The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 23, 1930, Page 2

‘ neem ee rT eee eset Renee ene a He: FIGHTING SENATOR GLAIMS FUNDS NOT Refunds Too Great, in Opinion of Lidgerwood Legislator, Comparing States : SYSTEM IS FIRST REQUISITE . States $o levy a tax on gasoline. Too Many Fingers in Pie, He In- sists; Cites Scandal of Machinery in 1928 Charging officials of the State Highway department with excessive expenditurés’ of state funds, State Senator A. F. Bonzer of Lidgerwood urged defeat of the four-cent gasoline tax measure in a radio address here Saturday night. The measure, providing for an in- crease of the gasoline tax from three to four cents a gallon, is to be voted on at the June 25 primary election. Bohzer' alleged that officials of the department wete inefficient and in- competent in the construction of roads. . Declaring that four years ago he was a very ardent advocate of a high- er gasoline tax, Bonzer explained the reason for his change of attitude. Increasing Refunds “As @ member of the state legisla- ture,” he said, “I have made a very thorough study of the workings of the Highway department, in whose hands the administration of gasoline tax falls. As @ result of these investiga- tions I am absolutely convinced that the pasage of a four-cent gasoline tax law would not be constructive legis- lation at this time, and I am unalter- ably opposed to an increased gasoline tax for. the following principal rea- sons: “First, because there is something radically wrong with the present three-cent tax. It is not producing the income anticipated. Let us not, therefore, perpetuate the defects of the present three-cent law afd in- crease the possibilities of waste and inefficiency by a four-cent tax. “North Dakota was one of the first It was one cent from 1919 to July, 1926, In 1925 this tax produced $650,000. In 1926 the tax was raised to two cents and ® refund granted on gaso- line not used in cars. In 1927 the state ‘collected $1,673,000’ and refund- “ ed 23.9 per cent, the Highway de- partment receiving $1,210,000. In 1928 the refunds increased to 32.09 per cent and the department received + $1,450,000. “In 1929, the legislature increased the tax to three cents, giving the counties the thifd cent, the law gos, ing into effectin July, 1929. During’ 1929, with an average of two and a half cents, the department actually received $50,000 legs than in 1928. During the past eighth months, the ; State collected at three cents, $1,932,- ? 489 and refunded 48.3 per cent.” Ola Tax Almost as Efficient partment would have been only about ‘ $36,000 less than undet the present + three-cent tax. He contrasted the refunds of Min- ‘ nesota “at 6.8 per cent of receipts, + South Dakota with 24.3 per cent and Montana with 224 per cent with : North Dakota's 48.3 per cent. The average refunds for 22 states in 1929 was 6.3 cent. Bonzer claimed ; that if the four-cent tax is passed the s refunds will amount to 60 per cent. “Second, it'is my fitm belief that there should be no increase in income ; to the State Highway department un- ; til the state of North Dakota adopts + @ real road building program. Let, | us know where we are going in the » matter of roads, what they will cost, : and how the job will be done, before +. We spend any additional money. “Third, I do not believe the funds } available to the state highway de- + Partment should be increased until * such time as the administration of » the funds is put in an orderly and ; business-like manner in accordance with established economic principles. ‘We have had enough of political bun- combe; road building in a business Proposition. 4 Should Have Boner. stated he is opposed to the initiated gas tax measure because the inerease in income should not be made available to the Highway de- partment “until we have a real road building program and a definite set- up for future activities.” + _ He criticised Governor George F. Shafer for endorsing the measure. “Road improvement in this state,” he said, “has been a hit of miss, and €veryone has had a ‘finger in the ple’ "Maintenance costs are . eageg il exceeding the budget by ue for some explanation, SPENT EFFIGENTLY the machine purchases |be ;| square with them in upholding the were game 1 to Bonzer Opposes 4 NCES - - | nae: aa “I got an eyé for beauty; that’s the reason I located in this spot.” nance cost was $267.64 per mile in 1929. But in order to bring the fig- ure down to this point and thus mis- lead the readers of their report, they have taken the number of ‘miles at the end of the yéar, which will of course, include all new construction during the year. This new construc- tion, of course, requires but little if any maintenance. In this way it is possible to réduce the maintenance figures to those mentioned. Hide Facte “Recently I asked the highway bie. partment for some information which they claimed they could not turnish easily. Now, they do not want the public to know and in many cases they do not want it know themselves. That is why the present administra. tion threw out much of the account. ing procedure previously installed, and which is required by Section 17, Chapter 159, Laws of 1927.” Bonzer allegéd