Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-01
MPL0YES
At TER STATE
FOR WAGES
Likely, That Emergency Board
Will Have to Settle for
Back Pay.
DISCHARGED EMPLOYEES
MAY START ACTION
State Has Plenty of Money But
Maintenance Fund Is Sadly
Depleted.


Considerable interest has been stir.
red up at the capitol over the action
likely to oe started by two former
employees for back wages. The men
In question were discharged this
week and still nave two months back
pay coming. Neither was paid any
salary for the months of May and
June, and their only recourse in the
matter is to sue the state for the
amounts owed them.
Practically all employees connected
with the maintenance Of the capitol
building have two months back pay
coming, wages for May and June, and
the matter has dragged on until the
present time, and no action has been
taken. Various department heads
have shifted the responsibility from
one to another for the existing con.
dition, but have made no effort to
remedy it.
Ample Funds on Hand.
The capitol maintenance fund pro.
vided by the 1913 legislative assem-.
bly, was depleted about the first of
May and the new fund was not avail.
able until July |. At the suggestion
of members of the board of control
all employees who had not received
pay for the months of May and June
were given months salary in ad.
vance July /, from the appropriation
which was available on that date
However, the back pay was not. set
tied. .@
The camcls back was broken this
week, Wien two capitol employees
were discharged. The men had nc
way of collecting the pay due them
and retained an attorney to start al
action against the state. @
It is widely rulnored that an opin
ion on the matter was asked of the
attorney general, and although unver
flied, it is stated the opinion was ia
vorable to the employees.
A contingency fund was provided
by the last assembly for just such an
emergency, but so far the members
of the emergency board, who have
the disposal of the fund, have failed
to act, and various capitol employees
have performed their daily la5ors
without pay. A meeting of the emerg
ency board was held last week, but
no action was taken.
House Bill No. 448.
The following bill is so clear that
it leaves absolutely no excuse for
any capitol employc goins without
wages:
Mathrop Committcc.)
Contingency Fund For Emergency
Commission.
An act to provide a state conting
ency fund to be placed at the disposal
of the state emergency commission
and to appropriate money therefor.
Be 1t Enacted BY the Legislative
Assembly of the State of North Da
kota:
ency Fund. There is hereby appro
priated out Of any moneys of the
pirtaed the sum Of twenty-five thous
state treasury not otherwise appro
priated, the sum of twenty-five thous
and maintenance Of the state conting
ency fund, to be drawn upon the state
auditor at the direction Of the state
emergency commission whenever in
the judgment of such commission
the cost and expense of the mainten'
ance of any department or institution
of the state has been underestimated,
and insufficient moneys have been ap'
propriated therefor, and an emergen'
cy exists through such error.
Sec. 2. Moneys. How Paid Out.
The state emergency commission
shall. before directing the state audi
tor to draw any warrant upon the
contingency fund hereinbefore estaD-
lished, require tle department or in
stitution for whose benefit such war.
rant is issued, to file with such com
mission and with the state auditor a
written and itemized statement of
the material, services, purposes or
oher consideration for which such
warrant is required and the necessity
therefor, and shall certify that the
material services, purposes or other
consideration therein named are nee
essary and proper materials to be
paid from such fund, and that the ap.
preparation for such purpose is insult.
ficient, and that the auditor and com.
mission shall file such statement and
certificate as authority for issuing
the warrant therein directed.
Approved, March II, 1915.
Rank careIessness.
The laxity and disinterest shown
in this matter has done the state a
great deal Of harm. The report has
been spread broadcast over the coun'
try that the State of North Dakota
is in practically bankrupt condi-
tion. Some capitalists have positive
ly refused to buy bonds in the state,
fearing it's credit was impaired.
Blame has been placed for the con,
dition on the board of control, which
assumed the general management OF
the capitol building July l. How
ever, it is safe to say that had the
capitol affairs been in the hands OF
the board of control at an earlier
CONTINUED on pagc two)
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