The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-21
Law IS EXPECTED
T0DELAY CONTROL
BY new OFFICIALS
Terms Of Many Appointees Will
Not Expire Until Later,
Records Show
BOARDS SEEN AS IMPORTANT
Major Appointments to Be Made
BY Them Rather Than BY
New Governor
Although every elective state Off

Although every elective state off,
Ger in office after Jan. will be a
member of the Nonpartisan League,
members of that political group will
not Immediately obtain control of all
phases Of the states operation. a
survey disclosed Monday.
In some departments any Sweep
ing-out" of present employees will be
delayed, on the basis of present laws,
until new appointments are made.
The list of these appointments also
discloses that some of the most i'm
portant will be made by the Nonpar-
tisans through boards, rather than
directly by the governor, as many
have assumed.
First of all, of course, those de-
partments which now are controlled
by I. v. A. officeholders will change
complexion Immediately when new
officials take office. This list in
cludes the governors, attorney gen.
erals, commissioner of agriculture
and labor, auditors and public in
struction departments.
With the governorship goes what
ever power of appointment is not re-
served by law to boards.
Tax Department First
The first department to come un-
der the governors supervision through
the appointing power will be that of
the tax commissioner. liver A. Acker,
present tax commissioner, was ap-
pointed to a six-year term ending
June 30, 1887. but the string to this
is the fact that he may be removed
at will by the governor. Because of
this fact Acker's resignation will be
ready when William LANCER takes
office as governor. The number Of
employees in this office is IA, some of
whom are technicians and who could
not easily be replaced merely by po-
litical appointments.
The term of r. E. Kennedy as state
engineer expires April 2, 1885. AS is
the case with some other offices
which require technical knowledge,
however, this is not regarded as a
political appointment.
Semings0n May Hold
OF particular interest because of
prediction statements is the situa-
ton affecting the state bank exam
iner'S department.. The term of Gill
bert SemingSon, present chief. does
not expire until March IL, 1885, and
the only provision for removal, un-
der the present law, is that the in
cumbent may be ouSted if he "vio-
lates or fails faithfully to discharge"
the duties of his office. The "at will"
clause which makes the tax commits
sioner the servant of the governor Is
missing from this law.
One of the most important agen-
cies, the Bank of North Dakota, will
be controlled by the NonpartiSan in
dustrial commission when it holds its
first meeting after taking office.
The key man in this position Is the
general manager and director gen.
eral, a post now held by Col. G. F.
Mudgett. Below this post are many
jobs, many of them calling for spe-
cialized knowledge and experience
and many paying as much or more
than is paid to state officers. Incl
dentally, these salaries are not af-
fected by the 20 per cent reduction
voted by the voters ON Nov. 8. The
Bank of North Dakota is owned by
the state but is not, strictly speak
ing, state institution.
For these reasons, and because the
banks activities cover the entire
state, the action In selecting a new
manager will be watched with in
terest. Because of its size and the
heavy volume of its payroll, it is
about the only political plum tree
left after the voters got through
shearing at governmental expendi-
lures In June and November.
Next to come under the governors
hand will be the game and fish de-
partment, the appointment of Bur-
ME Maurek, present commissioner,
expiring Jan. 81, 1888. This depart
ment lists Is full-time employees in
addition to numerous part-time ward
ems and other assistants.
The new governors first appoint
ment to the state highway commits
sion will be that of a successor to
James A. Dinnie, Grand Forks, whose
Continued on mage severn