Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-02-17


More than irony is implied in this
rule:
1.-The proceedings being in the ma
ture of an investigation and the con-
troversies incident to the average trial
being absent the counsel for the COM
mittee are directed to proceed to the
examination of witnesses by the ques-
ton and answer method, and without
reference to the formal rules Of evil
dence. elicit from witnesses. as expe
diciously as the circumstances will per-
NIT, the ultimate and essential facts to
by each witness disclosed.
INVESTIGATORS INVITED TO
SCAN RECORDS
The Industrial Commission as the ul-
innate executive authority over the
state institutions frankly warned off,
GERS and other employees that the in
vestigation was designed to throttle
the state institutions in their opera
ton
A resolution directed to all employees
of the various state enterprises, says:
ut is the opinion of the governor, the
attorney general and the commission
err of agriculture and labor. constituting
the Industrial Commission of North and
representing the executive department
of the state of North Dakota that the
actions adopted by said Investigating
committee were taken and adopted for
the purpose of preventing full and
honest investigation of the North Da-
kota state industries and are in the ma
ture of a third degree or star chamber
proceeding unheard of in the annals of
the courts or Legislative Investigations
of the United States. or in the orderly
processes of civilized governments.
"a compliance with the demands (of
the cOmmittee) to produce the books
and records of the state Industries
would stop the opera
ton of said industries and destroy
them.
ut is the opinion of the governor. the
attorney general and the comm issiOn-
err Of agriculture and labor, as mem
hers of the executive department of the
state and as members of the Industrial
Commission. that such proceedings are
taken. not with a view to securing evil
dence or inspection of such books, rec
ords and documents. but for the pur-
pose of stopping the operation of said
Industries and Of destroying them; and
that such action was taken for no fair
and honest purpose and is in violation
state of North Dakota and is an at
tempt to usurp the prerogatives of the
executive department of the state"
Seeking to lend full and reasonable
assistance to any investigation. how
ever, the Industrial Commission after
ordering employees to refrain from TAX
ing books or papers out of the institu-
ton, delivered the following order in
the resolution:
"You are - ordered to permit
any person duly authorized by a reso
luton duly passed in either House Of
the Seventeenth legislative assembly,
or persons duly delegated by said res
olutions, carrying proper credentials,
showing. such authorization. to exam
inc and inpect any of the above mon.
toned items or property which are In
your possession, under your control or
in you use at any time during business
hours on bushes days. provided how
ever such inspection shall only be per-
j. mitted when your managing officer Of
the particular industry in which you
are employed is present in person dur
i. ing such inspection, or has authorized
or delegated some other person to act
in his behalf in that respect.
? You are further hereby ordered not
to permit any person 80 inspecting any
of such items or property to change,
alter or remove any Of the same.
you are ordered and directed to do
everything in your power consistent
with this order to assist and cooperate
= with such perons in securing for them
such information as they may be seek
ing by such examination and inspec-
ton, SO that 1t will be possible for
such committee or committees to OBJ
tain all the real facts concerning the
, said industries II they so DESIRE"
The Commission is seeking by every
! avenue to prevent the throttling Of the
, states industries and the states credit
r by this political conspiracy. The sue
cess or failure of the Commission in
q this struggle rests with the people
y Will public. opinion rise up and con-
denim for all time tactics of politicians
q who for the price Of feeting partisan
a success would strike at the founda
lions upon which North Dakota il
: builded as one of the sister states OF
n the union; would bring poverty anG
: suffering to the hearthside of thous
ands Of homes: would destroy that con
4 fidence upon which the state must liv.
n in relation to the other states Of tn,
k union?
e The Industrial Commission believes
i that public opinion will answer tn
e facts have been placed before the PEG
pie.
g The people shall know the truth.
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