The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-08-10

many members of the legislature
irked at apparent administration
ingratitude made up the bulk of
the crowds that filled both corrid-
ors and Executive chambers during
the two weeks mentioned, and they
are more than likely to keep it up
for weeks to come. August 1, how
ever, may bring relief. Then the
new civil service law will go into
effect and after that the employee
question will be competitive exam
nation matter solely. The big exc
cutive grief was a large number of
game and fish dismissals. Some Of
them dated their employment as
far back as the administrations Of
former Governors Eberhart, Preus
and Christianson. Protests from
FL sources were just as numerous
as from Republican contingents
and they were just as vigorous in
the matter of passed words.
Administration patronage troub-
les as seen by Editor Benshoof, Of
Detroit Lakes Record, can be traced
directly to the personnel depart
ment set-up instituted by Gov. Stas-
sen Immediately following his cleo
ton, and which has been maintain
ed ever since in a way. 1t was an
open invitation to anybody and
everybody to come in ana rign up
for a state job, and, On Boy, how
they answered the call, 10000 or
more. With some it was a shot
at the moon; others on the square,
and now both are demanding that
the administration make good. The
story is that Congressman Elmer
Ryan, Democrat of the Second Dis
trict, and a campaign friend of
Gov. Stassen, was in on the person.
mel department idea and urged it
strongly. Ordinarily such matters
are between the party organization
and the Chief Executive, but deal
ing directly with the job seeker.
Ryan is said to have argued, would
be to Gov. Stassen's future political
advantage and brand him more of
a Commoner than as a tool or the
bosses. Since the opening of the
personnel department, it has been
manned largely by political UNI
knowns much to the chagrin of loo
al and district Republican heads
and friction in consequences has
been almost constant.
ass
Rumor, unconfirmed, is that JUL
ian Sletten, personnel director of
the state highway department, is
not overly enamored of his job and
would like to be transferred. 1t is
said that he has been unable to
bring Commissioner M. j. Hoffman,
head of the department, around to
his way of thinking in the matter
of desired dismissals and that there
has been some friction as a result.
Commissioner Hoffman, from all &C
counts, will not stand for any in
reference with his administrative
force while as to other employees
he is not entirely in harmony with
the idea of general cleanup. Dis
missals to date in the department
have been largely because of past
administration overstaffing. Fill ms
have not been many.
In national contests favorite sons
are always in order and in the case
of Minnesota ChaS. E. March, OF
Litchfield, is being advanced for
that honor. Mr.. March is member
of the Federal Trades Commission.
Mr.. March called on Gov. Stassen
last week. He was unwilling to dis
cuss the presidency or any of the
Republican candidates. He was en-
route to California on department
matters.
State Senator Geo. Lommen, of
Eveleth, may take on Bill Pit
tenger for Congress in 1910. 1t
would be his last safe try before his
finish as a state senator. Senator
Lommen is now hard at work in an
effort to rehabilitate the FL party.
He has signed up with the right
wing. Getting the official scalp Of
Bill" Pittenger, however, is no
easy job.
Minnesota now has more $4,000
and $4,000 state department jobs
than ever in it's history. The new
reorganization act is responsible.
There are two constitutional re-
auirements marked as must" that
are now regarded as dead letters.
One is the taking of state census
and the other is the annual pub
LEGATION in detail Of all state ex-
penditures and receipts.
VANCE CHAPMAN,
1.-THE County Chairman"
State Capitol Press Room.