The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-02-11
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.-Tne intro
iuction of a bill by the senate judiciary
committee, giving the attorney general
a fixed expense account of 500 per
month and actual railroad fare, is the
beginning of a movement with some
determined hackers to abolish the en-
tire mileage system for state officials
and boards. There is a growing con-
viction that the state is paying out
thousands of dollars every year In
mileage which is a source Of profit to
members of boards and commissions.
Under the system of paying 5 or 10
cents a mile. it 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 Tor
1913 shows that some members of the
board of health drew 10 cents a mile
for travel. AS a sample of the profit
In TINS mileage system, it is noted that
DR.. H. r. kenaston. N July, 1912, was
paid 5000 for sos miles and Park b.
jenkins $3.50 for 25S miles. These
names are selected at random from
the report, and the board CT health is
cited simply as one of many others.
Inc mileage system makes il profit
able for members of boards to travel
as much as possible. 1t places temp-
tation in their way.
Some Of he officials and boards are
required to turn in vouchers for only
the actual money spent for railroad
1are and this plan should be followed
IN the case OF every person travelling
at state expense, in 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 ofhcla can make two trips within
a lew days of Zach other and make
a neat little profit for himself by so
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 or the most expensive for the state
in the matter of mileage cost, but 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 bills that will do
away with it. When the state mileage
system is corrected there will remain
much to do along the same ines in
counties where physicians are paid
mileage for establishing quarantine
and other officials are paid so much
per mile, which yields them a profit,
instead of being reimbursed for the
actual amounts expended in travelling
for the state.
Members who are going after the
mileage graft say it is one of the things
that causes the people to reject pro-
posals for paying better salaries. They
believe that salaries are too low but
so long as 1T appears large profits are
made in mileage, they will not vote to
increase salaries. When expense &C
counts are brought down to an actual
expense basis as is the case with the
board of regents and the board of
charities n corrections, it is believed
salaries may be adjusted to a more
equitable standard.
Checks New Authority.
The tendency Of boards to be contin-
ualiy reaching for new authority
received a check in the House, when
the new sanitary regulation bill of
the food and drug department was de-
feated by a vote of 81 to II. The mea-
sure had previously passed the senate,
with some Of the departments requests
stricken, but it carried a number of new
restrictions against hotels, including
the abolition of roller towels and com
mon drinking cups. Several of the
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-
vlous 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 four years ago. Just
how far this will go is not yet shown
IN tho - Cllrfana hJ1f that f1o-- t.
sentiment for the introduction of a re-
peal act is shown by the rumors and
suggestions that such a measure would
meet with favorable supper in some
quarters.
The bill to allow verdicts of three
fourths Of a jury in civil cases will prob
ably be out in the open for this session
in a few days. The bill met defeat by
a narrow margin in the session of two
years age II will be tried out again
at this session,
A resolution for short annual sessions
of h legislature, with a senate of is
and a house Of 30, is the purpose Of a
resolution for a constitutional amend
ment offered yesterday by Weller, OF
Dawson. in the house.
BIG INLAND STORE NOW
IN HANDS OF RECEIVER
Sioux Falls. S. D., Feb. s.-The clos
ing up of the affairs of the Consumers
supply company, of Tivis, a hamlet of
Pennington county, by w. r. Bondur-
ant, who was appointed receiver of the
company, is Of more than ordinary in
t@erest, for the reason hat the place of
business of the company was one Of
the largest at an interior point in South
Dakota. For years the store had been
one of the sights of the country, stand
ing on the, prairie several miles from
the nearest neighbor and As miles fron,
a railroad. The store was eauipped
like a department store in q city of 2s
600 population. The was
formed In 1908. and was one of the re-
r1arkable incidents Of the boom days
following the settlement OF the sur
rounding country by homesteaders.
George E. Tivis, for whom the town.
consisting of the store, was named. had
been in the country many years and
had conducted a small store on his
ranch. Later he formed the Consumers,
Supply company, with a capital of $50
600. built a store. newspaper office md
bank building. Tivis recently disap-
peared and he appointment of a re-
cpfvar followed