The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, May 17, 1917, Page 12

R T A, B 2 B R ,’ ”N________________L_...—-WW 5 o e B L X T M Sl . What the Twine Plant Did and Didn’t Senator Heckle Has a Brainstorm Converting a Profit of $61,800 Into a Loss of $196 000 RYING to fight arithmetic is one of the hard jobs that Senator C. 0. Heckle has taken on in his attempt to help the enemies of the people dis- credit state ownership. Referring to an article in the Nonpartisan Leader in February telling of the extraordinary success of the penitentiary twine plant in paying for itself, and accumulating a surplus of $212,000 in the fourteen years of its operation, Senator Heckle said this was not so. This inquiry from Glen O. Humph- rey of Englevale, N. D., calls for the facts to be set forth again. Mr. Humphrey says under date of April 17: “Senator Heckle said yesterday that the 1915 legislature had lo vote an ap- propriation of $148,000 for the twine plant and that not being enough, they voted $48,000 more. We would like the truth at your convenience published in the Courier-News and Leader.” Such a statement will last about as long as a snowball in the realm of Beelzebub. MYTH AND ARITHMETIC MEET IN COLLISION At the very -time, when, as Senator Heckle says, the legislature was ap- propriating $196,000 to keep the twine plant on its legs, the report of the warden for the years 1913 and 1914 showed that there was a net profit of $32,737.68, and $29,086.15 for each of those years respectively. As a matter of “carrying the truth to the people,” the Leader herewith sums up all the appropriations connected with the penitentiary for that entire session, and finds that they amounted to only $242,872.56 and there was no other appropriation for the twine plant They are as follows: General penitentiary appro- Driation:y b sales ik en vt $185,470.00 Special emergency appro- 19 (0) ¢ LRSS R B 48,000.00 Board of experts ; 232.03 Transportation of convicts. 9,170.53 Total appropriations for two years That was all there was appropriated for the penitentiary, twine plant and everything connected with them. If Senator Heckle's imaginary $196,000 for the twine plant alone were taken out of the $247,872.56, that would leave only approximately $46,000 for every- thing else, or to be exact $23,436.28 a year. Pretty slim pickings even for convicts. It wouldn't much more than pay for bread and water. It would amount to a few cents over $66 per year each. Out of that $46,000 would have to come such items (all given in the ap- propriation bills for 1915) as $27,000 for guards’ and other employees’ salaries; besides several salaries run- ning from $2000 to $4000 each; $13,500 for fuel and light in the many build- ings; $8000 for clothing; nearly $10,000 - for transportation of convicts, and most of the $185,000 of general penitentiary expense, including such trifles as flour, meat and vegetables for 350 inmates, stock feed and the expenses incidental to a large farm. HUNTING FOR PENNIES TO TOTAL $196,000 The honest to goodness facts are that out of the total $247,000 appro- priated in Senator Heckle's famous .Session, there were only a few items, any part of which could be charged to "the twine plant, such as repairs for the engine and fire rooms, part of the fuel, water, etc. It is possible that the $48,000 item was for the twine plant, but the mysterious language surround- ing it leaves even that small item a matter of guesswork. The bill appropriating it, Senate Bill 150 of the session of 1915, is termed “state penitentiary deficit” and in all accounting at the penitentiary “for many years all twine plant accounting has been kept separate from that of the penitentiary. But here is the emergency clause, behind which the 1915 senate veiled its action: “Emergency. Whereas the state board of control by a communication in writing recommends the enactment of the above appropriation ($48,000) and therein sets forth in detail the reasons therefor, this act shall take ef- fect and be in force from and after its passage and approval.” The Leader does not know ‘*the rea- . sons ‘therefor,” but if this was for the twine plant, it is the only part of ”»” “Figures can’t lie, is an old saying. “It is better to be safe than sorry”’ is another. If you read-this farmer’s question and its answer you will see the point. Senator Heckle's mythical $']96,000 that that can be found. Senator Heckle was a member of the 1915 session and one.of the hold- over Old Gang senators who helped to defeat the will of the people at the 1917 session. As a senator he had access to the penitentiary twine plant report which is approved by the board of control (in whom Senator Heckle undoubtedly has confidence) and here is what Warden Talcott says in his 1916 re- port about the whole history of the twine plant: WARDEN’S REPCRT REFUTES SENATOR HECKLE'S STORY “The North Dakota twine and cord- age plant has paid for itself wholly out of its earnings, and with the sup- plies on hand at this date, stands as an asset to this state, worth approxi- mately $400,000. The objects of its es- tablishment were to provide labor for the prisoners, and low priced twine for the farmers of this state. It has always done both and must continue to fulfill its .mission. At the same time, now that it has paid for itself and is wholly out of debt, what policy do the people of the state wish:carried Through a period of fourteen years the ward- ens at the penitentiary who have had charge of the twine plant have borne testimony to the splendid financial sueccess of this state-owned industry. The figures show annual profits to confirm their optimism. Praise for Nagel’s Record FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE = | Simon J. Nagel -~ “]1 shall always' consider efficiency as the forerunner of economy,” is Mr. Nagel’s platform. 