Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-14


months S54 plants have been inspect
d and many recommendations made
for the safety of the employees work
ing therein. The fees so far collect
ed account this safety inspection
mount to $3,778.15, with $125 in col
ections pending, making total rea-
liZed from this department of 49,
,03. Is.
Expense Of Administering Law.
The difficulties which attended the
organization period of the act have
practically disappeared and the work
Of the department is now going for
ward smoothly, without friction of any
kind. and the positive instructions of
YOUR excellency to practice the ut
most economy in every detail of the
operation has been faithfully adhered
to with the result that the entire ex-
pense Of all kinds attending the ad-
ministrati0n of the act, including sal
aries, printing, supplies, furniture, in
spections and all other expenses at
tending the organization period of the
board, and the administration of the
law, since the approval of the act of
March s, 1915. amount to $36,725.16,
against which has been earned account
inspections made, $S,903.15, leaving a
net administration expenditure for the
past 81 months of $32,822.02, which
leaves balance of over $4,000 of
our legislative appropriation to cover
the remaining three months Of the two
years appropriations period. From
the foregoing you can readily see that
the assurance given your excellency
at the time the board was organized
that instead of the $4,000 legislative
appropriation proving inadequate, as
had been predicted, that there would
be a surplus Of fully $4,000 to be re-
turned to the general fund, was not
a casual guess. In bringing this graft
flying fact to your attention we would
respectfully request that you Gom-
pare the expenditures Of this board
with the expenses attending the or
ganization and administration Of the
compensation act in any one of the
81 states operating under a compen-
sation law, as we are satisfied that
you will find that in no instance does
a similar period, covering similar
work, amount to less than twice the
amount that this board has expended
and, in many instances, where the
population compares favorably to
that of Montana, the expense amounts
to five times what this board has ex-
pended for the same period and the
same work.
In this connection the members of
the board respectfully request you to
accept their assurance that they will
continue to be governed by your strict
admonition to practice economy, in
connection with efficiency in every de-
tinue, as they earnestly hope, to be
favored with the splendid support that
has at all times been accorded by all
the employers and employees of the
state, supplemented by the compre-
hensive cooperation and valuable as
sistance Of yourself, there will be no
question as to the operation Of the law
proving an economical success.
At all times the board has invited
criticism relative to its work, to the
end that the best possible results
might be obtained for the betterment
Of safety conditions and the dispensing
of average even-handed justice to all
parties interested or concerned in the
administration of the law, and the
number earnestly hope that every cit
izen of the state will feel a sufficient
interest in the work to contribute sug-
gestions toward same. If there is any
further information that your excel
lency desires, please command us, as
our records are brought up to date
each day and we will be pleased to
furnish any data you may wish.
Very respectfully yours,
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT BOARD,
A. E. Spriggs.
VIM Heating.
w. J. Swindlehurst