Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-24
THE NEW SURVEYOR GENERAL,
Interviews witt the Incoming aud Gu
cn;no nai oi,1,

Interviews witt the Incoming apd Out
going Official,.
The news of the appointment of DR.. Stew
art as surveyor general of Minnesota was the
current topic of conversation on Saturday.
The GLOBE reporters took up the trail and
first called upon Gen. James H. Baker, the
present incumbent. Without any formalities
the scribe opened the ball by saying:
"How does this matter of DR.. Stewards
appointment strike you, General?''
"Wlth surprise, confess. 1t was wholly
unexpected by me; his appointment or that
of any one to the office I now hold.''
"What influences do you attribute your re-
moval to?"
"My term of service expired on the 10Th
inst. but felt assured I'd be reappointed.
[ presume DR.. Stewards appointment is
solely due to the friendly and close personal
relations existing between him and Secretary
Schurz.''
''You felt assured of your appointment,
why?"
"Under the civil service rules, if they were
to be enforced, I felt myself entitled to the
appointment. felt assured of retaining my
office. My record was clean, and had been
particularly spoken of by my superior, j. A.
Williamson, as faithful and superior officer.
In addition had the support of the whole
Minnesota delegation. Further, my reten-
ton was personally urged by Senator Win
dom. Under the circumstances, I felt conf
dent of my reappointment. These recon-
mendations were endorsed by the Governor
and all the State officials, and were concur
red in by Commissioner williamson -
no roI 10 4o1-
paper. and the reporter called his attention
an editorial therein where it was intirnated
that "dry leaves ratified among the pine
| land thieves, the evergreens mourned
and there were many cross cuts in the
| conical sections of the pineries, etc.
81 WISH" said General Baker. ssto
make myself particularly clear about this
question Of "a pine ID ring Since have
| been in office any speculation in pine
lands has been severed from office. We have
only done the survey work. This Office has
nothing to do with the sale of land. And
| the twaddle here (poin,ing to the Dispatch)
| about the Mile Laos lands, etc. is the
merest bosh. AS to Joe's (Wheelock) edi-
torial, he can't mean that | have interested
myself in the pine land business, because
couldn't have done so had wished it. Nor
can Dr. Stewart do 50, the whole business
being consigned in this district to the
| special charge of Judge Jones and Col.
| Protois.'' 4s
A little further talk, informal in it's nature.
| followed, during which this information was
impaired: There are 53,439,S4O acres of
government land in Minnesota, of which
1853. 1913 have been surveyed, leaving over
| 100000 to be finished up by DIR. Stewart or
his successors.
| WHAT DIR. STEWART SAID.
| DR.. Stewart was the subject of many con
| gratuiations and the GLOBE man had to in
terrupt them to launch the following:
"Well, doctor, what have You to say about
all this hubub on the Surveyor general bust
| ness?'' .-.....r ....
81 didn't know there was any special hub
bub on the subject. understand some of
the so-called pine land ring do not like my
appointment, but know nothing definite
about it,
''What is the reason for their opposition? p
"Now You are asking too much. I don't
think it would be proper for me, under the
circumstances, to go into general discussion
of this matter, and Unjust ask to be excused
500 you expect there will be any opposi-
ton to your confrmation?''
81 have no reason to suppose there will be
any. Senators Mcmillan and Window are
both friendly to me, and even if urged by