2 sovernor Frazier's selection of Simon J. Nagel of Hebron as a member of the board of control, which shares with the board of regents the distinction of being one of the most important bodies in North Dakota, meets with the en- thusiastic approval of the -Hebron Herald. Mr. Nagel has won distinetion for his public spirited efforts while a member of the Morton county board of commissioners, has been active in promoting better roads, has energetic- ally substituted efficiency for easy go- ing methods .of doing public business, and will take into his new position, experience and interest in the public service. If members of the board of control are friendly towards the state owner- ship program of the people, their friendship has a chance to be effective by heading off any efforts that might be made to throw stones in the road; if they are opposed to state ownership _ their position of influence and finan- ‘cial control could cripple even the state owned ‘institutions that mow exist, and make capital for discrediting ‘them in the future. In praising Mr. Nagel, the Hebron Herald. speaks as follows: Mr. Nagel's many friends rejoice at the announcement of his appointment. That gentleman has earned a well de- served reward in thus being honored and it is but just recognition of his tireless efforts and indefatigable energy in prosecuting the several lines of work in which he has been engaged in a public way. Mr. Nagel is a pioneer resident of this section and since his coming to this state has followed farming as his chief occupation. Four years ago he was elected to the office of county commissioner from this dis- trict. His advent into that position was the medium of bringing forth mfiw radical changes in the admin- istration of the affairs of the office of commissioner. Upon Mr. Nagel's entry into office he began a cam- paign for detter roads for this dis- trict. and was successful in secur- ing appropriations for road work, and he, individually, saw that this road work was pctually done, and many marked improvements in our public highways are due to his ar- dent efforts and progressive ideas. This fall Mr. Nagel was re-elected to the office of commissioner and his acceptance of this new appoint- ment will necessitate his resigna- tion from the office which he has filled to the entire satisfaction of his constituency. Mr. Nagel has been both practical and progressive in his ideas and meth- ods, and has devoted much time to.the development of the Transcontinental highways and the city of Hebron en- joys the distinction of being on one of them. He also was largely instru- mental in securing federal aid for highways. Recently Mr. Nagel has been one of the prime movers in securing the grad- ing of grains for the North Dakota farmer, and at this writing is with a party which is on a mission before the secretary of agriculture at Washing- ton,, D. C, in behalf of grains for the farmer of this state. The newly appointed member of the ~“board of control was a-school teacher in his younger days and is finely equip- ped and well qualified to -handle the supervision of the affairs of this state in an able and efficient manner, In the selection of Mr. Nagel for this office the chief executive of this state chose wisely as his appointee possesses the qualifications, energy, ability and integrity to make an ideal official. ‘The residents of this commissioner district rejoice with Mr. Nagel in his being thus honored and regret that so able a man is removed to a higher of- fice which will necessitate his giving up the supervision of the affairs of this district. —HEBRON HERALD, TWELVE . iout in-conducting the business of the twine plant?” He continues: “In no event should the profits of the twine plant be made available each year for the maintenance and tempo- rary improvement for the institution. The door of waste, mismanagement or selfish management and makeshift im- provements, would then be open; the incompleted plans of one year un- satisfactorily completed the next, and instead of building an institution, the state would bhave a hodge-podge of additions, useless and unfitted for the purpose intended.” And again sketching a plan for mak- ing the profits 8n the twine plant take the place of taxes in rebuilding the additions and improvements at the penitentiary, Warden Talcott says: “If this policy is followed, the accum= ulated profits in a few years will re= lieve the people from the burdén of taxation bound to come in erecting new buildings at the penitentiary.” WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THIS, SENATOR? ol the light of* these statements prmted for the information of the state and -its business agents, what becomes of the contention of Senator Heckle. that the twine plant was in the hole and that $196,000 had to be appropriat=- ed to keep it going that year? The figures quoted in the Ieader, which Senator Heckle disputed, were based on the reports of all the wardens since the twine plant was established in 1901, and upon an eight-year audit by the Temple & Cooper auditing com- pany of Minneapolis and Chicago. It showed that $212,000 had been cleared above all running expenses, cost of buildings, machinery and material The net profits for 1915 as shown by Warden Talcott's report, for 1916, Page 11 were $40,542.49 and for the year 1916, $33,075. The plant is in- voiced in that report at $400,000, giv- ing a total value to the state of $612,- 000. In addition to this it paid interest on bonds and warrants, paid wages to the” inmates, and paid its own portion of salaries, water, fuel, light, and all the materials used, which latter in- cluded 40,000,000 pounds of sisal for the period of its operation—fourteen vears. Anyone who wishes to confirm the figures used herewith will find the ap- propriations for the 1915 session of the legislature in chapters 13, 19, 23, and 37 of the 1915 session laws. The profits of the twine plant have been so constant a resource that the board of trustees (which pre- ceded the board of control) on one or * two occasions took them out of the twine plant fund and turned them into the general fund to help pay the state's general expenses. GERMAN SPEAKER AT KARLS- RUHE A . German Nonpartisan League speaker will deliver an address at Karlsruhe, Sunday May 20, at 3 p. m., and all German League members are invited to come and hear him. BREAKING PARTY LINES ol Great bluster was made of the alleg- ed fact that the recent organization meeting of the “Anti-Socialistic league” was made up of Republicans, Democrats and Progressives. Ye Gods, men! Don't you realize you are break- ing down party lines?—BOTTINEAU, (N. D) COURANT. MILLIONS TO BEAT THE FARMERS Perhaps the farmers and others as- sembled at the welcome banquet may have thought that Representative Obert Olson was dreaming when he made the statement that Wall street will pour millions of dollars into thisg state next year, in order to defeat the farmers and the Farmers’ Nonparti- san League. : But Mr. Olson was mot dreaming! He knew whereof he spoke. The success of the Nonpartisan League threatens the big graft of the money power of this nation. They have sensed this! And the biggest political fight in the history of the TUnited States will be staged in North Dakota next year. Millions of dollars will flow 1like water! The vilest methods of machine politics will be used to defeat the farmers! The foulest <work of which the ‘“respectable classes” are capable will be indulged in, and before it is over the Turopean war will look from this distance like a fiasco compared to the battle royal between big ‘busi- ness and the people of this state.— BO{VVMAN CITIZEN.