The Dickinson press., 1910-10-08
PROMISES OR PtR-
FORMANCfS, WHICH?
eHALL GOV. BURKE BE JUDGED
~ HIS FRAGMENTS ON
THE STUMP OR HIS OF.
FIClAl ACTS?

re.eleCtlOn on MS record. 1OVerNUE
Burke is q Democrat. The state of
North Dakota Is heavily Republican.
To warrant his reelection in a Repub-
lican state would mean that he Is n
superior administrator and his admin,
istration Is necessary in the best in
terests Of North Dakota. The Repub7
lican State Central committee takes
issue with Governor Burke's claim TO
be entitled on his administrative rec1
ord to a second reelection, and willy
In the course Of the campaign discuss
his administrative acts with dignity
fairness, and according to the recordI
There has been some allusion In the
state press to Governor Burke's ao-,
prevail Of an increase of his own SAL,
ary. !
The constitution Of the state OF
North Dakota contains the following
provision:
Sec. 84-Until otherwise provided by1
law, the governor shall receive an an
nual salary Of three thousand dollars;,,
the lieutenant governor shall receive
an annual salary of one thousand dol
lars; the secretary Of state, auditor,
treasurer, superintendent Of public in
struction, commissioners of insurance,
commissioner of railroads and attorney
general shall each receive an annual
salary Of two thousand dollars; the
salary of the commissioner of agricul-
ture and labor shall be as prescribed
by law, BUT THE SALARIES OF,
ANY OF THE SAID OFFICERS,
SHALL NOT BE INCREASED OR
DIMINISHED DURING THE PERIOD
FOR WHICH THEY SHALL HAVE
BEEN ELECTED, and all fees and!
profits arising from any Of the said Of;
fees shall be covered Into the state
treasury. f:
The object Of this constitutional
provision must be plain to every citi-:
zen Of the state Of North Dakota. tt
Is to prevent a governor of the state
from using his influence after his elec-|
ton to increase his own emoluments,l
and conversely 1t Is to prevent thosa
who might be inspired by dislike or
partnership from reducing his emolu-!
ments. The last legislature of the
state Of North Dakota with the ap-,
prevail and assistance Of the governor
as the State Central Committee is in
formed and believes, passed the follow,
ing entitled bill: House Bill No. 1901
SALARY OF STATE OFFICERS. An
act requiring state officials to reside
at the capital and to provide adequate
compensation
This bill provided an increase of ff-
teen hundred dollars per annum in the
salary Of the governor, the increase be-:
ing provided for in the form Of a fiat
expense account to be allowed without
voucher. The constitution also makes
the following without provision: ,
Sec. 186-"No money shall be paid
out of the state treasury except upon
appropriation by law and on warrant
drawn by the proper officer. AND NO
BILLS, CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS OR DE-
MANDs AGAINST THE STATE, OR
ANY COUNTY OR OTHER POL1TI-
CAL. SUBDIVISION. SHALL. BE
AUDITED, ALLOWED OR PAID UN!
TIL A FULL 1TEM1ZED STATE
MENT IN WRITING SHALL BE
FILED WITH THE OFFICER OR OF
FICERs, WHOSE DUTY 1T MAY BE
TO ADMIT THE SAME"
The voters to whom this letter is ad-
dressed will note carefully that the
title Of this bill is a plain and ap-
parent indication of it's intentions to
increase salaries, for it provides
ADEQUATE COMPENSATION" the
plain inference being that the COM
p%ensation heretofore has been inade-
quate and Is to be increased. The
provision for an increase by means of
an expense account is purely a subter-
fuge and is for the express purpose of
avoiding this plain constitutional pro-
hibition. This bill was passed upon
the last night of the session. Active
in it's passage and in the conferences
which finally resulted in it's passage
was w. E.. Purcell, subsequently ap-
pointed by the governor to be senator
Of the United States. After its passage
this bill was almost Immediately an.
proved by the governor and following
its approval, upon an opinion render
ed to the state auditor by the attorney
general. the governor participated In q
retroactive payment Of this increase in
salary extending back to the first Of
tho year. The constitution Of this
state, Article I. Section 81, provides
that all bills shall take effect July LIST,
after their passage, except with an
emergency clause such as House Bill