The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-10
THE GREAT ROBBERY.

during the administration of Charles
McIlrath.
1t is terrible record. 1t proves
McIlrath to have been a defaulter for
over 100000, viz:
Deficiency in First and Second
Lumber Districts, $77,O50 IS
Amount received for stumpage
LS& MRR land lo,4ss IS
Kandiyohi comfy stumpage, 5l8 "a
Hennepin county stunipase, 1900 oO
Making total loss to the
State, 800, 005 o.
Nor is that all. This great total is
simply what committee could dig out,
during a few weeks Of investigation,
from the obscure and defective accounts
in the Auditors Office. If the next
Legislature is controlled by the Opposi-
ton more thorough investigation will
be made, and it is believed that it will
reveal defalcation CT 100000 more.
Every other Office in the State Capitol
will have to be similarly examined.
The Republican party have had unin-
terrupted possession of the State gov
ernment for fourteen years past. Long
continued power inevitably breeds cor
ruption. 1t is time to have thorough
overhauling Of books.
And this can only be had by putting
in a new set Of officers who have no
political interest in concealing the frauds
of their predecessors, but who are, in
fact, politically interested in exposing
them.
Remember that this defalcation of
100000 comes out of the pockets of
the tax-ridden, debt-distressed people
Of this State. We are sorry to say that
Gov. Austin, we believe unwittingly,
neglected to take an official bond with
adequate securities, as provided by law,
from McIlrath; so that, in all proba-
biity, the amount taken by him will
prove an irretrievable loss to the State;
unless it can be collected from Nc.
1lrath's private estate.
1t must be remembered that this re.
port is not partisan, anti-Republican
document on the contrary a majority
of the committee are Republicans and
even the St. Paul Press, which defend
ed the Munich and Seeger defalcations,
is unable to find any loop-hole of escape,
and hence, in its issue of the 5th inst.
makes the following confession
The facts disclosed by the testimony are
simply astounding It is with inexpressible
grief and pain that We are compelled to ad-
init that the conclusions of the committee
seem to be supported by an array of testimo-
ny apparently Irresistible, and that the ex-
Auditor seems to be convicted of traudu-
lent practices in the administration of
a series of years, ,chereby the Permanent
School and University funds hare been des-
poitcd Of large sums. The committee report
the extraordinary fact that no accounts were
kept in the State Auditors Office ola large
part of the timber transactions OF that office,
especially OF moneys received in payment
for timber cut on school, university, swamp,
railroad, indemnity and internal improvement
lands without permits, and in many
cases with permits, or for grass cut on such
lauds, and that only the partial extent and
nature of these transactions has been re-
vealed by the examination Of all pesons who
could be found who were known to have
been parties thereto.
As the result of this comprehensive inves-
tigation, which involved the examination of
nearly hundred witnesses, and embraced
the scaleage record of the surveyors of logs,
the committee find that by means, partly OF
private arrangements with trespassers on the
State lands by collision with the examiner.
who made up false reports of the quantity
of timber included in given permit for Off
cnl use, while the actual quantity of timber
sold largely exceeded the amount reported,
and by other means, the examiner sharing
in the spoils, Mr. McIlrath has probably col.
lected, Cor rather ought to have collected) at a
A Low ESTIMATE, SOME sS7, 4H MORE
THAN HE HAS PAID OVER TO THE
STATE TREASURER.
8 But bad as these revelations are
worse remains behind. The Committee
says: $500 so
Your committee did not deem it part OF
the duty they were expected to perform, to
enter into Sn investigation ofsthe sales of
school lands. Such an investigation would
prove work. of greater magnitude than we
would be able at this time to perform ,,
The greater part of the immense
sums, which passed through McIlrath'
hands, were derived from the sale of
school lands. We have little doubt
that an Investigation of that fund,
as it does to millions of dol.
lars, will lead to terrible revelations.
We have little doubt that the sacred
fund, intended for the education of our
children and their, posterity, has been
plundered. When will the
light Of day break through all the dark
foul crevices Of that corrupt capitoli
Let the people rise up in their males
ty and assume control Of their own
s4airs. Let them clean out the Augean
stables. Let them pursue, like blood
hounds. the men who have been plum
dering them; and recover back the
spoil; or visit condign punishment on
the heads of the robbers.
LOOK TO YOUR LEGISLATIVE TICKETS!
There is where. the work must begin.
If any man ayows or is believed to feel