that-a request made by him to the state highway depart- ment for information as to total sal- aries for the department in 1929, ho= tel expense, travel expense. and auto éxpense went unanswered. “I am most emphatically for a road construction program,” Bonzer con- tinued, “very much enthused and in- terested in god roads and will lend thy unqualified support to any move which will give North Dakota a sat- isfactory systetn of highways properly constructed and sandly financed.” Too Much Time on Politicians He explained how the highway commission was composed of three members, of Which the governor is chairman. these monthly meetings a very sub-| mak stantial portion of their time is used in the reception of delegates from the various political units of our :‘ate. These delegates request the appoint- ment of cértain individuals for cer- tain positions or request for their own selfish reasons certain roads be built in preference to certain others, so that it is elementary that these three men having their dispoéal so short time for the actual and necessary business of the state highway depart- ment can éfficiently supervise the operations of so large a task as that of the state highway department, a hires more help than ali of the com- bined departments of our state gov- ernment. “The chairman of this commission, our honorable governor, has by his own words stated that he knows nothing of the technicalities of high- way construction. Mr. Dinnie, an- other member, has also admitted that he knows nothing of highway con- struction and maintenance. It cannot but be apparent that the past admin- istration of the highway department has ben grossly inefficient and waste- ful, to be most charitable. Why then should we increase the funds avail- able to suc! lodse and incompetent organization?” fi [PEOPLE'S FORUM | Bisbee, North Dakota, department that spends more money, | beled f for the benefit of the pres- nt and futute generations as nature 18 Liat age ai ‘ery respectfully, CB. PETERSON, Former game and fish commis- sioner of the state. June 20, 1930. Editor, Bismarck Tribune: ‘The editorial in your paper of the 17th entitled “Constructive Leaders Needed,” bt! light clearly the “shallowness” of present day edito- tials. You mention Tom DB. Campbell a8 an otitstanding example of leader- ship. Just why is he a leader? Per- sonally f would consider the leader in this case to be the patties of New York that decided to try this experi- ment and then looked around for a man to carry out their idea. It is true that for several years now Camp- bell has on these operations on his. own account but apparently none too sticcesstully. Probably about three years ago I had occasion to call at the Indian agency office at Crow Agency and was told there by one of the leasing clerks that Campbell then behind with some of his lease money for several yeats and that if they could get enough other renters_for-.the. that they throw What started several years ago, in which a Butte bank tried to recover on some storage tickets that Campbell pledged with them for a loan after he already had sold the'grain? Anyone else but @ leader Ilke Campbell would have landed in the pen pulling 4 stunt like that. Of coutse he arin berrr a leader was nevcr ts easy to’ and of coursé any is as a rule not valued vety highly. I suppose Foshay was also a great leader in the public service field. Yours truly, ZENO MUGGLI, Richardton, N. D. Bismarck, N. D. ‘ June 21, 1930. Editot of The Tribune: A great deal has been said an about the North Da- Fish Commission and the “one man” commission measure which is being referred to the voters on June 26. The writer is, and al- ways has been, very much interested in game and fish matters and in the measure abpve mentioned, and feels that a many: facts: concerning this subject have been omitted or misrepresented. To begin with there are charges id counter-charges from both polit- ical camps of excedsive expenditures of game and fish fund moneys for travel and the promotion of political propaganda rather than for the pur- i @ money is intended. It may e said, that in a measure, these charges are well founded, it con- dition is one which ‘has always ex- isted in the administration ‘of the game and fish department,~ and probably will exist to some extent at all times, regardless of the form of administration. However, under the “one man” commission it is very June 20, 1980. Editor, Bismarck Tribune: In jut tice to the North Dakota |in game and fish commission, I ho rou will pr fe : lish these few facts in Tribune. A sweeping decision by the court: xe het aa ae game anc com: mission has jected to by the id politicians of the state fot it year and a half, for to uphold and enforce ing to its ai at last vindical eae ai aa decinic held ‘trapped, the courts lon the comintission 4n all acta and points | of law pertaining to the seisure and sale, and the decision was broad enough so even that celebrated Nine Beaverskin case was a vindication to the commission. Judge MeFarland’s decision will a beacon light and hailed with delight by the game and fish depart- ments of all the states in the union. And the sportsmen of North Dakota should feel