The Redwood gazette., 1936-04-02
OmciaIdOm

OfficialdOm
81 never dreamed the state had so many
executive officials" a friend who is active in
nublic life commented recently in handing us
the February issue of the Minnesota Buiie-
tin containing Who's Who of Minnesota
offcialdom There, occupying three full col.
umns, were listed the names and titles OF
PAP men and women holding positions rang
inq from governor to deputy, chief clerk and
secretary but not including the army OF
stenographers, clerks, engineers, Janltors,
game wardens, highway patrolmen, and oth-
ers whose jobs do not warrant the title ''ex-
ecutive official
The wide range of enterprises supervls-
ed by bureaus and departments set up not
NV one administration but by succeeding
ones with liquidation and discharge of a
branch rare if not unheard of is without
doubt one reason why state expenses mount
so steadily. Government costs more than 1t
did wears ago largely because we have more
government and governmental functions.
This is not written to cenSure any depart
ment or branch for only careful STUDY
could find accurate information on that sub
iect The aim instead is to acquaint readers
with the many subdivisions.
We have to start with, the governor
and lieutenant governor, then the secretary
of state with a superintendent OF the motor
vehicle division and chief clerk; the state
auditor with a deputy and the treasurer
with deputy and a cashier. This accounts
for ten.
We elect one attorney general but he
has IL deputies, assistants and special assis-
tants. The commission of administration
and finance includes the comptroller, budget
commissioners, commissioner of purchases,
executive secretary and state printer. The
supreme court includes the chief justice and
six associates, the clerk, deputy clerk and
reporter.
The executive council and board of in
vestment are made up Of officers already
mentioned, with the addition of a secretary.
Then there is the board of control with three
members, the department of agriculture
with 18 members, three in the oil inspection
department, a five man commission of con-
servation which has charge of the division
of forestry and fire prevention, three execu-
tives; division of game and fish with five,
division of drainage and waters, one; lands
and minerals, four; state parks, two and
tourist bureau, one.
Most familiar to average citizens is the
highway department, with II executives.
The department of health has seven while
the division Of banking under the depart
ment of commerce has four, the insurance
division, five and the division of securities,
two Another large department is the in
dustrial commission with 13 executives
while the railroad and warehouse commits
, sion lists ten We. have a department of
scales, weights and measures supervisor and
two boards of grain appeals, each with three
members, one at Duluth and one at Mime
apolis The rural credit bureau lists two
the tax commission five, the state board OF
education II and the University OF Mime
sofa, 16.
There are six state teachers college
heads, the state employees retirement assoc.
iation has a secretary; the state hlstorlca
society, five officers; there is surveyor gen
eral of logs and lumber and custodian fol
the department of public property.
Under the heading "state capitol the
directory lists the secretary of the soldiers
home board, the GAR assistant adjutan
general, three in the bureau of criminal ap
prehension, three on the compensation in
surance board, three on the adjutant-gener
ais staff, seven members of the board O.
control, three on the liquor control commits
sion, two on the aeronautics commission
three executives for the board of barber ex
aminers and five members of the athlete
commission.
This completes the 242 executive off
cials mentioned but there are IS resident of
HcerS OF Stdte lIlStltuCIoNS SCdtteIe
throughout the state which brings the gran'
total of executives listed to BIT.
State employees under these executive
have, in the Minnesota Bulletin, their ow
newspaper. Its four pages, published mon
thly, contains the ads of numerous publ
utilities, contractors, material men and
few others, most of whom do business witt
the state. It contains little that might
classed as news, being instead the sort o
publicity material that weekly newspaper
receive by the wastebasketful.