The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-20
r. O N T N u E II
~ from page one
Challenges LANCER
To Declare Himself

To Declare Himself
in politics and which, according to
our contention, cause controversies
injurious to the welfare of our people
and to our institutions and to our
state.
Favor Less Bureaucracy
In short, VIC favor contraction
rather than expansion in government
al activities. We believe in less pa
ternalism and less bureaucracy.
I'VE also believe agriculture is the
basic industry upon which the pros
perity of all depends and consequent
ly we favor all legislation calculated
to promote that industry"
Contrasting this stand with that of
our opponent" DePuy said LANCER
evidently intends to carry out an ex-
panSion of governmental activities
with an attendant increase in govern
mental expenses, and proposes con-
centration of power in the office O.
,governor by adding powers never in
tended for it and which were sought
to be prevented by those who planned
our system Of government.
| Reviewing the history Of govern
mental expansion in North Dakota,
DePuy said the bonded indebtedness
advanced from a quarter of million
dollars at the end of Burke's regime
to SAL 100000 at present. He asserted
that the policies which brought this
about were shaped by my opponent
and his associates in 1919" and illus
trated the increased cost by citing
that the attorney generals office cost
$4,000 for the biennium preceding
Langer's term as attorney general ana
100000 for a similar period while
LANCER held that office.
! 1t was d.:ring this period that the
licensing department was added to
the attorney generals office, creating
numerous jobs and adding to the en-
penses. he recalled.
Condemns Is Measures
Condemning Langer'S famous pro-
posal for Is initiated measures, DePuy
pointed out that several Of them were
designed to increase taxes, mentioning
proposals for higher income taxes. ad-
ditional income taxes on corporations,
a license for all forms of business with
heavier fees against chain stores, ana
advocacy of a sales tax TO raise anothe"
million and half of dollars. All OF
these taxes. he said. must come out
of the pockets of the taxpayers and IL
the last analysis from the soil.
Opposing the branch-bank proposal
OF his opponent. DePuy said it would
set up a political agency in every
county with power to serve favorites
and furnishing machinery to perpetu-
ate people in office such as has neve:
existed heretofore.
Langer's proposal to abolish the
board of administration and substi-
tute political control for control as
nearly nom political as it is possible
to make it. thereby gaining control
of the expenditure of five or six mil
lion dollars, also was condemned as
one designed to build UP a political
machine. In the event of Langer's
election and enactment of his pro-
posed legislation, the governor would
possess power not intended, under
our scheme of government, to be
placed in the hands of the executive,
DePuy said.
Rejected by Own People
The speaker pointed to the fact
that LANCER is ~"out Of harmony"
with a large percentage of those in
his own party, citing the fact that
the 13 initiated measures were re-
jected by Nonpartisan group, AZ
to 81.
Directing fire at Langer's proposal
to create a new department to man.
age the affairs of closed banks, TAX
ing this function out of the hands
of the supreme court, DePuy said the
proposal has grave dangers which
Should not be risked.
This is especially so, he said, In
view Of the fact that my opponent
represents clients holding millions Of
dollars in claims against closed
banks. making it especially unwise
to place him in the unfortunate po-
sition of being compelled to serve
two masters, his clients on the one
hand and the people on the other.
and this is true no matter how hon.
est he may be-"
This reference was to claims
against the bank guaranty fund by
persons for whom LANCER is attor-
ney. In an effort to obtain payment
Of these claims several years ago he
proposed general sales tax. An ini-
tiated measure seeking to pay the
claims was rejected by the people.
The mere sweeping out of state
employees, to replace them with 9TH
ers with less experience and for po-
litical reasons only, was condemned
as mot the remedy which the tax
! payers are entitled to have applied
!; His aim, DePuy said, will be to elm
mate all unnecessary employees and
departments and the employment of
persons best qualified for the posi-
tions who are willing to accept rea-
sonable compensation. Competent
persons, he said, should not be re-
moved merely to make room for some
office seeker.
johnson Launches Attack
I Although DePuy specified that III
did not question the honesty Of hi