proud that we have courts in this state that will stand four laws and the men selected i arte eB cin tha them, so that the ane nh our sta: Il not be exter. | tolit can be said and unlikely that this will the past, fc that the political facti will ‘nob be able to as often been no* will’ the ion be of a and the an effort to defeat the tion in a political way, as 5 the “one: ner will be: directi; Tesponsible to the governor at- ti times, and it is not Hkely that an; wil counts. governor of this state t Nance expenditures in, that depart- tent which will reflect‘upon his ad- ministration, In fact, it is unquestion- ably true, that if the governor and the Party in are hich can -be used against them in a political way. And again, it has been said, t the “one man” measure is-a Laci measute,. bi ht forward solely for |the purpose of shifting control of the pee and fish department from the, | League carn to Independent head- quartets, is cl not strictly true, although there is no doubt that the charge has some foundation. There never has, and never will. be, any measure of the nature of the “one man” game commission bill en- acted into a law hy our legislative assembly without the Politieal tor entering in. However, fits the legislative assembly We done or may do to this measure, proven that the ‘diess ay sone tran orn _| feign friendship f “Governot original nsors of this law most certainly had in mind nothing but a better and more economical adminis- tration of the game and fish de- partment. The truth of the matter is that this measure was originally spon- sored and introduced into the ses- sion of 1927 by a group of Burleigh county sportsmen, of which the writ- er was one. The bill did not pass | islative body for the reas ithat this group of men was unable to muster enough support to carry the measure through, although they exerted every effort to do so. Had the measure passed at that time the situation would have been just the re- verse of what it is now, as the Inde- | pendent faction was in control oi the ‘game and fish department, at that \time, The writer has always been very much an Independent, and to the best of his memory, nearly every one o: that group of sportsmen was an Inde- pendent. It is self-evident there- fore that the sponsors of this meas- ure. were not promoting the bill for any political gain; in fact, in order to establish the “one man” game commission, they were willing to hand the political gain to be had to the opposition on a silver platter. It is most certainly untrue and most unjust to say that this measure has come before the voters because it is a political measure only. Summing the matter up, it may be said that there is some founda- tion for the charges and counter- charges made by both political fac- tions, but the fact remains that the “one man” commission as proposed is a very decided improvement over the old form of administration, and should receive the vote and ee of every sportsman and lover of wild life in the state. The question of the conservation and propagation of wild life is one which receives en- tirely too little attention from our citizens and their representatives in public office, and for the voters of North Dakota to throw away the op- }portunity for such a decided better- ment as this measure will effect would be most deplorable. bres 3 yours, M. 0. STEEN. STATE INDUSTRIES CRITICS INVITED: T0 REVEAL THEIR PLANS S. A. Olsness, Insurance Com- missioner, Says Independ- ents Take Tricky Stand 8. A, Olsness, Nonpartisan candi- date for retiomination as state com- missioner of insurance, today issued &@ statement replying to cfiticisins made by Independent candidates Telative to the League platform on state industries. “The state industries we now have,” Olsness’ statement said, “are either fer night for the ZV. Ac leaders 10 lor the I. V. A. wo them. = wants “to tnow whether the League leaders favor fur- ther extension of state industrialism, and if so what these industries are ‘and where they are to be located. I do not lay claim to leadership t:tle, but I would ask the governor an- Other: Dgep he believe that tle so- called state industries, as now func- tie até a benéfit to the ctate as 8 whole? Does he believe the §1,300,- 000 now in the state fire and tornado fund and $300,000 in the bonding fund, gained in 11 years. litical subdivisions paying the ident cal rates of private compames, aud without any a) by the state, whatever, to be & benefit or a detriment to our taxpayers? “Does he believe that a departinsnt that has furnished to the farmets of our state hail insurance at 6 per cent premium cost compared. with 10 per cent available elsewhere, saving ap- 4! proximately $39,000,000 in 11 years besides building a fund of $4,000,000, to be'a benefit or a detriment? All of these funds are safely deposived in of these things without the Nonpartisan League? “I think he also admits the sound- ness of the insurance enterprises mentioned. Now, then, how will he reconcile this with his statement newspapers: “The Independent’ stand newspapers: on this question is clear and specific. ‘We are opposed to establishment of industries. . 