Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-01-03
STEEN SCORES
State AUDITOR
State Treasurer Says He Is Not
a Real Watchdog of the
Treasury.
news OF STATE HOUSE
What North Dakota Officials Are Do.
Ing In the Administration OF Laws
In the Different Departments
At Bismarck.
Bismarck.

Jonn Steen, state treasurer. has re.
fused to honor $500 warrant drawn
On the state treasurer by Karl K.
hostzky Mt. Steen states that this
warrant is issued for the purpose of
transferring this amount from the
contingent fund to special clerl.hiro
tuhd Tor the state auditors Office.
He declines to make the transfer
because in his opinion no emergency
exists which justified the action OF
the emergency commission in author.
izing the transfer. He believes the
transfer would be contrary to the bud.
get law. In commenting on his ac.
ton, Mr.. Steen issued the following
statement to the press:
The impression seems to be gener.
al that Mr.. Kostzky, the present state
auditor, Is regular watch dog of the
treasury of the state, when it comes
to scrutinizing expenditures of the
peoples money.
Now as to his own expenditures,
as state auditor he does not appear
70 have shown the SAFE economy as
he would have the people to believe
that he uses when it comes to scrutin.
;zinS bills contracted by other depart.
ments.
For instance. during the year 1916
Carl o. Jorsenson paid out for clerk
hire for the state auditors office the
sum of s6.G44.29. During the year of
1917. Mr.. Karl R., kostzky, the pres
ent state auditor, has expended for
clerk hire In connection with the
state auditors office the sum of $1O,.
1889.
Receives Many Congratulations.
Included in the mass Of correspond.
ence awaiting the attention of Secre.
tary of State Thomas Hall when he
opened his desk at the state house
the morning following his acquittal,
were Is kilograms and scores of let.
ters and cards, containing congratu.
lations from friends in all parts of
North Dakota and in other states who
had learned through press dispatches
of his vindication.
Friends Of the secretary >of state
feel that the fact that the jury stood
IL to one for acquittal on the first
ballot and that but ten minutes were
consumed in reaching a unanimous
verdict, is complete vindication for
him.
Highway Board Makes Answer.
In lengthy communication reply.
ing to charges Of extravaganza made
against the state highway commission
by State Auditor Kositzky, State En-.
gineer Bliss says among other things:
THE state auditor carelessly re.
marks that $3O.089.3S has been spent
Tor salaries and travelling expenses.
AS matter of fact, the. sum mention.
ed includes postage. supplies, equip.
ment, furniture and fixtures, five Ford
cars, printing, telephone and tele.
graph charges, freight, express, dray.
age, and the State Highway commits.
sion's salaries and expenses ($61O.0O)
to the sum of $S,229.22, much of which
are assets and can not be chargeable
solely and exclusively to the first nine
months work of the commission. AS
stated sum of $4,000 was specifically
provided for the purpose of immediate.
ly organizing the State Highway com.
mission and performing all the neces.
sary preliminary work; purchasing
supplies, office and field equipment
and securing expert assistance. Con.
sequently the expenditure of not over
$4,000 of state highway moneys de.
rived from the licensing of motor We.
hicles has been made.
with due Difference to the state
auditor and his counselors, let me say
in behalf of the state highway COM
mission that it considers itself as much
responsible for, and the guardian of,
the state road funds as anyone else,
in addition to being in a position to
judge whether or not such expendi-
lures are being made wisely"
Must Unload Cars Promptly.
Attention to the necessity of speed
ing up car movements is called by
Capt. I. p. Baker, federal fuel ad-
ministrator in an appeal to the
chairman of each district committee
OF North Dakota your committee
can he of great service in urging
consignee to unload cars promptly
upon receipt of them" says Captain
Baker. you should give the matter
all possible publicity and work up
public opinion so that it will be un.
popular for anyone to delay the up.
loading of cars, particularly of coal
cars, or otherwise delay car move.