ST.
9Se. "a, and in July, $104, ,625. 80. The first
sum has been lying idle in the treasury
since the present administration began
operations, and Treasurer Nichols re-
port also shows that the present board
of university and school lands, of which
Miss Emma F. Bates. the state superin-
tendent Of public instruction is a mem
Der, has bought but $1,459 of bonds for
investment of it's permanent school
fund, Notwithstanding the treasury con-
tains over $4,000 awaiting investment.
The last Republican board paid from
the school fund over $1,000 in premiums
to a bond broker. There are plenty
of school boards in North Dakota that
would be pleased to place school dis
trict bonds with the state at per cent
interest. The last board found no diff
Guilty in placing It's money as fast as it
came into the state treasury and as
no bonds have been bought by the
present board since they went into Of
flee it shows willful neglect of the