Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-10
DopG1Na PUBLICITY.

The leaders OF the Nonparttsan
administration at Bismarck caused
laws to be framed for the maLase-
ment Of the industrial and financial
enterprises of the state in such q man
ner that information concerning their
operation would be kept from the peo-
pie of the state. Authority over the
entire system was concentrated. and
the. enterprises we're so interlocked
that knowledge concerning them
could be kept within a little circle of
the elect.
Efforts to examine the affairs OF
these enterprises by responsible offic-
ers Of the state charged with u
duties in other cases we're resisted,
and the courts ruled that under h
wording Of the law examination int the
usual could not be insisted
on. Because Of this state of affairs
a bill was submitted at the last cleo
ion proposing the creation of an audit
ing board which should make period
ical examinations. The voters by q
large majority gave their approval to-
this measure, and it became . law.
Its enactment was opposed by the full
power OF the Socialist organization. !;
The auditing law having gone into
effect, the governor, the state man
ager of the Nonpa-tisan league, and
other influential members of the or
g%anization used every means at their
rJ;->o~~y " '~rn~o~< on o,,1ik 4f tho
industries in time for a report to be
made to this legislature OF to be
available for the information Of the
legislature. A firm Of competent
certified accountants having been en-
gagged to perform the vol funds with
which to pay for the work were denied
and the work could not have been
undertaken except for personal guar
antees OF expenses made by private
individuals.
Certain Of the auditing work having
been completed, and a report on 1t
being in course CT preparation, the
House adopted a resolution asking
that at as early a date as possible, the
report be placed at the disposal of the
House. That resolution was opposed
by every Nonpartisan member of the
House, and by Representative Bjorgo,
Of the Seventh district, who was de-
clared by his sponsors in the late cam
paign to be entirely free from Town
ley-Lemke influences. In the Senate
a similar resolution had attached to
it the absurd provision that every
person who had participated in any
way in the preparation of the report
fy with reference to it. That reso:
luton, with it's supplementary con.
dition, was adopted in the senate by
the League majority Of one
The purpose of the Townley-Lemkt
combination in relaticn to this matter
has been to delay, obstruct and con-
fuse. That combination has opposed
every effort to obtain an audit of the
books, and having failed III that. eff
fort IS now being directed to prevent
ing information being placed before
the legislature in time for it to be o
any service. II those who are nov
engaged in the work Of obstruction
had at n time displayed willingness
for an accounting, and for the presen
tation of intelligence reports to tn
legislature and the public, they nigh
with some sight measure Of plaus
Utility maintain that their presen
course is prompted by a desire to OBJ
tain as full and as detailed informa
ton as possible. But by their oppo
sition to everything looking towar
an accounting they have eliminate
that. possibility. They opposed tn
audit, and they are now trying t
make the audit of no effect. Thei
present curse is entirely consisten
with all that they have done in tn
past. %
The people want to know, and tn
Socialist bosses are determined tina
they shall not know if it a be pre-
vented.