davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
REPORT OF The PRINTING AUDIT
BY THE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION

'printer has merely acted as agent
or broker for supplies furnished,
having ordered them complete thru
some wholesale concern. There
are cases where the sum charged
the county for this item is out Of
keeping with the wholesale cost to
the printer. Your costs ap-
pear excessive, all conditions con-
sidered, but this committee does
not feel that it can point at any
printer or official as responsible
for the condition. However, we do
feel that if all around on the part,
of the printers and county officials
responsible for ordering supplies
and approving payment for the
same real effort at reducing ex-
penditures were made, it would re
suit in lower general costs without
in any degree decreasing the bene-
fits that the public has a right to
expect"
It may be of interest to quote
the amounts Of the various con-
| tracts. The Producers News for
the first six months beginning
j January 5, 1925 amounted to ST.
PILOT, the following two years a.
mounted to 25,924.49 or a total of
: $28,136.56. From this total can be
taken $5,761.40 our figures or ST.
600 the Producers News figures
which may be correct, for. office
equipment and supplies such as q
: couple of safes, an adding ma
chine, library table and chairs
: book case sections, files and filing
: envelopes, rubber stamps, type
writer ribbons, paper and othe
: supplies that do not come unde
the head of printing, which ar
{ now furnished thru the purchasing
: agent.
Z The C. S. Nelson Plentywoo,
I Herald claims amounted to $12,
5 415.70 for the two years, or reall
7 From June 29,1927 to August 2, rs
] and consisted practically all o
! printed matter, publications an
1 election supplies.
: The claims of the Medicine LAX
, Wave from July 5, 1929 to July
i 1881 amounted to s15y814.47 an
: also consisted practically all {
= printed matter. These were tn
= first ones we copied and sent ]
! for auditing and the questionab
= items supported with samples I
= the work upon which the aboN
,f committee reported. There wei
ls several instances Of overcharg'
a and a few undercharges with
a balance overcharge of some $4(
. which will be carefully checks
20 and submitted 10 the Wave VIII
;11 we understand, is ready TO reir
"a burse the county for any owe
- charge.
va In order to make an exact auc
Of all the older claims, which a
y now outlawed anyway, it won
x take boo much time and expens
C., as the above committee states, Al
be might not be justified, and
h samples Of the work done is n
now available it would be almo
Dy impossible TO check except for m
ne thematical errors which we ha
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

done to certain extent so far, as
well as making comparisons wher-
ever possible. urthFer study and
checking will be done as time per-
mits us to do. We have, however,
noted several errors in the older
claims amounting to $43 in the
Producers News and $33 in the C.
S. Nelson claims.
Our impressions are similar to
those expressed by the above com
mittee, and the blame for these
large amounts of expenditures is
hard to place. There is room for
economy and it has been observed
lately that the various offices are
making an increasing use of the
mimeograph machine in the max
ing of forms nd notices thereby
utilizing their own office forces.
Our copies of the claims win be
preserved for future .reerence and
are open for inspection and verifi-
! cation at any time. The investiga-
tionsc have been made in a spirit
Of fairness to II concerned and il
is hoped what information we have
been able to find will be of value
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
LnoaHoS
S-------~-&
The Bankers Program and
How Things have Changed

Editor Producers News:
Well our county banks have been
going broke one by one. It is real
ly hard to stand behind the bank
ers' political and financial pro-
gram. Many have lost hope but
others have stood in vain rather
than be classed as a producers on
ly to be a lamb of sacrifice to the
money power.
At the present time and at this
critical moment these followers,
believers, entrusters and depositors
have got another promise that if
they can stand the strain five more
years they will then have money in
the bank.
The banks have turned the de-
positor's money into a five year
saving plan, where the depositors
cannot spend their money foolish
j ly 70 rive years and perhaps long.
er.
A man cannot say he is broke
when he has got lots of money II
the bank, even tho he can't get i
for five years.
/ They are making new company
out of these banks, they are new
babies and they have got to b.
named and fed. If you are goint
to claim relationship you have go
to sign up and admit your deeds
] This is not legal according TO tn
Montana statutes and is contrar,
to the laws Of our federal govern
ment but it saves the lamb of sac
rifice and the travel to the mount
At this time they don't believe i
, Selling busted banks. it seems +
US, especially when they are tn
busted banks.
Things got so meek and lowly q
round Medicine Lake that Brothe
Bill had 30 come from Bainville
explain, as some Of our county OF
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

