The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-01
AUDIT BOARD
SCANSEXPENSE
BILLSCL0SELY
State Auditor Gives Rulings
Concerning Pullman and
Taxi Fares

Whether or not an empl0ye OF the
state Of North Dakota may ride IN q
Pullman car at the states expense
when he travels depends upon whe
he is.
Whether or not he may ride in d
taxi depends upon where he goes.
Those are two Of the rules laid
down by the state auditing board
which thrice monthly checks over Tn.
states bills and the expense account
Of state employees.
1--WE try to be reasonable and fair.
said John Stccn. the only member OF
the board who gives every bill careful
scrutiny. "We do not feel that every
500 a month clerk is entitled to ride
in Pullman every time he goes
somewhere for the state, but we dc
feel that officials in important posi-,
<ions should travel in as much com
for. as persons of similar standing
in private business"
Time was when no state cmploSe
was allowed Pullman fare unless ht
slept on the train at night. Bills fo'
seats on Pullman cars in the daytime
were summarily rejected. Judicial
dignity was the first to be seriously
Offended. A judge of one of the dis
trict courts complained that he DID
not think it right for him to have L
ride in the day coach while lawyer
going to the same town to try case
in his court. rode in the Pullman. lie
thought the state Was too penurouS :
The auditing board decided that the
unbreakablc Pullman rule was LITTLE
harsh, SO they modified it.
Not "WhO" But ''Where"
Taxi fares, Steen said. depend mol
on who but where. In some cases en-
ployes have presented taxi bills fol
transportation from the railroad sta.
ton at Bismarck to the state capitol
building. Under questioning they ex.
planned that their lust for work IN
spired them to get on the job as
quickly as they could. The auditing
board was unimpreSsed and all such
items were cut out. Steen says they
no longer appear in the expense ac,
counts.
"If state. employe or officer has
legitimate cause to take taxi the
bill is not questioned said Steen
..But if we know the circumstances
are such that he would not have taken
it If he were paying his own expenses
we cut it out of his expense account.
JIuIC duuFLlHS UOdiu iuNulDSiS diS ~
miliar with conditions in every city II
the state they have little trouble II
disposing of the cases of men travel
ing in North Dakota. When state Of
ficials travel in strange cities. how
ever, their taxi bills are allowed with
out question
Tips Not Paid by State
State employees almost never give
tips-or if they do the tips are not
listed in expense accounts. "Perhaps
they give tips and list them in some
other way" said Steen. "but they are
not usually allowed By the board and
people soon learn not to turn in items
which they know will not be paid
The only exception to this rule is the
case of persons coming into the state
at the states expense to lecture vt one
cf the colleges, the university or .
normal school or in some professio nal
capacity. In such cases tips are paid
without question. Stcen himself tips
when he travels but the item never
appears in his expense account. III
isn't necessary but person can
hardly escape it after he has Travelled
on Pullman all day so pay my own
quarter" Steen explained. Other
state officials. he said, probably do
the same.