The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-03-11
State Officers Salary Bill Passed After Be-
in9 Held Up till Last Night of Session.
Session Adjourned Without Passing the
Anti-PaSS Law.

The state treasury and ADVISES an ex
by the attorney general to
ascertain whether these fees should
not be recovered to the state. A de-
tailed statement Of the receipts and
disbursements to this fund is made as
far ss it was possible to get. The
made by the committee
shows that the total payments to W.
L. Stockwell and other members OF
the family have been something like
$12, 1000, all Of which the state super.
claims he was entitled SO
to pay under the law on the statute
books.
The special committee to inyestl.
gate the Office of the secretary Of
state made a report signed by F. E.
Plovhar and G. N. Putnam, two mem
bers of the committee, quoting a bill
Of supplies furnished by G. w. La
Moure. deputy secretary of state, and
claiming that the prices charged were
considerably above market prices for
the goods furnished. 1t vas also stat
ed that state printing was given out
for political purposes and that other
Irregularities existed. This brought
out a communication from Secretary
Of State Blaisdell to the house and
senate stating that the two members
OF the committee who made the re-
port had spent only about an hour in
hts ONCE: that the bills Of supplies
mentioned came under the Jurisdiction
Of the board Of trustees of public
property; that the state printing was
ordered by the commissioners Of pub
lie printing and that Ployhar, who
made the report, was a personal and
political enemy, who, with his partner,
r. e. Packard Of the Valley City
,Times.Record, had attempted to SUBJ
ject him (Blaisdell) to blackmail and
extortion on several occasions in the
mast tive or three years. The COM
nunication was read in the house
which refused to print it until the oh
jectionable statements had been ex
plunged, which was afterward done by
the secretary of state. The senate
ordered the report read and printed
although senator Duis objected to i
as matter not before the upper house
The whole matter indicates the lacl
Of harmony that exists in the Repub
Hcan party aud the frequent crimina
tons and determinations that are in
dulged in.
+ i +
The state officers salary bill finall!
passed, after being held up till tn
last night of the session. The hous'
and senate did not agree upon tn
amounts to be paid and a conference
committee was appointed, which CAV
the governor an increase of $500 an
nually, $3.50 for each of the other stat
officers and $500 for the railroad com
missiCners.' These increases will b
paid in the shape of fiat expense az
counts to the present governor an
state officers to get around the pre-
vision Of the constitution that tn
compensation of no state officers shal
be increased or diminished for tn
term for which he was elected. TIL
salary of tie state examiner has bee
increased to $4,000 a year, of the sec
rotary of the board of railroad CON
missioners to $4,000 and of the cler
Of the supreme court to $4,000. TIL
legislature vas in a generous moo
toward the public oficials, many c
whom have been active in their effort
to obtain an increase of pay. Til
new law requires the officials to liv
At the capital If they are to take az
vantage of the increased salary prt
vision.
+. + +
The new game bill will become
law and take the protection Of gam
into the hands Of a board of contrt
Of I'VE members, who will select tw
state game wardens or executiv
agents. Spring shooting Is abolishe
snd special game wardens are to b
appointed by the chief game warder
and paid from the fees received fro1
hunting licenses in the state.
Sixty house bills remained on til
senate desk on the last night Of til
session and q steering committee va
named to select the bills deemed mo-
important for passage. A large nuI
. bcr Of measures died in the commit
tee, there being not time enough
, conaidaP than hafora the apd OF Il