The Grange advance., 1874-09-09

WC1o Ai<s0o IE4yaOle 10 Tic OIuci VI tA0 Os~@@o
Treasurer. But all of them were 80 taken
on behalf Of the State, to apply ON the
stumpage business.
Mr.. Dixie, the present State Treasurer, was
fully informed by me about the condltlon OF
these affairs. before or about the time he took |
possession OF the Office The present Deputy
Treasurer was also the deputy OF MIR. .Gke's
predecessor, and the papers and notes were
placed in his, said deputy's hands, with MIR.
bikes knowledge and consent.
The whole matter Of the notes and stump
ace was talked over in the Treasurer's office,
between Mr.. Seeger, Mr.. Dixie, Mr.. Hurter
and myself, and was fully understood by all
of them.
When retired from Office considered my
responsibility in the matter entirely at an
end; at the same time, l regretted the neces-
sity of leaving unsettled accounts for other
officers to collect, and volunteered my SER
vices to make the burden as light as possible.
was very much surprised when informed bv
the deputy, Mr.. Hurter, in November, that
no one could be found to enforce those con-
ter, and that mus take charge of them
again, and made such reply as my time and
opportunity afforded, ~
Since the date Of that reply, some of the
notes have been paid in full; others paid in
part; others extended upon payment of in
terest and the deposit of additional securities
while all the parties acknowledged the Just
ness of the claims and assure the Treasurer
that they will pay them.
/ There is no necessity whatever of any loss
to the State on account of these claims All
the parties are abundantly able to pay, or
ready and willing to furnish further security
if required 80 to do.
During my administration of the Office,
over S25O, 100 worth of stumpage was sold for
the State, and it will be found that during
the ten years that was Land Commissioner,
the percentage Of losses to the State OH
stumpage contracts will be far less than the
average loss in ordinary commercial transac-
tions. Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. NcILRATH. {
At that time the statement with
other proceedings of your committee>,
was not intended to be made public un :
til our report was made; bat copy II
the same was oiyen to one of the S t..
Paul newspapers by Mr.. McIlrath, re
presume, and published therein the ay
! following its presentation to US. We
make this statement in justice to 'ihe
committee, as the fact of it's publication
was commented upon and criticised at
| the time.
After having examined several wit
nesses and finding it impossible before
adjournment to make satisfactory in
vestagation, or such an |cne as called
for by the resolution, in consequence
of the vast amount Of lahor which is
imposed, your committo. were a:thor-
ized at their request, to sit after the
adjournment of the Serate and prose-
cute their labors, with instructions to
submit their report to the Gov
ernor VINO would 1transmit it to
your body. This we have done, and
We trust and believe shat an examina-
tion Of the testimony will convince you
that we have made an honest effort to
ascertain and lay before you all the
facts within our reach. Our duties
have been arduous, tedious and often
times unpleasant, in having to procure
testimony from those most reluctant to
give evidence, and we can only say that
the investigation has proved to be a
matter of much greater magnitude than
We anticipated, and that we have de-
voted :fully as much of our time to it
as proper regard for our private in.
terests an l affairs would warrant. It
wall be readily understood that in pros
eeuting an investigation of this charac.
ter, voluntary informants of irregulari-
ties, OF frauds, are rare, as few persons
other than the parties to the same are
oognizent Of such transactions or acts,
hence the unpleasant duty of becoming
a special detective is, in effect, imposed
upon each member Of the committee.
In regard to the unpaid notes de-
sHibed;in the abeve mentioned COM
munica;ion' Of, the State Treasurer, the
following communication from that off,
Ger will show how many have been paid
since this investigation was ordered,
and what action has been taken by him
with reference to those remaining un-
paid:
ST. PAUL, Aug. 10, 1874.
Hon J.. S. Macdonald, Chairman Ipvestiqat-
ing Committee:
DEAR Sk:: In reply to your favor Of the
18th inst, IL have the honor to enclose here
with list OF stumpage notes paid since my
report to the Senate, and statement OF the
action taken in regard to those remaining in
hand UNPAID:
j j
SCHOOL ,FUND.
Date Of Payment.
February 10, 1874, Bray. Wilder &
Co., note due Feb Is, 1874, $64l 65
February Is, 1874, Croker Bros.
| Il Lauaoureaux, note due Febru-
ary II. 1874, ao7 rs
February "a, i6s4, Bray, Wilder&
is, 1874, 1920 -
April 23, ls74, John Rollins, mote.
due July 3, 1879, [
] UNPAID NOTES, BELONGING TO PERMANENT
SCHOOL .RuNO.
sAnoka Lumher Co., dated Nov. 30,
1872, with u per cent interest, 4547 So
| Turned over to Attorney General
I April II, 1874. -. 49,. -
Manger & Gray, dated Dec. !, 1873,
% ner cent interest due JpQle l.