ficers are sometimes compelled to
do. This man Bill is not q goat.
No, the depositors are going 30 be
the goat. Just a few days ago, on
Wednesday, weary Ed. Powers can
vassed a portion of the territory
where crops did not exist, demand
ing the sale Of the farmers milk
cows for immediate settlement as
he had to have money. Where the
cows could not be grabbed he ask
ed for better security, even though
he had practically all of their Sc
curity already.
Did he not know at that time
what he was going to do?
Did he not tell large depositors
several days before Saturday, or
the day he refused to pay checks
or state his financial condition,
that be could not at this time give
them their money. Then on Sat
urday in the language of our tex;
as how things have changed he
threY up his hands and said:
"Wait for me for five year with.
out any interest and without my
individual security, as we bank or
CARNATIONS do not sign notes, es
{ pecially where there is no use"
r The use of money to the starv
: ing farmers is worth 2eo at tn
q present time if it ever was. 8,
taking this interest into considera
3 ton, by its omition it means tina
!, the bank will steal 5036 or one
! half of the depositors money in
( period Of five years, If the bank
e pay full value at the end of fiv
n years-for the bank will pay moth
ing for this money and collect 1O1
: for its use.
RI Scripture says, one half belong
s to the Lord and as the banker
+ claim to be His chosen sons, W
: must agree they are right an
just.
e We think this good five yea
n plan originated in Medicine LAX
It where a lot Of unwritten law
written and made law. Now farm
y ers and friends, when you max
W your settlement with the busine.
,e man this fall use this law an
g state: "Wait for me for five yea,
1t without any interest and witho,
s. anv security" Do as Ed. Powe-
he did, You wont be compelled
" SIGN YOUR name. All viii be ben
n fitted and the business man vi
G. have lots Of money five years fro
It. this fall.
in This deal reminds me of d
30 money panic Of 1907. An mon,
ne was held uD in the banks. No ne
son regardless of his standing r
a. ceived any money. Checks we
er the onlv medium Of exchange.
to one night a nice fat hungry bal
4 woke up crying for milk. AS mi
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
Item for Serious Consideration

of the two turns he makes de-
ponds a great deal on how sOci.
ETY. has acted toward him.
One writer in a recent article
said that a person who turned to
lawlessness or crime lacked some
thing in his moral nature, even
tho In this crime he saw the |
means of securing the necessities
of life for himself and family. |
Yet there is far more lacking in
the moral nature of the man or
amlly who, secure in one position,
reaches out and grasps other
sources o income, knowing that
there are lots of other families
to whom thi sjOb would be a God
send. 1t may mean some luxury
to them but to the other it means
the difference between paying
ones own way like a man, even
tho 1t Is only small way, or hav-
ing to rely on charity.
In a few more months winter
will be here. We know that il is
sure to come and on rcOunty COM
missiOners will be called upon to
assist a large number of families
to secure food that they might
live and they will wonder among
themselves what the devil has
that guy been doing all summer"
Yet they never trouble to look
around to see if they have sever
al Of one family on the county
payroll and young men doing
work that married men should be
doing but have not the pull to get
hold of. True it is not the fault
of the young man that the other
has a family to support, yet it is
the family man who directly II
indirectly pays the taxes and
should have the first cOnsidera-
ton.
1t has been shown in the his
tory of great nations of the past
that the common people vii
stand to be starved only so Ions
and then they throw all law and
order to the winds and tale what
they want with consequent large
amount of bIOOdshed. Whethel
this country comes to that pas
or not depends upon the attitud'
that the leaders with money, pow
er, pull, graft or whatever yOu
wish to call it, display before an
other winter comes around.
If there is to be any work don
in this section on county or stat
improvements, why not handle
in a business like way? Hav
the Idle men all register and in
sist that the contractors Civ
them the first chance to go t
work. If there are not enOug
married men to do the work the
it is time that the single men 90
their chance and the outsiders
come in after that. Insist thu
where more than one position
held in a family, that one of thes
positions be given up to some oI
equally efficient, especial
should this be so where count
state, city and school funds al
; used.
This article was sent to tt
} Wolf Point Herald four weeks az
t Wednesday and so far the edit
J has considered it not worth prin
1 ing. The space in his paper mu
I indeed be valuable when he cann
e print an article which takes in
: consideration the welfare of Il
t people who eventually pay for h
!. living and keep his paper going.
: We now have the work on o.
= great road in progress and as tn
s was to relieve unemployment, VIII
n are our commissioners going to
d about it?
e Are we going TO be employ
? going back and forth asking f
4 work or are the outsiders to
h laid off and the local men, W
e eventually will pay for this ros
r given a chance to earn part
h that money now?
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
By EDGAR 1. SYVERUD
Secretary-T Treasurer

