The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1922-02-08


charges against the board men
1hey will be charged with "mis
demeanors in office" if formal
The basis Of the charge against
lie board members is understood to
b in part based upon contracts let
for supplies for the various state in
it having been alleged in
reports to the governor that the
states interest has not been concern
ed in the letting of contracts, some
ef which have been let to highest bid
aers. Higher prices have been paid
for supplies than is held necessary, it
h charged, and "gross incompetence"
Will be charged.
No answer was given to the demand
resign but it has been reported that
tie two board members, expecting to
10 removed, has engaged legal coun-
sol in advance.
Governor Nestos has previously
stated. that, he would not undertake
any removal proceedings Of any Nom
partisan or other officer of the former
administration that was not amply
justified and where the evidence
would not stand the test of the
courts. His action in demanding the
resignation is taken to mean that the
executive believes he has ample
grounds for demanding the removal,
as he has been bitterly criticised in
some quarters for not removing sew
eRal Nonpartisan Office holders who
had been the subject Of many bitter
campaign charges.
Totten, a former preacher was at
cuts with the Frazier administration,
II was generally reported, and it was
expected that Governor Frazier would
have attempted to remove him had he
not been defeated in the recall cleo
tion. Complaints also had ben reg
istered against Cahill to Nonpartisan
officials, it was rumored, although
this is not definitely known. 1
Governors Position.
There were reports in capitol cir
cles yesterday that evidence had been
submitted to Fovernor Nstos and re-
quest made for removal Of several
office holders including two mem
bers of the fish and game commits
sion,
Governor Nestos, who has stead
3astly maintained that he would not
begin any removed proceedings un-
til he felt that evidence submitted to
him, if any, was sufficient to warrant
removal and to stand the test of the
courts, when asked yesterday about
the reports, said.
During the first six weeks of nv
administration, no evidence was sub
mitted for the removal of anv an
pointees that seemed to me to be suf-
ficient to warrant the commencement
OF and action" said the Governor, "and
1t is only during the past couple of
weeks that the evidence submitted
has been such as to make me feel
that removal proceeding would be
tust(, and certain to be sustained by
the courts in the event that an an.
peal was taken. There are at least 8
couple Of cases now where such evi.
dence has been submitted, and where
It is likely that action will be brought
very shortly"
Reviews Complaints.
Reviewing the complaints of manv
persons who had expected a "house-
cleaning" under the new administra-
ton, the Governor said:
II notice that some people and
newspapers are inclined to be critical
OF the administration because thev
claim that long before this the Gov
ernor should have removed certain
appointees from the office to which
they were appointed by the former
administration. I do not believe that
this certain is warranted, although
OF course, it is question upon which
there many be difference Of opinion
Practically all of these appointments
were made for certain definite per-
100 OF time, such period expiring in
the different cases in 1928, 1925 and
1927 and in most cases these an
polntees are removal for cause
only. '
y 1T is true that general impre-
non exists that abudant cause ex-
lists in many Of these cases and an
parently this impression seemed to
be we'll founded in the right of the
reports Of the general activities of
these appointees and their qualifica-
lions for the position they hold.
Il have announced it as my atti-
tude however thaS i rave seen co
occasion to change my mind that /
will commence none of these p1ces ed
ings until the evidence produced he
fore me appears to me to be suffi-
cient to warrant the removal and such
as would be legally sufficient to sus-
tain my order of removal in case an
appeal were taken therefrom to the
courts Of the state"