Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-02-10
MILEAGE CRAFTS May
RESULT IN Definite
EXPENSE ALLOWANCE
Profit In Travel Induces Some
Officials to Spend Much
Time on Road.

Pierre. s. d.. Feb. 6.-Thc intro
duction of Il bin by the senate judiciary
committee. giving the attorney general
a f1Xed expense account of 500 per
month and actual railroad fare. is the
beginning of II movement with some
determined hackers to abolish the en-
tire mileage system for state officials
and boards. There is "A growing on
Vlct1on that the state is paying ont
thousands of dollars every year in
mileage which is n source of profit to
members of boards aud commissions.
'hder the system of paying . or 10
cents a mile. il is made profitable for
these officials to travel. The more
travel the more state money diverted
INTO their pockets.
The report of the state auditor for
1913 show that some members of the
Doaru OF health drew 10 cents Il mile
iof raNel- As Il sample of the profit
IN inns mileage system. ii is noted that
or: ~. K. kenaston. in July. 1912. was
pad S30.50 for 501 miles and Park Is.
Jenkins $3.50 for 25S miles. These
names are selected ut random from
the report and the board of health is
clteh simply as one of many others.
me mileage system makes it profit
able for members OF boards to travel
as much as possible. 1t places temp
tatlon in their way.
some or the officials and boards are
required TO turn in vouchers for only
.he actual money spent for railroad
iare and this plan should be followed
Ia 'he case of every person travelling
at state expense. i'm the opinion OF
those who are behind the bill that has
been introduced and others that will
follow before the session is over. When
AN official can make two trips within
Il lew days of each other and make
"a nnnf q 400 -, -:--
dong. the temptation is To make the
TWO trips when the business might be
transacted in one.
Whole System Faulty.
The attorney generals office has been
one of the most expensive for the state
IN the matter of mileage cost. hut that
the whole mileage system is at fault
and contrary to good public policy will
be argued when the bills to correct the
abuses come before the legislature.
1t is understood that the present at
torney general is in favor of abolish
ing the mileage graft and is assisting
IN the preparation of bill; that will do
away with it. When the state mileage
system is corrected there will remain
much to do along the same lines in
counties where physicians are paid
mileage for establishing quarantine
and other officials are paid so much
per mile. which yields them Il profit.
instead of being reimbursed for the
actual count expended in travelling
for the state.
Members who are going after the
mileage graft say it is one OF the things
that causes the peopie To reject pro-
posals for paving better salaries. They
believe that salaries are too low but
so long as it appears large profits are
made in mileage. they will not vote to
increase salaries. When expense ac-
counts are brought down to an actual
expense basis as is the case with the
board of regents and the board of
charities and corrections. it is believed
salaries may b. adjusted to a more
equitable standard.
Checks New Authority.
The tendency of boards to be contin-
ually reaching out for new authority
received Il check in the House. when
the new sanitary regulation. bill of
the food and drug department was de-
feated by Il vote of 81 to II. The mea-
sure had previously passed the senate.
with some of the departments requests
stricken. but it carried Il number of new
restrictions against hotels. ncludin
the abolition of roller towels and COM
mon Thinking cups. Several of the
o members expressed objection to
delegating too much supervisory au-
thority to one man. Debate on the bill
was cut off by a motion for the pre-
vious question and the bill was showed
under On roll call.
More Elimination.
An attempt is being made to work up
a sentiment for the wiping out OF the
immigration department of the state.
which was created our years ago. Just
how far this will go is not yet shown
on the surface, but that there is n
sentiment for the Introduction Of a re-
peal act is shown by the rumors and
suggestions that such a measure would
meet with favorable support in so,mc
quarters.
The bill to allow verdicts of three
fOurths of a jury in civil cases will prob
ably be out in the open for his session
In a few days. The bill met defeat by
a narrow margin in the session of two
years ago. and will be tried out again
at this session..
A resolution for short annua sessions
Of the legislature. with a senate Of NJ
and a house of 30. is the purpose OF "A
resolution for a constitutional ameud-
ment offered yesterday by Weller, o.
DAWSON. in the house.
-
BIG INLAND sToR. NOW
IN HANDS OF RECEIVER
Sioux Falls. S.. d.. Feb. G.-The clos
ing up of the affairs of the Consumers
Supply company. Of Tivis. a hamlet OF