2 a 3 as itis the sald: ghee agibe 5 pl se aus SEe E E crédit for’ passing slaw, the bonding “Let those who artisans to come explain tat form which North Dakota not serve of @ alamnad ot on North 14 per mj now existing or to be organized for 1) Forks, . Hettinger, Sheridan, the /iiams, McLean, Barnes, for an institution which is supposed to be losing. “And what did they say about the mill and elevator in 1928? They said: “We declare ourselves to be unalter- ably opposed to the printipies of state ownership of private industry. And for chlorofe the state mill ana elevator they recommend that it ‘be placed under the control of a farmers’ organization or cooperative company that purpose.’ In 1926, they said: ‘We pledge ourselves and our candidates to the policy of discontinuing the operation of the state mill and ele- vator as soon as feasible.’ ” Olsness challenged I. V. A. candi- dates to answer the question, and continued: “The League platform is clear and specifie and our leaders have been out in the open all the time. But when will the Independent leaders come out of the woods and tell the voters when their process ot destruction of our present state in- dustrialism is to begin should they gain control of the legislative and ex- ecutive branches of the state govern- ment? Judging the future by their past there is every reason for appre- hension.” HIGHWAY 6 ON NORTH WILL BECOME NO. 83 Signs Will Be Changed Soon as Possible; Retains Desig- nation to South ‘Word has been feceived by state highway Officials of the approval by the executive committee of the Amer- ican Association of State Highway Officials df the request of the North Dakota department for extensfon north of Bismarck of U. 3. Route No. 83. This toad is now routed across North Dakota as follows: Beginning at the international boundary, north | tl of Westhope, via Westhope, Forfar, Minot, South Prairie, Max, Colehar- bor, Washburn, Arnold, Bismatck, Sterling, Hazelton, Linton, Strasburg, Hull to the North Dakota-South Da- ‘kota state line, south of Hull. The route continues south of Pierre, 8. D., thence across Nebraska, Kan- KITCHEN DENIES HUSBY’S CHARGES Says He Did Not Reappoint For- mer Dairy Head Because He Was Disloyal Sentinel Butte, N. D., June 23— (AP)—Charges made by John Hus- by, former state dairy commissioner, that he was not reappointed to his Post because of preanrs brought by officials of the Independent Voters! association were denied by Joseph A. Kitchen, commissioner of agricul- ture and labor, in a political address here Saturday night. , [have no favorites. There are the ward all cream purchasers. We Paul Hasse Is. Sole Non-Party Candidate Jamestown, N. D,, June 2.—<)— Paul F. Hasse, candidate for the fte- Publican nomination for the state house of representatives from the cea ee district, has the dis- lon of being the only one of nine candiates for the office to bé running without endorsement of any political faction. t He is opposed by eight other candi- cooperative purchasers, the Inde- pendents, and the centralizers. There is but one person at the present time whom I have appointed in the state dairy division that has former employment with the centralizers. This statement plainly shows the dairy division could not be greatly influenced by the centralizers. “The centralizers, when I made an ee nel ie oe commissioner whom I declini re- appoint, did not make recommenda- | dates, four of whom have beet en- tions at that time as to any candi-|@otéed by the Nonpartisan League, date they would like to see appointed | afd four by the Independent Voters &s dairy commissioner, nor have they | #ssociation. at any subsequent time. Hasse is a farming living a mile “No ofié connected with central-|north of Tappen. He has resided in izers contributed a single cent two’ Kidder county for 46 years. yeafs ago towards my campaign for reelection to this office, and not a single centralizer has written me :s to my present desire to retain this NOTICE ‘The annual meeting of the Farmers Kitchen, who is the Inde it candidate for renomination, ‘Teclaced at he had “retained him {Husby) for over two years after I knew had worked against me in the cam- bag of ee a ie taal pponents of the Independent voters have made the frequent mis- statement ‘that a former ry com- nissioner was removed from his of- fice at the behest of the cream cen- tralizers of North Dakota.’ Kitehen This former dairy commis- sioner, whom I had appointed at his own solicitation and application, was not summarily discharged by me as commissioner of agriculture and labor. He served his stated term and when such term expired on Jan- uary 1, 1929, I did not reappoint hin. “Last Monday evening, speaking over the radio, this former commissioner stated that he was not reappointed by me for the réason that he had helped organize too many cooperatives in the state had thus incurred enmity on the patt of the competitors of such 2 tives. That I stated to him that I would like to reappoint him but could paign manager, and by that he meant L. L, Twichell, had sent word to me if I reir geen him, the com- | missioner, and I suppose he meant my department, would receive no ap- | propriation in thé coming session of the legislature. “I am here to