Bismarck daily tribune., 1915-12-24
seller ATTACKS.
STATE POLICIES
Jamestown Attorney Issues Long
Statement Assailing Hanna
Administration.
MANY CHARGES AIMED
AT STATE HOSPITAL
Partial Reiteration Of Matters
Threshed Out at Last Legis-
lative Session.

just sent the Tribune long state
ment relative to news article sent
out from that city several weeks ago
which the Tribune and several other
state papers printed as a matter Of
news. ~.
The jamestown attorney, however,
wishes to brand as false that he in.
tends to run for governor for the de-
sire of removing any employees at
the STATE institution. He also desires
to label as "too insignificant and i'm
probable for serious consideration"
any charge that his candidacy for gov
ernor will involve any controversy
existing between him and persons EN-.
ployed at the state hospital. He de.
MES the truth of the entire James
town dispatch. "T !.
His statement follows in part:
"The article referring to me in con-
'nection with the governorship was ev-
IDENTIFY designed to discredit
me personally in advance of any an.
.nouncement on my part as to wheth.
er l intended to be a, candidate or
not. Passing over the: charge that
" UCCOlIC d 1OA EoS-
ernor for the purpose of securing the
removal of an employee of a state
institution as two insignificant and
improbable for serious consideration,
take the opportunity to say in this
connection: /
To Check Extravagance.
"The only reason that might induce
me to become a candidate for cover
nor grows out of desire TO- voice a
protest against the unchecked course
of extravaganza and unnecessary tax.
alton that attaches to the present
management Of state affairs in NORTH
Dakota; and, in the event of an elec.
ton, to aid in placing the business OF
our state on a, basis more in accord
with our actual needs for state gov
ernment. :,
81 believe the unfortunate condi:
ton into which our state, affairs have
drifted is now generally recognized
by everyone; who stops for. a moment
to consider the large amount of mon:
ey.. we are expending for the govern.
mert of a stale with our small popu-
lation. This is not, in my opinion, a
political.party :queston, but is some-
thing that applies directly to every
citizen and taxpayer. A reform in the
mismanagement of our state business
affairs is admitted as needed by every
one not personally profiting by the
expenditures themselves.
81 believe ~ is high time to call
halt on this excessive taxation and
waste of the, peoples money. When
tax payers come to pay their taxes
tbs year and next year, they will
find a personal reminder Of this ex-
travagance in our state affairs. We
must not forget that North Dakota
has only a small population, less
than $4,000 persons Of all ages with
only about 100000 adult tax paying
residents.
Rigid Economy.
Rigid economy is needed in the
management Of our state schools,
penal and charitable institutions, as
we'll as in the general expenses of the
state. A goveror can do much to
save the peoples hard earned dollars.
He can veto what he believes to be
unnecessary appropriations and can
influence by just and; reasonable
means the scope Of appropriations by
working in cooperation with other
state officials and members of the leg
islature. do. not believe in crippling
or reducing the real efficiency of
single existing state institution but l
do not believe that such money can
be saved in their management and
nothing lost in other respects. In the
management of our institutions the
same care and scrutiny of expense
items should be exercised as applies
to any similar business or extensive
enterprise conducted by the indi-
vidual.
IN the last five years the popula-
tion Of our state has increased but
little, or only about 2 percent a year,
while the cost of state government
has increased out of all proportions,
either to the needs or increase of the
population The last report of the
state treasurer shows that there were
collected and paid out for state pur-
poses almost five and one-half mil
lion dollars for the one year ending
June 80, 1915, H.
al Big Pay Roll.
#"Of this amount nearly $4,000
were paid out for salaries Of state
officers, clerk hire, courts, the legis-
lature and general state expenses for
the one year, while the remainder,
over $3,S42,OO0 went for the educa-
tional institutions of high learning
and the common schools and other
state expenses not included in the
items paid out of the general fund.
Those defending this reign Of eXtrav-
agance may say that the larger part
or the total amount collected and paid
out for certain state institutions
comes from other sources-such as in
come from land grants for our schools
and not from direct taxation. Yet
that does not alter the fact that such
income is the property of the people,
of the state and should be SO judi.
ciously used as to decrease our state
tax burden and not increase it. !;
Expenditures BY Law
81 further believe that the appro..
priations made by the legislature
should be expended only as the law
directs, and not in different man.