The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-03-13
INDUSTRY BOARD.
SECRETARY WILL.
BE NAMED TODAY
First Duty of Commission VIII
BE Selection of Permanent
Executive Officer
SEVERAL ARE CONSIDERED
Not Certain That Oliver Morris
Will Get Plum, Says Com
missioner Hagan,

| The most important task confront
ing the state industrial commission
the parent OF North Dakota's new
scheme of state ownership-when it
convened at 10:30 this morning was
the selection of a permanent secre-
tary. John n Hagan, commissioner
of agriculture and labor, a member Of
the industrial commission, and named
temporary secretary at its last meet
ing, admitted that the name of Oliver
Morris of St. Paul, editor of the Nom
partisan Leader, was under consider
alton. He would not, however, pre-.
dict the appointment of MIR. Morris,
as he stated that several other applt.
cations from men well fitted for the
position were in the hands of the COM
mission. The office will pay $1,000
per annum, and will be second only
TO that Of the governor in importance,
it is predicted.
I'VE can do little until we have
named a permanent secretary" said
MIR. Hagan, prior to the melting. i.
is my opinion that this appointment
will he made today. The secretary
will assume his duties Immediately
and will be provided with an office
in the capitol. He will then be In Z
position to begin the compilation OF
the positive data which we must have
before we proceed to carry out the
acts of the last assembly.
May Be Some Delay.
Mr.. Hagan was not prepared to
state when the commission would
authorize the issuance of the bonds
provided for law to finance the Bank
of North Dakota, the state mill and
elevator association, and the system
OF rural credits. The first two issues
will be the first to be authorized.
There may be some delay, Mr.. Hagtn
ment that the Independent V0trs as
sociation intends to refer all Of the
league program measures. $50
"Inasmuch as these acts carry
emergency clauses, their operation II
not suspended pending the calling OF
special election for a referndum
vot,' said Mr.. Hagan. ut Is pos
sible, however, that we may 90 slow
until we can determine how general
a demand there is for a referendum: !
understand the lndepndent Voters
association intends to make It's biz
drive for signatures March 1S. 4 FIJI
teen thousand signatures Is not q
great number, and the association may
succeed in meeting the conditions IN.
nounced by Governor Frazier.
Thinks it Poor PolItlee. A-a
Personally, and speaking impartial
ly, consider the associations refer.
endum of league program bills poor
politics and poor economics. It seems
to me there Is a general disposition on
the aprt Of the people to see these
state utilities tried out. They are things
which have been discussed for years.
and for which the people have voted.
There are plenty of cities which
are anxious to get one Of the termin-
al elevators or flour mills. think It
will be violating no confidence to say
we have formal applications from Bis.
marck, Beach. Valley City. Fargo.
Wahpeton, Paramount, Grand Forks
and Drake. For the bank there sro
only two strong Observation-Disclosures
and Fargo-and each Of these cities
has much to recommend 1t. There
will be very careful investigation in
an effort to locate all of these utili-
ties at the most logical point, regard.
less of any other considerations
Negotiating Bond Sales.
It is said that while William Ian.
ger, attorney general, who is mem.
Der of the industrial commission, was
In the Twin Cities last sveek he con.
ferred with two prominent bankers
relative to the sale of state bonds.
He probably will make his report to
the commission today. He has as yet
divulged nothing bearing upon the
success or failure of his enterprise.