The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-01-03
NALL |. RECEIVES
W0RDS0 FCnEER
3lhewersd With Congratulations
Over Verdict Which Gave
Him vindication.
STATE Capitol 1 NEWS

49,
Departments Where the ANasrs 81
State Government Are
Administstred.
Bismarck.
Included In the mass Of correspond.
10ee awaiting the attention OF Score.
tay of State Thomas Hall when he
opened his desk at the state house
tie morning following his acquittal,
were Is telegrams and scores of let
teYs and cards, containing congratu.
htions 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
II to n for acquittal on the first
ballot and that but ten minutes were
consumed in reaching q unanimous
verdict, is q complete v%indication for
him.
steen criticIses State Auditor.
John S1een, state treasurer, has re-
fused to honor a $500 warrant drawn
on the state treasurer by Karl R.
Kostsky. Mr.. Steen states that this
warrant is issued for the purpose of
transferring this amount from the
contingent fund to q special clerk-hire
fund for 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 OF the bud.
get law. In commenting on his &C.
ton, MI. %Steen issued the following
statement to the press:
THE impression seems to be gener-
alsthat Mr.. Kositsky; TIL, present state
auditor, is a regular watch dog Of the
treasury of the state, when It comes
70 s%crutiDizing expenditures Of the
peoples money.
Nov as to his own expenditures,
% state auditor he does not appear
to have shown the same economy 40
he would have the people to believe
That he uses when it comes to scrutin.
king bills contracted by other. depart
melts.t a. ~ ~ ~
For instance. during tho year 1916
Carl. o. Jofgenson paid out for clerk
hire for the state auditors Office the
sum Of $6,644.29 During the year Of
1917, Mr.. Karl r. Kositsky, the pres.
ent state auditor, has expended for
clerk hire in connection with the
state auditors Office the sum Of 49,.
1889.
Must Unload Cars Promptly.
Attention to the necessity of speed.
ing up a movements is called by
Capt. I. P. Baker. federal fuel adj
ministrator, in an appeal to the
chairman of each district committee
Of North Dakota. "Your committee
can be 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 any one to delay the. un-
loading OF cars, particularly Of coal
cars, or otherwise delay car move
ment."
Bliss Makes Reply.
In a 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,0S9.3S has been spent
for salaries and travelling expenses.
As a 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 ($610.00)
to the sum of $8.229.22 much Of which
are assets and can not be c~hargeable
solely and exclusively to the first nine
months work of the commission. AS
stated a 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
0Au o0SuAAA6 0AQSAL d6616Id1Cc. SOU-
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 al anyone else,
In addition to being in a position to
Judge whether or not such expendi.
lures r being made wisely"
State To Have Federal School Aid.
North Dakota's vocational education
has progressed 10 favorably that 1t
has come to the attention of the fed
eral department Of education. Follow.
ing a meeting of the members of the
state board of education and members