OecreLary-1reaSure
Sheridan County Taxpayers Assn. |
THE REPORT Of the county
printing audit was received
"A last Friday from the arbitra-
ton committee of the Montana
State Press Association. It did not
give any startling disclosures as
we had been led to expect. Their
report is very general and as some
would be pleased 10 call a white
wash" But considering what they
had to work on it may be the best
to be had especially so in the older
claims where the samples and 9TH
or evidence were not available. No
attempt apparently had been made
by them at figuring the various a
mounts, their work being merely
checking whether the prices charg-
ed were proper. The report in
part reads i:
at. is impossible for Us to fig
ure the claims on any of the items
prior b the last contract, as spe-
cifications and samples were not
fuFnihed. > However, it is clear
that the time that would be con-
.sumed in a study of all claims
presented over the period, and the
expense involved would make it i'm
possible for this committee to
make a detailed examination of all
claims presented to the county
during the six years under cOnsid
Grafton, (1925-193D and lacking
exact specifications, in many cas-
es it would not be possible for thG
committee to decide as to the cor
rectness of the charge made. .
In going over the varlUus, cOmrac
in the period concerted effe com
mittee is very much impresse'
with one outstanding fact, and tina
is that for some reason that
not entirely clear, Sheridan count,
has been expanding more none
under the printing contracts i
this six year period, by far, thal
appears to have been necessary o
required by a county of the popu
lation and valuation of Sheridan
At this distance we cannot preten
to say who is responsible for thi
It might have been a combinatio
of conditions or the lack of a spt
cial effort to economize on prin'
ing expenditures. But for the fl
ture, we feel that the Taxpayer
Association as representative {
those that provide the public funC
should urge the commissioners al
other county officials to make sp
cial efforts 10 conduct the nece
sary business as related to printiT
so as to bring about decrease
the volume Of the material order,
and thereby reduce what appea
to be an excessive expenditure. '
would recommend that where su
plies are furnished that more e
act specifications as 10 size, ct
should be given so it would
an easier matter to check
charge against the price fixed
che code. In some cases {
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

was not available the proud par
ents wondered in vain until the
father solved the problem. The ia
Their Immediately jumped out of
bed grabbed a milk ticket, "Take
this baby, it's just as good; hush
up and go to Sleep"
Also this is going to be our bank
program but it's a long five year
sleep.
A RESERVE FARMER
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
By HARLOW G.. FRANK,
Wolf Point, Montana

