The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-06-03
SYSTEM SAID To
BE RESPONSIBLE
THE RECENT LEGISLATURE WAS
VERY EXTRAVAGANT IN
PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES
LARGE ARMY OF EMPLOYEES
JUDGE JOHNSON TO TRY FOR
SUPREME COURT AGAIN
CAPITAL NOTES.
Especial to Sank Centre Herald.)

| Especial to Sank Centre Herald)
st. Paul, June 2.-That the late
gathering of state lawmakers, better
known as the Thirty-ninth Minnesota
legislature, was some costly affair
grows with the days. After looking
over the hodgepodge of bills and
vouchers, the legislatures contribu-
ton to the files in the state auditors
office, the wonder is that the taxpay-
ers got so easy. Accepting State
Auditor Preus' figures the Thirty
ninth cost the state for the months
it was in session 1906, 1927, which is
about $4,000 better than the session
OF two years ago. The 1913 session
as far as the house was concerned,
was presided over by Speaker Henry
Rlnes and some of the members of
the late body were inclined to speak
of it in contemptuous way. "Ex-
travagant," some of them said in re-
ferring to it. Even Old Nick is en-
titled to his due, all of which will COM
pei the admission that part of the
| 1915 expense was Unavoidable re-
fer to the increase in membership,
which added $4,000 to the expenses
of the house and $1,000 to the SEN
ate-but there is no excuse for the
exorbitant item of $49,283 so which
the house turned in under the head of
employees. Two years ago the expen-
diture for this purpose was a trifle
over $4,000. The senate expenditure
for employees was $34,557, or $4,303
less than the 1913 session. AS the
payrolls show the house invested it's
$4,000 in 1913 employees and the SEN
ate $34, 500 in seventy-two employees.
This is better than one employee for
each member of the two houses and
how those in charge found employ
ment for the bunch beats me. I do
know, though, that the house invested
in fifty extra cars, two dozen GUS
pidors nearly 500 worth of mineral
drinking water, two dozen water
glasses, one dozen water jugs, one
dozen combs, half of the same amount
of hair brushes and similar number
of whisk brooms, but whether they
were for the convenience of the over
worked help or not I am unable to
say. 1T is sufficient to know, how
ever, that there was help, plenty of
it, and when the session ended close
to $4,000 of the taxpayers good mon
ey reposed in their inside pockets.
| y
Taking some of the members,
word for it the nonpartisan feature of
the two legislative bodies, the house
especially, was largely responsible
for the extravagant investment in
help. AS they explain it, the alb
sence of party lines compelled a lib
eral distribution of help in order to
obtain sufficient backing for the or
ganization, something not necessary
when party dominated. All this may
be true, and l am inclined to think
it is, but it does not explain the lack
of system which characterized the
purchase Of supplies, another item
which is the heritage of the late la
mented house. The books show an
investment by the house of over $1O,-
500 in what are known as supplies,
and an expert, if given the bills and
vouchers covering the same, would
undoubtedly have startling story to
tell. This is not an attack on the
honesty of those concerned with the
purchase of supplies or the approx
ing of the bills for the same, but
rather at the system employed.
Thanks to past agitation there were
no Jackknives or fountain pens at SIS
per this time, but there were other
items that will hardly stand the light
OF day. For instance, 600 patent
binders for the journals. and printed
bills. A st. Paul firm pulled down
5000 for this one item and it is of
knowledge that there are better bind
ers on the market for a fraction of
the price paid. Another thing not
explained is that they were purchased
a week before the legislature met and |
organized. They were billed Dec. 80,
1914. Letterheads and envelopes ga
49, "~AS NOOSh0 e4lu wy pIlC0S PAID |
for most of them. Of course thew
were the autographed article, but if
the average country printing office
could not put out just as good and
at much less figure then it had bet
ter go out of business. Just run your
eye over these notations: L. F. Dow
Co., st. Paul, $1,000 letterheads, $85;
envelopes, same number, $85; same
lrm, $4,000 envelopes, $50; same firm,
1000 envelopes and 5000 letterheads,
'47.85; same firm, $500 letterheads,
'8.1S; same firm, 10000 letterheads,
'4O5, and 100 changes of name, $68;
anne firm, 10000 envelopes, $215,
md 165 changes of name, $66; Enter
rise Printing Company, St. Paul,
James of members for desks, $42.40.
n explanation it might be said that
ne big order for envelopes and letter.
eads given to the Dow company was
n bids. It was the only known item
n which proposals were asked.
Every session has its resolutions
overing the death of some / ,rr,er