most emphatically deny this statement as being entirely false.and without any foundation ot basis whatever. Neither the man- agement of the Independent jin | sas, Oklahome, to Brownsville, Texas, and Metamoros, Mexico. The change does not affect the present route south of Bismarck, ac: cording to H. C. Frahm, chief engi. neer and secretary of the North Di kota department, but will eliminate No. 6 north of Bismerck. ~ “When the maintenance. depart- ment canconvenientlyarrange for the organ: ation or any centtalizer of central- izers were in any measure respon- | sible for my action in not reappoint- ing this man. “The reason I did not reappoint him was that in both the campaigns of 1926 and 1928, this employe of my office, appointed by me, opetily campaigned for the candidate of the Nonpartisan league funning agains’ new signs the present markers will be | m: replaced,” Frahm seid. “No. 6 will continue to exist as a route. from Mandan through St. Anthony, Brei Selfridge to the South Dakots line. HEAVY HAIL LOSSE Dunn County Reports Highest Number, but Damage is Well Scattered “Heavy hail losses were reported for the past week, according to a compil- ation of the claims issued by ‘the State Hail Insurance Department to- day. From dune 13 to June 20, inclusive, ‘882 claims were made to the depart- ment, to bring the season’s total to 1,152. ‘The latgest number of losses oc- curred in Dunn county, where there were 115. Billings county reported 68, La Moure-66, Slope 51,.and Wells 50. In addition to these five counties, 33 other counties reported losses as follows: McKenzie 37, Divide 15, Bottineau 15, Bowman 16, McHenry 12, Logan 1, Grant 7, Foster 37, Emmons 5, Ed- dy 9,-Burke. 6, Renville 4, Stark 6, Stutsman 6; Benson, Burleigh, Grand Nelson, Pierce, and Ward, each 3; Wil- McIntosh, each , Kidder, ‘Traill, Walsh, each one. Commercial College 314% Main Ave. Phone 121 Bismarck, N. Dak. A Real Office Training Write or call on us fot tuition tates and information. PROF. R. £. JACK, Principal BRING TOTALTO 1152: ‘Towner, % e. “I ask syete listening to this statement whether they would have retained so disloyal an employe as long as I did. I retained him for over two years after I knew hé had ions. made” it necessary for me to reappoint you and serve with you, I would relin- quish the office.’ “The state dairy division of this office licenses and regulates all cream stations and creameries pur- chasing cream within the state. is the business of the state dairy di- vision to act fairly and equitably to- Lanchester Vibtation Damper Téinch Wheefbere ' gaye 70 Horsepower : Self-edjumting spting shackles r —Champion Hove quieter, eosienridiog Ns power to every 42.1 lbs. of car é as Double-Drop convenient, no groping wees ad ‘Thermostatic control of cooling 2 ___Bngine-deiven gaooline pump Care-cnd-lever coating ~-ensier inadling eliminates vacume tank : Hand brake on foar-wheels (Clusch tortlonal damper v powet fw fer, move effecth ‘ e \ all the cars in the pri a between $700 Pa sand $1000--and thice are of them— not STUDEBAKER one provides the array of quality features which SIx this great new. Studebaker offers. Models and Prices Some equal Studebaker in one-particular— Coupe, 2500. . § O98 others in other ways. But Studebaker gives you Wiel 3 all, in a motor car which represents a peak value Solon C a Aedes achievement in Studebaker’s 78 years of manu- —Coups,4pam. . 983 Make it a point to see and drive this new « cps ao H Studebaker. : ‘Prlam ot the fomeny y Bismarck Motor Co. 616 Main Avense CHRIS BERTSCH, Mer. Phone 33 FIRRREL, SERENA. meeieeemce, dairy knowledge or consent. and |Sioner of agriculture and labor has not do so as the Independent cam- " Studebaker alone offers these I2 fine-car features — - a 3 Mutual Fire @ Lights f Go. of Burleigh, Kidder und Berane With the centralizers suggested or held at Driscoll, N. fered any financial help to me in| pers’ plone gee’ 27th, 1930. Mem= it campaign. K. A. ERSLAND, @ dairy commissioner, whom] 6/21-23 ‘Séc'y-Treas. I decided not to reappoint when his Vote for Olsness Office, nor has a singie one connected as dairy commissioner, accepted an in one of the above mentioned cream purchasing organizations, pamely, that as secretary of the forth Dakota Local Creameries as- sociation. It is inconceivable how a state dairy commissioner could be- come sectetary of one of these cream inchasing agencies and maintain a fair and néutral attitude towards other cream purchasing agencies. In my opinion it was a case of unwise, unfair official ethics, and his accept- ance of that office was without my ‘is former dairy commissioner-is the chief prop- agandist for my opponents; and his ce of commis- no knowledge experience or interest in agriculture or in cooperative mar- keting.” S. A. Olsness Commissioner of Insurance ° Victor L. Anderson Candidate for Through his unt efforts e SHERIFF sums have been ro 9 the naan ef Burleigh county at the primary {| the state. pd eerie geri prtond June 25, 1930 ee justice to every. fandtanie dGerionk can eee Insurance department Fund and the Fire and Tornado Fund we render 6 people of North Dakota most valuable services. @ol. Adv.) +o "1125. at the factory &