When the year of 1880 was
growing old and the y0ungster,
1881, Just starting out, we heard
on all sides and thru the radio:
"Here comes prosperity" and
prosperity is just around the
corner" yet six months of 1881
have passed and nothing has
come of this ''Relief of unemplOy-
ment."
Where have gone all those
promises that were advanced be-
fore the election for the bonding
of Montana for the good roads
and numerous other activities.
AS we watch the freight trains
cling east and west we can see
hundreds of men travelling both
ways in hopes that some place
they will be able to secure en-
plOyment with chances that when
they arrive at their destination,
the job will be around still an
other corner, and they will be
shunted off to the foot of the
next rainbow.
We are apt to place all the
blame for these conditions on the
financial heads of this country,
yet a lot of the blame for these
wandering men can be traced
right down to the small town or
city in which they hace passed a
good part of their lives and paid
their taxes and started their
homes. Because many of these
men have homes and families for
whose welfare they are response
bic.
If we would only look around
or inquire we would find that a
number of men have left Wolf
Point because they could not find
employment here and also a large
number of men idle here because
the only reason they did not leave
was because they could not fine
the money to finance themselves
until they could get work. Yet
on the other hand one can easily
see men holding down two Ol
three jobs, not because they arr
smarter, stronger or better mel
than their fellows, but becaus,
they have been fortunate in hav
ing a pull" politically, financial
ly or fraternally which put then
on the inside track and they an
determined on holding onto thi
advantage in order to save up TO
some luxuries or TO add to a grON
ing bank accOunt-flOuting tn
evidence of good fortune in tn
face of men DO whom a pay da
Is only a memory.
It is a thing for a nation to b
proud of, when the members ar
all thrifty and the family, wher
the husband and wife and chi
dren all work together to bull
up a solid foundation of finance;
independence, and under certai
economic conditions, it has bee
found to be necessary for III
wife to leave the home and go oil
and work with her men folks
achieve, a certain program tn
the leaders have mapped out, ar
also children of tender years an
= boys of school age, taking the
palces in the markets of Il
wsrk. But under the labor CO
4 ditiOns as we find them today,
: speaks very poorly of our bus
, ness management. to allow sc
- eral jobs to go into one fami
q and deny the heads of famili
; even a chance to work and tn
blame him If he is at last call
. upon to ask aid of charity. T
average man does not want cha
! ity, but a chance 10 work.
= that is denied him long enOur
- there are only two places whe
= he has to turn-the one Is chs
= ity and the other is crime. Viii
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07
Sea Gulls Gorge Selves on
'Hoppers IN North DakOts

Cogswell, N. D., Aug. 2.-GuIls
today helped farmers of this area
in their fight against grasshop-
pers. Flocks, which entonnologists
said apparently were driven south
by drouth in Canada, were feast
ing on the insect pests. Farmers
said the gulls spread over a wide
area. Some fields were cleared en-
tirely Of grasshoppers.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

Stone houses are no longer beyond
the realm OF the small home builder.
In other days. only the palatial resid-
ence was built Of stone. Today
quantity production methods de-
veioped by the Indiana Limestone
company. have made nco Riplstone
factngs available at moderate cost.
This cozy limestone home. Dutch
Colonial type of architecture. has
charm, comfort. compactness and u
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

destination. about 375 miles. Al
total cost Of only $3.50. This moas
investment. together with a minirv.
upkeep cost. makes a house Of p,
character attractive from an eccn !,
ical as well as beauty standp0n.
This and similar types Of ws
homes are becoming more ano M
popular throughout the coun:ry a
cording TO the Home Builders y,
ice Bureau. Bedford. Ind. wh.r .a-
designs may be obtained t..s
charge.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-08-07

econona. cal to puild. On the nrst
floor is pleasant arrangement OF
living room. dining room, kitchen.
breakfast room and garage. Three
large bedrooms, with dressing room
of the master chamber. and bathroom
comprise the second floor.
AS an indication Of how inexpens-
lively a stone house Of distinction
and permanence may be obtained
enough stone to build the house IL
Illustrated was shipped from the lime
stone duarries at Bedford. Ind. 70 it
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
employees PUSH.
BUREAU FIGHT

Restricting the functions of the
United States Bureau of Effici-
ency to matters more in the line
Of equipment, administrative Or
ganization and relations between
the work of various departments,
with the bureaus present func-
tionS regarding personnel reduced
or eliminated, will be taken up
earnestly by the National Fedora
ton of Federal Employees at the
Seattle convention beginning La
Dor Day.
The bureau, established as an
independent unit by act of Con-
gress of February %, 1915, is
given several main functions.
They include investigating busi-
ness methods in the Government;
investigating duplication OF work;
investigating the personnel needs
of the executive departments and
independent establishments; eS-
tabliShing and maintaining a
standard system of efficiency
ratings for the classified civil serv-
ice in the District of Columbia.
It is the contention of Federal
employees that one central person
nel-adminiStrative agency would
really bring about more "effici-
cheney" than the established "Bu-
reau of Efficiency"
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
Lantern Festival
Deferred Till Fall
by International

Due to jnclement weather, the
Lantern Festival which was sched'
uled for presentation at the Syl-
van Theater on the Monument
grounds last night, was postponed
until the fall, when the entire
program will be given indoors.
The announcement was made
yesterday by Mrs. Elizabeth K.
Peepels, director of the Commu-
nifty Center Department.
The festival is under the joint
auspices of the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks, the
Community Center Department
and the National Capital Civic
Fund.
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
DELEGATES OFF
NEXT SUNDAY

