The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-10-17
COUNTY SuPT. WARREKS REMARKABLE In "
PARA[[F[ED EXPENDITURE OF THE PEOPLES
MONEY DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS

The more one investigates the mon
ey making capacity Of our dcounty
superintendent, the more one becomes
dazed with the remarkable record OF
the cost of maintaining this office dur
an example of High Finance in the
name Of education it has J. Pierpont
Morgan and John D. Rockefeller back
ed off the map, and stands unequalled
in this or any other state. That it is
wholly unexplainable and indefensible
il admitted evidently by the County
Superintendent himself.
The editor of this paper has before
him the annual report of the State
Superintendent of Schools covering the
years 19O9-1O, also the financial report
Of Louis A. Larson, the County Audi
tor of Ward County. The financial
report of the County Auditor covers
the past three years and shows that
FOR three years past has total ex-
penditure Of the astounding sum OF
$50,268.9S or yearly expenditure OF
$16,756.32. 1t is interesting to note
that during the same number Of years
the total expenditure Of the County
Auditors office was but $36,521.S8 and
that the County Treasurer's office was
but $22,697.04. In other words the ex-
penditure Of money in the office OF
County Superintendent Of Schools for
the three years was $13,747.1O greater
than that Of the County Auditors Of
flee and s27,571.S4 greater than that of
the County Treasurer's office. Such a
statement is hardly believable, and we
could not believe it possible if we did
not have the County Auditors report
before us with which to make an ex-
act and unquestionable comparison.
We believe that a liberal allowance
should be granted to any and all the
offices Of this county, inclusive of the
County Superintendents office, since
it is an important one, view 1t from any
and all standpoints But we submit
that there can be no defense and there
is not any for such a record, in the
cost of maintaining this office. Certain
ly, not at yearly expense Of $16,756.S2
AS a matter of convincing proof of the
above statement, comparison with
the annual expenditures Of this office
in Ward county, and that OF three OF
the largest most thickly settled and
most wealthy counties in the state,
namely; Grand Forks Cass and Rich
land counties, for the years 19O9-1O
will, we believe, be both just and con-
vincing. The report Of the State Sup
erintendent shows total expenditure
in the office of the County Superinten-
dent Of Cass County Of $5,S37.OO. This
County Superintendent made 500 Wis
its in a county almost as large in ter
ritorv as that of Ward County, with a
mileage expense Of but $5S7.30, that of
Ward County being $7,S5o.o0 or thir-
teen times greater than that of Cass
County. The County Of Grand Forks
shows a total expenditure Of $5,237.OS.
The mileage expenditure being but
sSS3.OO with 450 visits, or nine times
less than the expenditure In Ward
County. County superintendent
Barnes, of Richland County, another
large and thickly settled county, shows
that his mileage cost the couty $627.3O
for 169 visits. In other words he traV-
eled 6,727 miles with an average of 81
miles to the school and $3.71 for each
visit made. On the other hand the
county superintendent Of Ward County
travelled 6S,499 miles, got $6,S49.90,
making 412 visits with an average
fntn ool,
a cost Of $3.50. It is fair to presume
that the County Superintendent OF
Cass, Grand Forks and Richland coun-
ties are active and efficient men, but
the difference in the money they get for
what they do and what Mr.. Warren
gets for what he does is a, startling
comparison. The entire, total office
expenditure Of Grand Forks, Cass and
Richland Counties for 19O9-10 was
s16O7S12 The total expenditure for
Ward County, was $66S.20 greater than
all three Of these counties com bined.
During the years 19O9-10 the mileage
of Mr.. Warren was $7,35OS0 and to
make that mileage it would be neces-
sary to travel on an average of 3o6
miles day for every school day IN
the month and twelve months in the
year, whether there be rain or shine
good going or bad going, winter and
summer. 's=+s .1.
The total mileage of all the County
Superintendents in ten of the largest
counties in the state, namely, Cass,
Cavalier, Barnes, Bottineau, Grand
Forks, Richland, Stutsman, Stark,
Walsh and Williams, as shown by the
report Of the State Superintendent for
1s0s-10 is $6,351.0O. The mileage Of
Mr.. Warren for the same year tops
each and all Of them combined, and
he still has $4,000 to spare. That's
sure going some. 1t suggests not an
automobile but flying machine.
Mr.. Warren during the Primaries
made desperate attempt to explain
this condition of things BY letter
printed and circulated over the county,
ana which letter purported to come d.
rect from the Office Of the State Sup
erintendent defending him In his