The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-01-24
eGv. GROWERS DEFENSE.

The telegraph, some weeks ago,
announced that Ex-Gov. Grover,
from his seat in the L. S. Senate, had
"raised to explain certain charges
of the Legislative investigating com
mittee relative to the official acts OF
his State administration. Mr.. Grover,
when the dispatch, containing the
charges was read, remarked: ".Mr.
President: 1t is duty which I owe
to this honorable body as well as to
myself to meet these charges as spe-
officially as they are made, and l will
proceed to do it seriatin1."
In the Congressional Record Of
Jan. 9, we find the @explanation' or
answer to the charges, but have not
space to give the same infull, but will
give that portion relating to the
school fund matter. That the school
funds of the State, during the Grover
Chadwick administration were
most recklessly managed, no tax.
payer of this State, who is at all
posted, can doubt. Whether Or not
the explanation given below will sat
isfy the people Of Oregon that hon
esty and capacity have characterized
the school fund management, we
leave our readers to judge. We com
mend it to the careful perusal of eve
ry reader of the GAZETTE. 1t is no
garbled extract, but quoted. in full,
from the Senate proceedings:
THE NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS
Is stated to be deficiency" in school funds
IN the hands of Thomas III. Cam, who was
clerk of the board of school-land commits
sioners. His accounts were all duly settled
before the Legislature every two-years while
/ was governor, and found correct. He
writes me that his accounts are correct now.
THE SCHOOL FUNDS.
The school funds of Oregon are in the
hands of the State treasurer and of the sew
eral county treasurers, and are under the
general supervision of the board of school
land commissioners Those officers neoo-
tiate the public loans with rs much care and
under as strict provisions of law real
estate loans are made in any other State, and
there has been no greater depression of real
estate values in that State than in any other.
It is the merest demagogism to attempt to
cast upon any set of public officers in any
State the fault of deprecated securities,
which rest mainly for their support upon the
general prosperity. Yet the statement that
school-mortgage securities in Oregon are not
worth fifty cents on the dollar is grossly and
utterly untrue.
have myself had one of these loans, but
It was based ON the soundest security, and
has been fully repaid, with interest. have
been interested in two other loans of this
Kind as stockholder in corporations con-
nected with them, but all the loans which |
had any connection with were duly made
and fully secured according to law, and were
duly reported to the Legislature of 1876,
which elected me member of this body.
Had therebeen anything wrong i'll any of
these matters i could not have been elected.
Mr.. President, this committee, though
composed of persons of known hostility to
myself, are not chiefly responsible for this
report. They were selected as persons ca
pable' of being manipulated by men who for
years have been my personal enemies; who
having failed to defeat me in open field and
fair contest, seek now my destruction by
discharging this missile of their venom from
secure ambush in the distance. But their
work is overstrained and will fail
The State of Oregon, sir, is in as good
financial and economic condition as any
State in the Union, and in far better condi-
tion than great majority of States.
Its current expenses are paid by 4 tax of
four mills on the dollar of taxable property.
1t has no bonded debt of any kind, either
State, county, or city, while it's outstanding
warrants on the treasury do not exceed
$500, 200, with 100000 usually carried in
tho treasury as margin on various accounts.
This treasury statement is not exact, but it
is approximate. The State is virtually out
of debt, except limited liabilities which were
contracted to be paid out of internal i'm
provement a nd swamp land sales, which are
in course of liquidation in that way.
The State capital and penitentiary are
erected. These buildings are of ample size
and permanent and enduring structure. We
have schools and churches everywhere. The
peopleare vigorous, Industrious, enterpris-
ing, frugal, and happy, and they; look for
ward to a pleasing and tlattering future of a
great State, and 1 repel this SANDER upon
them and me. |