The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-07

coward hides behind the constitution
he wishes to be understood that h
would disregard the constitution a
any time that it interfered with hi
idea of government.
Mr.. LANCER stated in that sam
speech that If he were elected cover
nor there would be the biggest movin
day in Bismarck that the state ha
ever seen; that he would sweep out o
the capitol all the employees.
DePuy Seeks Efficiency
/ We have, as I said before, abou
two-thousand or more employees ii
this state. Their duties vary from
that of stenographers and bookkeeper
to chemists and engineers. Most O
them are holding their positions be
cause of their training and experience
because of their ability to give a goot
days service for reasonable days pay
They have not any interest particu
larly in the politics of the state. The.
were not appointed to their position.
| for political purposes and Mr.. DePu.
knows of no reason why they shoult
trade jobs with some other individual
who has not had the experience ant
possibly has not the efficiency. W.
feel that this policy OF removing state
employees who are not elective Off
GERS. or even heads Of departments
simply because of their politica
faith, would be just as injurious to the
welfare of the state as if the same
policies were carried out by the heae
of business corporation; that il
would be just as intelligent for the
governor OF this state to remove these
employees on a wholesale basis anc
replace them by inexperienced help
as it would for the new president OF c
railroad to discharge all conductors
engineers and dispatcherS and i'm.
mediately replace them with new in.
dividuals for those positions. And
wonder how many of you people
within the sound of my voice woule
like to ride on the railroad train fol
the next two or three weeks after thi:
radical change had been made in thu
personnel of the trainmen. If 1t Is un.
safe and economically unWise in {
business enterprise. it is equally SO II
the state, and any individual who il
a candidate for governor. who has II
mind making these radical changes
must necessarily be more interested
in paying political debts, than he Il
| in discharging the duties that he owe
| to his trust.
Has Not Been Fair
In addition to his policies. We fee
| that Mr.. LANCER. in his public declara
tons has not been entirely fair ane
frank with his listeners. He made the
statement in that same speech thai
the Democrats had been in charge o.
the state of North Dakota for the pas
several years. 1t is we'll known FAC
that there has not been Democrat
elected to a state office in the state
of North Dakota, except in the judi
ciary, since 1910, the last term OF Of
flee held by the Honorable John
Burke as governor of the State OF
North Dakota. and it is grossly un-
fair to make that assertion.
He stated further, and there aist
appears in large placards and signs
scattered all over the state, the state
ment that if he is elected governor
he will save one-million dollars in the
next biennial period. The saving
of a million dollars in these trying
times is certainly something greatly tc
be desired. but what he does not state
although he must know it, is that
when the voters of North Dakota al
the primary election in June voted tc
reduce the basis Of assessed valuation
of property for taxing purposes from
rs per cent of true value, to so pei
cent of true value, and that the con.
stitution of the state of North Dakota
limits the amount of taxes that car
be levied for state government by d.
rect taxation for all purposes, to foul
mills on the dollar. and that for the
last 20 years the state has been levy.
ing four mills; that the change OF
basis of assessment under this new
law automatically reduces the possible
revenue of the state of North Dakota
by direct taxation during the mex,
biennial period to $2,650, 10000, anc
that when he asserted he was going tc
save a million dollars, he was taking
credit for something over which hi
would have no responsibility.
If Mr.. DePuy wished to use the
same political tactics he would asser'
that there would be a saving during
his administration. if elected, of 81,
$50 100000, but Mr.. DePuy does no
believe that he is warranted In taking
credit for something to which he !
not due.
Would Increase Taxes
After Mr.. LANCER was nominated n
proposed Is. as the newspapers re
ported, initiated measures. Befor
submitting the petitions to the peopl
for signature he called in some 6
representative men of that branch O
the Republican party which was re
sponsibIe for his nomination, and sub
mitted these proposed measures t
them, and we believe, fortunately, tn
ma jority of them vetoed the measure:
If Mr.. LANCER is elected governor
there will be no committee of So hav
ing the veto power, and for that rea
son we feel warranted in calling you
attention to these measures, or som
OF them, as showing the objective tina
Mr.. LANCER has in mind, and whicl
he will no doubt attempt to carry GU
if he should be elected.
Although he states that if electe
he would save the state a million dol
lars, four of these proposed measure
were measures to increase the revenu
of the state. One of these measure
is significant in that it shows on tn
|