The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-12-08

1891 session Of the legislature. Mr.
LANCER was employed by the packing
interests to fight the oleomargarine
tax bill. His veto Of the Weighing and
grading measure at the last session
seems to indicate that q very friendly
relationship still exists between Mr.
LANCER and such interests as were
opposing that legislation. The COVER
nor can offer no jlistifiable reason for
his veto Of this bill, and It must be
construed as q move to protect such
special interests at the expense OF
the people Of this state. The whole
history Of this transactions, II 1t were
known, would probably prove to be
very interesting to the farmers who
produce livestock for market and who
sincerely wanted the protection on
grading and inspection provided for
in that bill.
Raped Rail Board
Il call your attention to his veto
Of the appropriation for the Railroad
Commission providing for funds with
which to carry on the work to secure
reduced railroad freight rates and uti-
lily rates In the state. The members
OF the Railroad Commission, although
Of the same political faith but be-
cause they were not yes men," had
also incurred his displeasure. and this
was one way Of striking back besides
affording him an opportunity Of put
ting himself In q favorable light with
the railroads and utilities. More than
any other group In the state. the
railroads would have been benefited
by the proposed sales tax, and Mr..
Langer's enthusiastic advocacy Of this
measure may, to degree at least, be
interpreted in the light Of this fact.
Special interests doing business in
North Dakota are satisfied with Mr..
Langer's administration. You viii find
very little anti-Langer sentiment
among the groups that have large
corporate interests at stake. The
packing plants are satisfied, the CEN
tralizers are pleased, the utilities are
content with the situation as 1t now
exists, the railroads have never had q
better friend.
Mr.. LANCER boasts Of the fact that
he Is the economy governor. Let us
analyze his record In this matter.
Governor Shafer was accused Of ex-
travagance, and you remember the
campaign story Of how poor Adolph
was subjected to q verttable swarm
Of inspectors who harrassed him to
the point where he could not attend
to the duties Of his business. With
tears in his eyes, LANCER lamented
this sad situation and promised to
abolish all inspectors except those
that were absolutely necessary for the
regulation and supervision Of the var
ious departments. What happened?
A bill was passed by the legislature
creating q Regulatory Department
under the control Of which all inspec-
lions were to be merged. Let us look
at the Regulatory Department as now
constituted. In the heyday Of Gov
ernor Skaters extravaganza. the total
number Of inspectors and employees,
including stenographers, supervising
the work now done by the Regulatory
Department, at no time exceeded 50
people.
70 On Payroll Now
Today, I am reliably informed, the
amount is in excess Of 70. If we add
to this number some 20 odd beer in
lspsctors and other special inspectors
here and there appointed by the gov
ernor, we find that instead Of having
the number Of inspectors cut down,
we have under the LANCER administra-
ton three for every one we had dur
ing the former administration.
why all these inspectors in the
Regulatory Department? Why twen-
ty beer inspectors with twenty brand
new Pontiac cars2 It Is not because
Mr.. LANCER desires to give the people
q more efficient administration or be
Of greater help to them. It IS be-
cause he Is imbued with an Unsuitable
desire to build for himself, in spite Of
public sentiment against his policies
and principles, political machine
that will perpetuate him In office.
And you may be sure he will continue
to appoint enough inspectors and
enough men Of his own ilk on the pay
roll to secure his own nomination at
the next convention II that IS at all
humanity possible to accomplish. The
men on his pay roll constitute the
vanguard Of his great political often
sive carrying on their work at the ex-
pense Of the taxpayers Of the state
and having at their disposal the huge
sum Of money obtained by the COVER
nor In his five and seven per cent ex-
tortion from state employees.
The Mill and Elevator
LET us look at his economy record
Is the responsible manager Of the
state mill and elevator. need not 60
into details, but how can LANCER ex-
plain the necessity for the employ
ment Of two managers Of the mill,
one the nominal head, Mr.. Peterson,
another the active head, Mr.. Spencer,
both at monthly salaries equivalent
to probably twice the total income
from your farm last year? How can
he explain the economy Of employing
three wheat buyers, each drawing
substantial salaries? How can he ex-
plain to the people that 1t was neces-
sary for him to appoint Mr.. Bronson
as attorney for the mill ut q salary
Of 800 q month when the same work
had been done under the former adj
ministration at . SALARY Of $50 q
month? Does this type Of saving en-
title the governor to any credit for q
deep and abiding interest In reducing
operating costs?
let Us look ut the five per cent
racket for minute. In order to build
. political machine, three things are
necessary: You must have workers,
you must have money, you must have
publicity. hangers control Of the
various departments Of state govern
ment gave him workers who were
completely under his control and could
be fired the moment they did not re-
anond Tn the crack ~ his v,hin TIE