The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-06-20
F. E. Packard, of the State Tax
Commission, Shows the Pres
ent State Administration to
Be the Most Economical.
SOME INSIDE HISTORY.
Nonpartisan League Directly
Responsible for Increase in
the Taxation of the Railroads
Of North Dakota.
(By Frank E. Packard)

DlOl11d1Ch, OUuS 1ls-NOIIclu
newspapers Of the state have
frequently made the charge that
the present administration was
wanting in business sense, and
that it's record was anything but
a business record.
l have been q member Of the
State Tax commission for six
years, and during all of that
time have received the various
reports Of all of the states and
have made the cost Of govern
ment and the benefits of gov
ernments a study. It is my
Judgment that the present ad-
ministration is the most busi-
nesslike administration the state
of North Dakota has ever had,
and one Of the most businesslike
administrations any state of the
Union has ever had.
Business efficiency in govern
ment does not consist in laying
off a stenographer or librarian
or cutting the salaries of en-
ployes. Business efficiency con-
sists in results to the governed
the greatest benefit to the
greatest number at a minimum
expense. Efficiency cannot be
gauged by either expenses or
benefits but by the relation of
one to the other.
The cost of the present ad-
ministration, in spite of the alb
normal increase in the cost Of la
Dor and supplies, shows only a
normal increase over it's prede-
cessor, while in benefits to the
people of the state it has been
the most remarkable administra-
tion since statehood. It will be
impossible, in the scope of a
newspaper article, to enumerate
all of the activities of the admin
istration along lines which are
of actual benefit to the people,
but some of the most important
ones will indicate the scope of
the activities.
It is generally conceded
that had it not been for the
present administr a t ion,
backed by the influence of
the Nonpartisan league,
that the price Of wheat
would have been fixed at
S1.85 in 1917 instead of
S2.2O. This saving of 35
cents per bushel on the 1917
crop Of 5O,OOO,OO0 bushels
means saving to the state
Of SILT, 100000. This same
price remains in effect for
1918. On a normal crop of
100000 bushels the saw
ing would aggregate $685.
100000, and in a bumper
!, crop, such as we had in 1915
Of 15O,OOO,OOO bushels, a
! saving Of S52,500,000.
The 1917 legislature passed q
uniform state grain grading act.
The records Of the department.
Of inspection show that 25 per
cent Of the grain marketed in
North Dakota was graded of
one grade. Under the inspec-
tion act this is impossible, as the
farmer can have his grain in
spected at home or upon hauling
it to the elevator. The spread
between the grades is 8 cents,
SO that on but about 100000
bushels Of 1917 crop sold beyond
the borders Of the state, there
was a saving Of $285,O00 as q
result Of this legislation, and
upon a 1OO,OOO,OOO crop the net
saving would be $500, 900, and
upon a bumper crop 81, ,O5O, 900.
Prior to 1917 the banks Of the
state were assessed under q law
which provided that they might
deduct from the assessed valua-
tion of their capital stock five
per cent Of their loans and dis
counts. They could also deduct
all Of their investments ia real
property, both inside and outside
of the state. While the tax
commission for four years has
refused to allow them to get.
away with the unc0 c0nstit utional
deduction of = sum equal 10 i've
Der cent 81 the loans and tis
counts vet 40 ~ sislatare would