Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-03-06

have been subjected to repeated at
tempts at extortion and biackmail as
defined by statute, ever since January,
1907, when I took my oath of office.
= At very late date was this resolution
calling for all investigation 81 various
state Offices made, and purposely, for
so I am we'll aware. No@attempt has
been made to examine any other office
by the committee, and there is not the
faintest shadow of doubt in my mind
that anything else was ever intended,
nor was bona fde investigation of my
office ever intended, except so much
as would serve the purpose of SANDER
ing state official on the records of
the last days sessions Of the House
Journal. 1t is possible that we have
some departments that may need ex-
aminations, and whether, so or not,
am heartily in favor of examinations by
investigation committees in addition to
those of the state examiner, whose
printed reports Of the various depart
ments are easily at hand and are on
your desks before you. 1 believe there
a;e many honorable men in the asse,:-
bly, who will not countenance the use
of your representative body for the
purposes of gratifying n personal
grudges and for slandering Al state Of
fetal in the last few days of the session,
when it is too late to make suitable
answer, and when it is a patent fact
that not even a semi bona fde investi-
CATION could possibly have been made
or for that matter ever contemplated.
But these investigations could have
been very easily accomplished if good
faith had been used and a: committee
had been appointed earlier in. the SEES
sion. -
Any member who will give this de-
partnent a visit before or53after the
session closes or who desires. any in
formation will confer favor on the
state department by notifying me.
Your attention is called to the last
biennial report of this department,
which is before you on your desks. Two
of the house investigating committee
were in this department about three
quarters OF an hour and hastily and
partially checked over some Codes and
Session Laws. They then went to the
state auditors office and there looked
over some bills incurred through the
two boards (trustees Of public prop
erty and commissioners of public
printing! and made out the report
which is, first, considerably irrelevant
as to the secretary of state; second,
untrue, and third, most unjust and if
not protected by Legislative privilege,
grossly and criminally libelous.
Your attention is directed TO the fol-
lowing comments of the state. examiner
On his last examination of the secretary
of states office: Ss,.
ITO Hon. John Burke, Governor of
North Dakota: % .5s@
"Sir II herewith submit to- you the
following report concerning the records
and financial accounts of the secretary
of state as shown by my examination
on July 20, 1908: sS@-
System of keeping records and ac-
counts, (Good). + I!
Clerical work on books, (Good).'
If this reply of mine in the eleventh
hour is considered late, what is to be
considered of the slanderous report
spread on the records of the House
Journal of March End, with no oppor-
tunity given me to officially refute the
same save as herewith expressed? &%
Respectfully submitted,
Ar EDEn.pT AISnETY4%