The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-12-20
WHO PAYS THE EXPENSES

Something OF a controversy has
come up about the state paying the
board bill Of Governor Crawford while
at Pierre, inasmuch as the governor
maintains his home ..and family at
Huron. The superstition is that the
governor takes up his official resi-
dence at Pierre while i'm office and
that the state is not obligated to pay
his hotel expenses when ,,he sees tit
to live elsewhere than at the state
capital. When Governor ..Herried
presided cvcr the affairs Of the state,
he moved his family to Pierre and
maintained his own household with
out any assistance from the state.
Governor Elrod did the same thing,
and evidently did not think of maxi
ing the state pay for mis- living
expenses. Perhaps this is one of the
new reforms that the governor has
inaugurated, but 1T is doubtful if it
meets even the approval Of the insur-
gents. Commenting. on the situation
the Huronite has the following:
The insurgents would have it
appear that tue question of economy
Is involved in the Crawford hotel
bill item: but they know that is not
the question at all. The point in
volved is the right OF any governor to
charge his board to the state while
attending to his official duties at the
capital. 1t Is not a question OF
0onnnVnD of oil nv1f Nm ~P Iu,r, 49,,
honor. The auditor of state, a
member of The governors official
family, thought there was a question
about his right to allow the COVER
nor's bills for board while at the
capital and has referred the matter to
the attorney general. The auditor
was acting clearly within his rights
in referring this matter to the attor.
ney general, Just the same as he
would any other bill presented to him
on which be had a doubt as to its
legality. Other auditors nave done
the same thing when in doubt ano
the opinion of the attorney genera.
has usually settled the matter,
although we believe that in one OF
two cases the state auditor has gone
to the supreme court for an opinion.
Mr.. Crawford is doubtless Just al
anxious to have the question settled
as the auditor and the people. II
the state Is to board the governor.
candidates for this office will be glac
to know 1t as 1t is quite "a help. O1
course 1t may be that we have arrives
at that point where our executives
like the king, can do no wrong anc
II we have 1t Is just as we'll to know
this also. 1t may be, however. that
the constitution does not comtem.
plate paying the executive a salary
and boarding him too. We can't fine
anything In the constitution about
board bills for state officers, but II
may be the unwritten law Of The
state. and II 1t Is why all this trouble
amounts to nothing and a great dea
of trouble will be saved by finding
out a few things. OF course If reform
means such things why all right, but
let US know. Surely our insurgen1
friends are putting the governor il
an embarrassing situation by insist
ing that whatever he does is right
Before the campaign is over all tin,
reform candidates may follow tn,
examples OF the governor and chars,
not only their Pierre hotel bills t,
the state but fall into the habit o
charging their bills for board Will,
out making campaign speeches unde
the theory that they are working 70
the state or in the states behalf.