The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-03-27
EDITOR CASE
CONTINUES SCRAP

CONTINUES SCRAP
, Grand Forks Times: Insisting
that Editor Metcalf of The L.akota
Observer was kept on the payroll
of the United States senate for
twenty months without rendering
any service, Editor Case of the Nc
Vile Journal i'll his paper this week
continues the controversy between
himself and Senator Gronna
Several days ago, Senator Gronna
made a statement in answer to the
charge and the letter Of Editor Case
is published at his request. 1t fol-
lows:
Editor Grand Forks Herald :
Kindly give space in your valuable
paper tony answer to the article by
Senator A. J. Gronna against ne
in The Herald for March s.
Senator Gronna feels that he
has to do something to defend him
self against the statements made by
me as editor of The Journal, that
he had improperly kept on the pay
roll of the United States senate
persons who have never been il,
Washington to perform services
where their services were supposed
to be performed. Instead Of
;;squarely challenging my statements
of facts or exposing the falsity of
my conclusions of which
he dares to do-he takes refuge
from public condemnation by rails
ing a question as to my motives.
The situation would be amusing if
lit were not really tragic. He
quotes almost in full a letter which
he claims to have received from me,
in which l apply for a position in
the public service. BY mere acct
dent he happens to forget to. give
the date of the letter. Assuming for
the present that he gives the letter
correctly, it is a little difficult to see
wherein it is wrong or even ques-
tionable for any American citizen
to apply to even a United States
senator for position. The facts
ARE these: Some three or four
years ago the writer contemplated
seriously disposing of his grain ele-
vator in Neville and leaving town.
Being under the necessity of earn
ing living applied for various
positions-actually accepting one
'offer as travelling representative for
Ia certain grain company, and trav-
|cled for them nearly year. This
all occurred long before I had any
idea of purchasing The Neville
Journal from Lea L. Lang, which
transaction took place in Septem-
Der, 1910. At the time l wrote this
questionable application to Mr..
Gronna, who was then congressman
lit never occurred to me that he had
salaries to dispose of that were not
encountered with anv services.
Continuing, Gronna's words as
quoted in The Grand Forks Herald
are: Mr.. Metcalf was appointed,
,ut soon after the appointment
earned that he would be unable to
go to Washington, and another
messenger was appointed So far
Gronna, but but what are the facts ?
From April 10, 1911, to Aug. ~,
1911, 7. E. Metcalf was on the SEN
ate payroll as skilled laborer and
drew salary at SIS per month, From
Aug. II, 1911, to the end of that
year, this same 7. E. Metcalf was
promoted to messenger to commit
tee on expenditures in navy depart
'ment-Gronnas committee-with a
salary Of $500 per month, which
salary was paid as shown by vouch-
ers 67, 97, 1872, $50, 1913, 1884, 255,
2S9, and 321.. Not only this, but the
same T. E. Metcalf continued to
draw his 500 per month salary
through the entire year Of 1912. T.
E. Metcalf's father died in August
1912, sixteen months after his sor
and Gronna's messenger began tc
draw salary, and four months be.
fore this salary ceased. All Of these
Twenty months Groma helped Met
calf to this salary without turning
his hand in the way of service, ane
lyet Gronna states that he had Met.
calf's name removed soon after thu
appointment when he learned tina
he would be unable to get to Wash
Iington.'