The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-10-02
public PIundcrers Abroud In Wls-


The dishonesty practlced by the late State
authorities IN Wisconsin IL almost incredi-
Die. The Legislature recently appointed an
investigating committee which made q report
20 the Legislature on the 18th inst. The
positions advanced are
lst. That the grossest mismanagement
prevailed in the mode Of doing business in
both the school land and treasury DEPART
ments.
"a. That various persons in both Offices
were guilty Of embczzlement VI the public
funds, or OF negligence equally culpablo--
parties having claims in prospect against
the State, were allowed 10 anticipate hy
draft, and in several cases recovered the
amount dae twice. once on the draft, and
afterwards on the claim. The books Of the
school lands department were dlsfgured with
all sorts Of ensures, showing that lands
uusold We're frequently marked as sold, for
The convenience OF spectators connected
with the 0Iices.
The evidence also proves that there were
parties out OF the State who were acting in
concert with parties here, for the sale OF
/ school land certificates, from which sale the
/ State received no benefit. 1t appears, too
that large quantities Of land were entered
IN the name of several individuals, those, in.
7
sent to the same and had no knowledge Of
IL, and received no benefit from il. Of the
600 acre tract, 4.6,1119 acres have been
sold, at an average of ST. A. per acre and
OF the les sections 5O3,15I have been sold,
AZ AN average OF 81 "a Thousands of acres
have been sold, for which the State has re-
telved no pay whatever, and thousands Of
dollars embeA1led. The deficiency in the
Treasury in cash is $751; 900. The commit.
tee recommend that no more school lands bc
sold until the lands around them be settled
aud report bill to that effect. The renort
will probably be presented tomorrow. Ad-
Iourncd till tomorrow morning.
Thousands Of dollars Of thi. fund have
been embezzied, and hundreds of thousands
ost and sluandered, and whatever may have
| aetn the hope If every citizen Of this State
who loves the sacred cause Of education and
ne Country, criminal negligence, wanton
reekiessness and utter disregard for the
most responsible duties which could be i'm
posed upon man alone, has distinguished the
management of Inc fraud. Ii i me,an-
cholt reflection that the great wrong thus in
aci"d upon the best ana highest interest Of
the State, does not end with the peouniary
I loss 10 the school fund, but that il goes fur.
ther and inhicts u deadly blow upon the con
4 uaeh0" Va 'hc ptepie III thosc 10 whom they
4 have entrusted their dearest interest
II goes even beyond this, and proves n
double crime. for It's direct tendency is To un
ieFmine and destroy the confidence Of the
aeople IN Representative government Once
destroy that confidence, and our free govern
. mfnt - al an end.
The corruptlons which such state Of
things engenders. if suffered to continue.
will be felt in our halls of legislation, and
viii soon reach tho people, until general
deprasity Of public sentiment will be the re-
suit, and tho great and the true end Of gov
eminent, the moral and intellectual progress
u men, will be lost sight of in the conflict
] Of PERSONAL interest which Mould ensue