Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-13
cANVAss1NG STATE EMPLOYEES.

Ihe state administration IN Its desperation at
the prospect of early dissolution, is making a direct
and organized appeal to the employees of two of the
state institutions for support at the coming election.
On the stationery of the Bank of North Dakota and
over the signature of the Department of Statistics
and Publicity, circulars are being issued to employees
IN these institutions explaining that owing to delay
in the payment of taxes, crop failures, etc, there was
not enough money in the general fund of the state
to pay the salaries of teachers in these state %insttu-
tons for the month of September but that in order
to avoid inconvenience and hardship, the board of
administration applied to the Bank of North Dakota
for a loan to enable it to meet the payroll, that this
loan was granted, and that all teachers in the state
university and the agricultural college will receive
their monthly pay checks promptly. 1t is deemed
fair according to the circular that the employees
should be notified of this fact and that it should be
impressed upon them that an institution which has
so operated to further their interests is worthy of
their support, and should be supported by them.
The moral OF it all is that the employees in these in
s%titutions should vote for Frazier, Lemke, and
Hagan on October 28th. 1t is universally accepted
that the canvassing Of employees for votes by public
officials is a pernicious practice which ought not to
be permitted. In no well regulated government is
it permitted. But ours is not a we'll regulated state
government and things are permitted in it which are
prohibited elsewhere. And from the standpoint of
the members of the industrial commission who are
now under fire, the appeal which is I being sent out
to the teachers in these institutions is entirely prop
Aer, and IS good campaigning. 1t would be useless
RI ELL ~ OLuCI Wise. nCY are
either too dense or too reckless to pay attention to
argument on this score. 1t is a fact however that
the delay in the payment of teachers salaries and the
salaries OF other public employees has been due en-
tirely to the existence of the Bank of North Dakota,
to the operation of the laws under which it was or
gained, and to the insane manner in which it has
been conducted.
Heretofore there has been no difficulty in rails
ing money to pay the salaries Of the teachers in the
state institutions. Taxes have been collected and
have been paid into the proper funds, and then made
Immediately available to the institution to whose
.credit they were supposed to have been placed.
NWhcn funds became exhausted before the next tax
collection period, which was a very common occur
renee, loans were made without any difficulty at
LEGAL banks, this custom being followed universally
i IS not considered desirable to levy enough,
staxesto have on hand at all times sufficient funds to
meet current obligations. The banks in these cases
99haye responded simply in the ordinary course of
Sbnsineas and have been glad to make the advances
desired because they were certain Of receiving pay
menf promptly as soon as taxes came in. No ques-
gtion Has been raised As to the time Of payment OF the
certainty ut payment, and payment has invariably
been niade.ss The publicity agents for the Bank Of
North Dakota seek il the first place 70 place upon
Sethercause responsibility for the scarcity Of funds
IN which the bznk methods alone were responsible
then they seek to make : virtue d having been
bsbJe M strenncus effort TO negotiate iosns similar
E6odfAcse which have been made by local banks from
kGaae imnnennorial without any difficulty whatever.
VIZ 4i3& ~ money of the state had been handled ii
uonai way, these state institutions would have
53NaSd fands onshand up until the usual time and would
6ave made loans " local banks without diff
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