Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-02-26
PROBE STATE
DEPARTMENTS
LEGISLATURE Authorizes a Num-
Der Of Investigations.
CONTEST OVER PRIMARY Law

Bill Passes Both Houses-Measure
Permanently Locating State Fair al
Fargo kiIIed-House Opposes In
creasing Powers Of Governor.
Bismarck, Feb. 22.-Investigations
of various state departments have
been authorized by the two houses
of the legislature in the course of the
past week, following ordinations and
determinations INDUCED in among the
different state officials. For several
days past newspapers of the state
have had rumors as to the DISPOSE
ton of fees to the extent of a number
of thousand dollars year collected
by State Superintendent w. L. Stock.
we'll for teachers certificates. 1t has
been charged by innuendo in the state
press that Stockwell collected from
$4,000 to $4,000 year for these certifi-
Gates and had failed to make an &C.
counting. Under the present laws of
the state the state superintendent is
authorized to charge from So to IS an
nually for various grades of certifi-
Gates and the money is to be expend-
ed in paying for the reading and
marking of examination papers, in
promoting county teachers reading
circles and for other purposes. The
newspaper reports that have been cir
culated we're to the effect that there
was no record of the payment of these
amounts
Following on the publication of
these charges the state superintend.
ent presented communication to the
senate and house asking for the ap-
potntment of legislative committee
on inquiry to probe the matter. The
senate named Messrs. Simpson, Davis
and Purcell to make the investigation.
The house referred the resolution to
the committee on education and that
committee presented report author
tzing the investigation of the Office of
the secretary of state. against which
newspaper reports have been made in
connection with the purchase of legis-
lative supplies, the commissioner of
insurance, the department of agricul-
ture and labor and various other state
Offices that handle fees. The commit
tee named in the house consists of
Messrs. Purnam, Ployhar and Collins.
Both committees began work the last
of the week and a report will proba-
bly, be presented to the legislature in
the course Of the following week.
!. i. j.
The feeling that exists among the
various state departments is not cor
dial. At the present time various de-
partments are, some of them in the
hands of Democratic officials, some of
them in the hands of "insurgent' Re-
publicans and some of them in the
hands of 'stalwart" Republicans. The
principal difficulty seems to arise
over the distribution of official patron.
age and the disagreement over this
has led to lack of reciprocally cor.
dial feelings. The result of this is in
the newspaper charges pro and con,
which have resulted in a demand for
investigations.
]. !. !.
Both the senate and the house have
taken what will be the last recess un-
til the adjournment of the legislature,
which takes place in two weeks. The
adjournment is over Washington's
birthday and until Tuesday, Feb. %.
The house first refused to consent to
such an adjournment, but finally
passed an Independent resolution to
adjourn for four days and the senate
did likewise. There will lie only ten
working days left after the recess and
as the appropriation bills will take
at least full day to pass in each
house it will be seen that the time for
work is limited.
!. \ !.
General interest is taken in the
probable outcome of the struggle over
the primary election law. The house
elections committee, by a majority
and minority vote, favors an amend
ment of the present law to permit
nomination of state and judicial Off
GERS by conventions instead of by the
present system of statewide pri.
mary. 1t is urged by the friends of
the amendment that the present law
Is too cumbersome, too expensive and
discourages many of the best men in
the state from becoming candidates
for office. The ultra primary men, on
the other hand, oppose any amend
ment of the present law looking to the
re'estabhshment' of. the convention
system, even though it is safeguarded
with a possible referendum to the
people. A poll Of the house indicates
that the vote on the proposed amend
ment will be close, although friends
Of the new system claim it can be car.