| Show Ge George A. A Fisher Resigns As Land Board Secretary Voluntary Action Comes in Wake of Audit Report on Bond Transactions Bearing out disclosure disclosures made in an exclusive Telegram story two days ago the resignation of George A. A Fisher as as' as executive secretary secretary secretary sec sec- of the state land board had been accepted formally by the I f ir r Lv e k GEORGE A A. FISHER Resigns from land board board Saturday The Telegram revealed Thursday that at least one member of the board said he would demand Mr Fishers Fisher's resignation but action was delayed until late Friday when Mr Fisher tendered his resignation effective ef effective effective ef- ef February 1 1 In his letter Mr Fisher pointed out that when he accepted the appointment appointment appointment ap ap- ap- ap in 1932 either he or the board could terminate the arrangement arrangement arrangement arrange arrange- ment a right he is now exercising Demand for Mr Fishers Fisher's resignation resignation resignation nation followed charges in a special auditors' auditors report November 4 that the land board funds had been used to finance bond transactions that benefited brokers at the expense of the state We haven't lost a dime Mr Fisher said Saturday in commenting comment comment- ing on the development Earlier he had said he had no intention of resigning but pointed out that of course they can fire me Audit of the boards board's transactions in farm loans is now under way Mr Fisher pointed out that because of ot criticism of farm loans the board ceased this practice upon his assuming offic officer t H. H Warren Taylor secretary and member of the b board ard said no written written written writ writ- ten applications had been received to fill Mr Fishers Fisher's vacancy but The Telegram learned that several Continued on Page Three Column Four FISHER RESIGNS LAND BOARD JOB Continued from Page One candidates are under consideration They include Oliver G. G Ellis chief deputy in inthe inthe inthe the state treasurers treasurer's office L. L R. R Edwards state tax commission commission commission com com- mission Seth former state bank commissioner George M. M Whitmore former member of the state liquor control control control con con- commission R. R A. A Hart former P W A A. A administrator administrator administrator ad ad- for Utah E. E J. J Burnett chief accountant for the unemployment compensation tion division of the state industrial industria commission The board announced employment employment employment employ employ- ment of Gerrit Van ek as chief accountant He formerly was the land board office bookkeeper but he recently resigned to become become become be be- come voucher clerk in the city auditors auditor's auditors auditor's auditors auditor's audi audi- tors tor's office He will return to the capitol Monday he said Mr Taylor said the board would woul survey carefully the field of candidates candidates candidates can can- in an effort to get a man experienced in bond transactions He was unable to say when the appointment appointment appointment ap ap- ap- ap would be made Mr Fisher was appointed executive executive executive I tive secretary on Nov November 15 1932 by former Governor George H H. Dern In that position he was also a member of the board The last las legislature increased the board boan membership from three to five and Mr Fisher ceased to be a member but continued as executive secre secre- tary Serving on the old oid board with Mr Fisher were John F. F Tolton Talton and L. L R. R Anderson who were reappointed reappointed reappointed reap reap- pointed when the board was reorganized New members were Elias Hansen LeRo LeRoy D. D White and Mr Taylor In his letter of resignation Mr Fisher said You will recall that at the time of preliminary organization of the state land board about six months ago pursuant to statute enacted by the last legislature I Iwas Iwas Iwas was tendered and accepted the position of executive secretary It was understood at atthe atthe atthe the time that either the land board or myself could sever that arrangement at will I now wish to exercise that option and tender herewith my resignation effective at your convenience I am doing this to promote peace and har har- mony To you the philosophy of Elbert Elbert Elbert El- El bert Hubbard Never Hubbard Never explain Your friends dont don't need it your enemies wont won't believe you anyway any any- way way might might apply To the public permit me to take space here to say we are only proud of our record In the six months I have served with you you have come cometo cometo cometo to appreciate the stern tasks confronting confronting confronting con con- fronting an executive charged with the crushing responsibility of administering 1200 farms and acres of state lands in inthe inthe inthe the public domain to say nothing of the never-ending never task of keeping keeping keeping keep keep- ing in bonds properly invested To do this your attention attention attention atten atten- tion must be undivided You cannot cannot cannot can can- not fight paid propaganda So I am quitting I lay down the tho load with a sigh of relief and only hope that at the end of five years your critics will have as little to complain about as they now find Anything I can do to stifle unjust criticism will be bedone bedone done dono ungrudgingly ungrudging |
