Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-03
Communications
,B~isnnarck, N. u. Feb. 2. 1o1


Editor Bismarck Tribune:
a fOrtnight's absence and my attention
called til e. communication in the
Bismarck Daily Tribune's issue of Jam
nary 20. fromrsstateS auditor Jorgensorr in
which he 3questions my veracity. ! have
called attention to the recent. report Of
the state treasurer wherein 1t appears
that Mr.. Jorgenson drew .Se.5 800 during
eight months. while other state OFFICERS
receiving III same amount Of salary,
assn,nsslyyI $4,000 per year. received but
$1,000.
Il looked queer ia. me when the report
came out some weeks In md It. looks
queer. yet. ] reproduce from the Eleventh
Annual Report Of State Treasurer Olson
the first nine lines which appears on.
page IS directly under the caption.
Warrants Drawn on General Fund
This report 81 certified to by state Treas
lrerES Gunder Olson. To quote the State
r easGrer's report: ~ Z
Warrants y a Drawn on The General Fund.
Name. as Amount
,salary-Governor So sasss3 Al
Contingent Fund-Gnvernor IS .95
saiarys-Lieutenant Governor y. sss.72
Salary-secretary Of State ~. 2,0O0. 90
Salary--state Auditor 2 10000
Saiary-State Treasurer 1000. 90
Observation-Disclosures Of Insur-
2 aanhcee : s. ~ 100000
Salary-Attorney General $1,000. 2.4OO.16
~Salary-supt. Public Instruction 1000 .0O.
HEtrk~n~ = 49, A. IA. :. 4 ~ q
fetal report of state treasurer Gunder
Olson that for eight months. the time
governed by the report (the last legisla-
tive assembly changed the end OF the
fiscal year from Oct. 81. to June 30) that
the state officials entitled ito draw. $1,000
d year. all drew two. thirds OF that
amount or 81. 900. except the state audi
tor, who drew e, 500. It might be web for
state auditor Jorgenson to- explain this
report OF the state treasurer. rather than
calling. me a liar.
~ found 1t easy to believe that since
Mr., %Jorgenson drew his salary In advance
at other times during his official career,
that he had not hesitated to draw it in
advance in the Year Of Grace. 1918
1T will be, remembered that 9, number
OF state tnewspapers last summer pub.
lishedsa story Of how state Auditor .Tor-
.genson had drawn his salary In advance
and not d word has ever been uttered
In denial. On that occasion he drew his
salary al Follows
Date. Warrant Number.
July 75.5O1
July 30 80. $50. .............. 1886
August IS ....... .. 76.0e9
September 8 Is 442
October % -. 77.0e.
November % ...". Z 1921
This is q copy Of the ledger made by
.Jorgcnson himself. An examination Of thu.
vouchers and warrants, reveals some dis
%crepancies. He had already drawn his
June salary when on July 8 he drew his
July ~salary--cash in advance He drew
another. salary according to the ledger
on July 80, but the warrant Is. missing
and although Mr.. Jorgenson made dill.
.ligent search, he was unable to find it.
Strange it should be missing.
One thing :is clear. Mr.. Jorgenson paid
himself an illegal salary six times in six
months. 1t looks as though he drew his
November salary In July. his December
salary in, November and his October sal
airy when he needed 1t. He does not al
PIE Tax. Commissioners and assistant
Attorney General to draw their salary
tho month after they have been earned.
Il he can hell. 81. and yet he. does not
hesitate TO draw his months in advance
he needs It and seems to be fond
OF paying himself before the salary is
e7prned. !. S
sapSes II not appear on the record that
Gail o. sIdrgensbns drew his salary in
advance? T am perfectly willing to leave
Il TO 1fhe pebble OF the state. Let him
C.. R. KosITzKY.
Adv.