ALTHOUGH the long-anticipated
convention in Seattle Of the Ma
tional Federation Of Federal EN-
ployeS Union does not begin until
September Z, the national officers
here with their secretarial staffs,
and the delegates from the Wash
tngton locals, win leave here next
Thursday for the Northwest city.
In addition to President Luther
p. Steward and Secretary Ger
trude M. McNally and their staffs,
these delegates viii go: Local No.
B.. Lottie L. Anderson, John l..
Bateman, Ulrey j. BiIler, Henry
q. Nolda, Joseph Stansfield,
George A. Warren; Local No. II,
Mrs. Matte Hardy, Mrs. ISadora
A. Letcher, Mrs. Rosella e.
Thomas; Local No. los, Mae Ber-
gevin, Olive Greer, Lulu Kendrick,
Gertrude M. McNally, Belle Trou-
land; Local No. 249, John r. New
man; Local No. 26O, George l..
Jeffrey, DR.. j. Franklin Meyer;
Local No. 261, Elmer H. Bailey,
William s. Kinney; Local No. 262,
j. o. Burnham, John w. Ginder,
Elmer c. Hooper, Sophia Weber;
Local No. 3T2, Louis A. RoSafy.
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
JOB TEST TAKEN
s. BY 10000

For three days this week In
scores of cities over the United
States, the long-awaited file clerk
examination drew the interest Of
thousands of would-be Govern
ment employees, and not a few
present Government workers who
sought a better status.
A total Of 34,260 applications
had been filed. of which 10000
were in the District Of Columbia.
Nearly 1000 applicants were
found ineligible for the tests, and
since usually about One-third Of
those examined fail to pass, the
examinations this week added
about 2O,OOO names to the eligibil-
ity register for file clerk posi-
tiOnS.
The jobs pay $1,26O for mex
perienced and $1,440 for expert
enced file clerks.
Local examinations were held
in Central High School. It was
the largest examination, in num-
Der of applicants, for any posi-
tion in the history Of the Civil
Service Commission.
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
VETERAN TELLS
Of WAR DAYS

Tales of pigs wallowing in the
mud Of Pennsylvania Avenue, a
line Of Shanties bordering the
upper end of that street, and an
unfinished dome on the Capitol
were told last night by Charles
F. Hopkins, a guest Of the Dodge
Hotel, who 70 years ago visited
the Capital with the First New
Jersey Infantry, to participate in
the Civil War.
At the time of his enlistment,
MIR. Hopkins was 19 years old.
He told Of crossing the Long
Bridge to take part in early
battles Of Virginia, and of saving
his sergeant's life, for which, 80
years after the war, he received
the Congressional Medal.
Mr.. Hopkins particularly re-
members a structure called
Soldiers Rest. It was in this
building on Pennsylvania Avenue
that long lines Of weary soldiers
were taken to tables of BUTTERFLIES
bread and luke-Warm coffee.
The Washington times., 1931-08-22
Here and There

Miss Catherine E. Harbaugh.
secretary's office, Bureau of En-
craving and Printing. is on va
cation at Ocean City, Md. She
is expected back Monday.
LauriSton C. Marshall has
been appointed physicist. work
ing under DR.. Walter T. Swim
gle in the bureau of horticul-
ture. Department of Agricul-
ture.
Roy F. Lassley, Of the dis
bursting office, Department Of
the Interior, is on a months
motor tour in Canada.
Lowell F. Butler has been
transferred from the field as
associate pathologist. Depart
ment of Agriculture. for work
here.
Miss Helen Ruff, member Sec
retary, Board Of Tax Appeals, Is
getting accustomed to office
routine again after a vacation.
Leo, S. Richardson, press Of
flee, Department of Agriculture,
is on his second week Of vaca-
ton. The vacation was biSected
when Charles s. Gapen got the
mumps. With Mr.. Gapen back,
Mr.. Richardson is finishing his
outing.
Elliott s.. Degman and John
H. Weinberger are new assis-
tant biologists at the Airing
ton farm. Department Of Agri-
culture.
Franklin P. McDermott has
been enjoying a two weeks va
cation from the radio section,
Patent Office. by visiting in
New York State.