The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-11-30
NORTH pAkoTA's ACCOUNTS.

There is great need throughout Am
erica for better business methods in
the administration Of public affairs.
The sentiment to cut out waste and
inef1ciency in public Office is growing.
The business men of the nation are
becoming insistent that business meth
DDS be used in running government
affairs.
In one eastern city recently ar in
vesGigation was made into needless"
public offices. 1t was found that there
were scores Of men on the public pay
rolls that could b. eliminated without
in the least cutting down the efficiency
of the service rendered the people.
An eastern paper, discussing high
taxes, etc, recently picked out North
Dakota as a horrible example and
published the following powerful ar
raignment of conditions they claim
exist in this state:
with our northern frontier guarded
by such immaculate organizations as
the state governments of Minnesota,
Washington, Dakota, etc, it seems fair
to ask why their inhabitants are rap
luIy deserving them and slipping away
to Manitoba.
North Dakota has an area of H.
SIS square miles and a population of
577,056, or about IL to the mile; a
fertile territory, q bracing climate, il
limitable space. boundlesS Opportunl-
ties, a hardy population and-general
dissatisfaction. Excessive taxation
and the high cost Of living is the
cry of the exiles. State officials point
to their stupendous volume of accounts
and bid us to seek an answer in its
recesses. The treasurer solemnly at
firms it a true account, and the gov
ernor, whose entire term of office
would probably be exhausted in n
examination of It's details, as solemnly
approves it.
6 TT will hardly be credited that the
annual cost of the state government
to- this little community of half a
million is nearly four million dollars,
It. ($3, 1854, PA in 1911), IT that it requires
800; pages OF print to so alternate this
Sfact7 that its meaning shall elude in
v~estigation. Every petty item, down
to the cost of a telephone call, is
paraded in the t~reasurer's report, c. g.
Ian. 5, 1911. warrant No. 9266l, IS
sued to n. d. Independent Telephone
Co, Is cents
But as to the larger items no such
information is Youchsafed. We are
only informed that warrants for so
many thousands of dollars were is
sued, but not upon what dates, nor
for what purpose. This is the blind
alley which is solemnly offered for a
true account and as blindly approved
blythe state executive.
r@4eThere is no addition to this &C
: count, no summary, no grouping OF
items, no help, no aid. no guide to the
inquirer. It would take a years time
and a large force of clerks to examine
and verify it; and such, no doubt, Is
it's design. The governors salary of
Z so. 900 a ear. with expenses and con
tingeuCies. engrosses three-fourths of
a page, whereas a single line would
have been sufficient. When the &C
: count passes from the governor to his
: civil staff, their salaries, contingencies,
,and the vague items behind which they
have sheltered themselves, it becomes
! AN rimpassable wilderness. No sane
person would attempt 1t; no account
ant would pass it.
I'm 1902 the cost Of local govern
ment in North Dakota was, for the
I state. 59,357; counties, 1869, 400;
I cities and minor divisions, ST. .002;
I total, 81 ,143,7 1853; the county and NUM-
/ ycipal being 4.36 times as much as the
state. Applying the same proportion
Ito the current expenditures the JOLdl
( for state, counties and municipalities
in 1911 becomes $50 per capita, or $3.50
Z per family of five.
ON top of all this the federal gov
/ 4ernment is obliged to levy an indirect
tribute upon the country Of $50 pei
family. This accumulated cost OF
government expresses itself in the
cost of living; but how long the peo-
pie of Dakota car stand it, or the
Omitted States will continue to endure
st, may become serious questions"
if While this statement is probably
somewhat overdrawn, there is un-
sdoubtedly good ground for criticisins
/. the manner in which public affairs are
run in North Dakota.
The state is fortunate, however, ir
Having elected for it's governor one
of its best and most successful bust.
mess men. Mr.. Hanna will undoubt-
edly inaugurate many reforms. If he
will use his splendid executive ability
ito put the business affairs of the
state on a sound business basis, GU
out waste and inefficiency and elm.
mate some of the useless offices, ht
win leave a lasting monument to his
name in North Dakota.