Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-24
A P1TIFUL TRICK.

The course OF the outgoing administration in
procuring the resignation Of Mr.. Lofthus as state
bank examiner and the appointment III the very last
hours of the administration of one OF his deputies
to that position is one Of the most pitiful. tricks that
has been played in a regime which is full of such
tricks. The purpose of>the move is very clear. The
record that Mr.. Lofthus has made is such that with
out question he could readily be dismissed for
cause. Causes sufficient to warrant his dismissal
arc abundant. The evident intent is to place in the
position formerly occupied by him another man
sympathetic toward the policies of the late admin
istration who, because he is Just appointed, can not
be removed for cause, the theory being, of course,
that until a man has actually performed some OF
the duties of his office he cannot have given cause
for his dismissal.
The evident purpose i'll the making of this ap-
pointmcnt and the hope that it might BIG permanent
is that control of the banking business of the state
may repose in the hands OF persons friendly to the
late administration and likely to carry out the dis
credited policies which it has followed. There is the
hope, without question, that by keeping a friend in
the office of bank examiner transactions which arc
shady in their character and by means oflwhich d
large share of the banking business of the state has
been diverted from its proper function may be left
shrouded in conccalrent. This hope, we imagine,
will prove futile. While the law provides for tho
removal of a bank examiner only for cause, it also
permits and requires the appointing power to keep
in close touch with his activities so that the work
may be conscie1tiously and carefully done and that
the office may not be made a mere political appen-
ldage. As to the matter Of cause, The Herald has
no information as to what the attitude Of the new
administration may be, but it seems quite clear that
if an individual can be removed after having~eorn-
rnitted acts contrary to law in a particular official
position, he may also be removed before tile COM
mission of such acts in the new position, if it can be
shown that he has been a party to their commission
i'll some other capacity. The fact is that Mr.. SEM
,ningsen has been an employee of the bank exarni-
iner's department, has been familiar with all the
steps taken, and presumably has been in sympathy
with them. If this is true, he is unfit for the posi-
ton to which the retiring governor appointed him,
and if he is unfit the governor can remove him be;
cause of his unfitness. =a4 sssss
Whatever course the administration may see
fit to follow with reference to this appointment. the
course of the late governor in making it is bound to
fail to secure the rests desired. The bank exam
liner is not independent of law. His acts are con-
stantly under observation if proper vigilance is
shown by his superiors, and no matter what his dis
position may be, he cannot with the knowledge OF
those superiors abuse the responsibility which he
has assumed in taking office. It need not be ex-
pected, therefore. that whether this particular indi-
vidual remains in this office or not, the business OF
the office of bank examiner will be conducted
in the future as it has been in the past. The state
will look to the elected officials who are responsible
for the management OF public affairs to see to it that
those affairs are conducted according to law and
according to sound public policy.