The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-06-18
Says Blackmail
Tried in Attempt
To Get Printing

'SVtbSt1JuG0 t1VAeS 00Bg OAt0
the attack made upon him and Bryne
1T would seem only fitting and proper
that he should tell the public u these
ruraors are true or not"
Mcdonnell said that J. A. Kitchen,
I. v. A. member; Of the printing COM
mission. has voted for the bills now
being challenged and that the vote
Of the commission has been unani-
nous on every matter except one. and
that had nothing to do with printing
bills.
Salient parts Of. McDonnsll,s ad-
dress follow:
II find myself in an unusual posi-
ton. For the first time it is neces-
sary to refute false and slanderous
statements regarding my integrity.
I refer to statements which have re-
Gently been appearing in a semi
weekly newspaper, printed in the
English language and published ut
2O2 Main Avenue, Bismarck, N. D.,
and to q circular being distributed
by The Independent Voters ass0cia-
ton, relative to the payment Of GER
tain bills for state printing.
Il have made no reply to the ar
ticles appearing in the newspaper,
believing that the honesty Of . pub
lie official. whether Railroad Com
missioner, Printing Commissioner or
policeman, may be as well judged
by the enemies as by his friends, 50
did not consider ar answer necessary.
But when similar statements are cir
culated by The independent Voters
association. it ia an entirely different
matter. There are many men, and
women, connected with that organ
ization who have regulations for fair
dealing.
Members Are Ex.0ffieio
Being chairman Of the railroad
commission, I am an ex.officio men,
Der Of the State Printing and Pub
LEGATION Commission. the two other
members being Secretary Of State
Robert Byrne and Commissioner of
Agriculture and Labor Joseph A.
Kitchen. The Commissioner Of Agri-
culture and Labor has been a men,
Der Of the Printing Commission since
1921 and the Secretary Of State, since
1T is charged, that under the DOM
nation Of the Secretary Of State, ex-
cessive and illegal payments have
been made to the holder Of contracts
for certain classes of printing in re-
turn for newspaper support of the
secretary and myself. and that the
protests of the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Labor against that
practice have been unavailing-that
because he is so-called minority"
member Of the commission he has
no voice in its proceedings. -.
"As . mater Of fact the record
shows that on every occasion since !
have been on the Printing Commits
sion (about q year and q half when
printing bills have been under con-
s~ideration. the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Labor has voted for
their approval. In a majority Of
cases he made the motion himself.
! have checked the Minute Book
since January, 1928, and find the
same to have been true during the
previous year. So far as political
affiliation is concerned, the Commits
sioner Of Agriculture and Labor may
be called . minority member, but
the record shows that for the past
two and . half years every vote has
been unanimous with one exception.
and that had nothing to do with
printing bills.
Not Critieising Kitchen
"Do not understand that I am crit.
icizing the Comnipsioher Of Agricpl.
ture. The point ! wish to make il
that hs has bGen on the Printing
Commission since 1921, understands
the work better than myself, and be-
ing in the minority politically would
no doubt vote against approval Of
any bill that he did not consider was
absolutely correct In every particu-
About two years ago when the
present commissioner Of agriculture
and labor and secretary Of state, and
the former chairman Of the railroad
commission composed the printing
commission, with the present state
printer in its employ, they were &C.
cused OF allowing excessive charges.
An investigation was made and the
bills for the previous year were check
ed by an expert printer from Mime
sofa who stands. high in his profess
sion. He "a selected on the recon-
mendation Of the Minnesota state
printer. Governor Christianson of
Minnesota, and other Minnesota off,
Gals. none Of whom have any interest
IN North Dakota printing contracts.
His report was that no excessive or