Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-23
THE PARTISAN EXAMINER.


THE PARTISAN EXAMINER.
The Public Examiner demurs to the crit
cism of the GLOBE relative to his partisan
ship, and argues that he did not shield the
defaulting treasurer of Martin county. The
GLOBE is aware that the law does not give
the Examiner the technical power of sus-
pending an official, but practically he has
that prerogative. He is the adviser of the
Governor in matters pertaining to county
officers. 1t is his business to investigate
and report to the Governor and the Governor
acts according to the nature of his report.
Hence, if the Examiner chooses, he can
shield or secure the removal of derelict Of
fetal according as he may desire to report.
He can also shield an official by delaying his
reports or inducing the Governor to pigeon
hole them to avoid publicity, as is often the
case.
In the Ramsey county case MIR. Knox pro-
posed to rush to his favorite newspaper at
once with his report, as soon as he had read
it to the Governor. In the Martin county case
there was no publicity whatever until the
man had fled. The Examiners report (psge
52) shows that the defalcation was discovered
April 18th. Page So contains this sentence:
Before the order of suspension was issued,
however, the board of audit officially reported
/ TO this Office that on May 10th they had exam
ined the accounts of the county treasurer, and
add, I'VE find him liable for $173.49 more
than he could produce funds
Here was month backing two days. after
the defalcation was discovered before any
thing was done. In fact there was nothing
done then, and we can only infer that some
action would have been taken if the board of
audit had not reported the defalcation re-
duced. The Examiner says "before the
order of suspension was issued, communi-
cation dated May 18th was received. Of
course it was "before the order of suspen-
sion was issued" He might have cited
something else that happened the next
month, and so on "before the order of sus-
pension was issued" A good many people
died and good many children were born
"before the order of suspension was issued"
but it does not follow that there was any in
tention to make suspension or any connec-
ton between the alleged cause and effect
Certainly from April, 18th to May 10th the
Examiner had no knowledge that the deficit
was being reduced. But even that partial
restoration was not sufficient to warrant the
retention of the official, if there had not been
an especial desire to shield him. The sequel
proved too that the assumed repayment
of the deficit was bogus and
that the defalcation continued to grow
greater "before the order of suspension was
issued" On the 10th of September the
Examiner was notified by telegraph that the
repayment was bogus, and on the oath
the treasurer left for the East to borrow
money to make an actual settlement. The
Examiner adds, (page 54)
He had not returned on October 23rd, and
on the 18th he was suspended"
1t was not until this suspension that the
matter became public. 1t was six months
after the discovery before there was any pub
Lefty, and We believe the full report of this
case has not even yet been published. The
man was even allowed an extra month to run
away in. Mr.. Knox did not read his report
to the Governor in April and take his manu-
script to his newspaper the same day, or any
other day, for publication. It was
a Republican official who was in peril, and
there was no political point to be made as in
the Democratic county of Ramsey. Hence
six months was allowed to elapse, as the
GLOBE has already shown, before there was
any action.
It will not do for Mr.. Knox to fall behind
the Governor. The Governor acts on the
and advice of the Examiner. It
was Mr.. Knox who hastened forward the
Ramsey county report to make po-
litical point, and the contrast in
the treatment of the two counties Is suffi-
cient evidence of the correctness of the
charge that we have partisan Public Ex-
aminer. He cannot conceal himself beneath
The executive coat tails, any more than the
ostrich can hide his body by thrusting his
head in the sand.
We are not surprised that the Examiner
finds four out of five defaulters to be Re-
publicans. That does not prove that he is
not partisan. 1t simply shows the exces-
1--WE rascality of the Republican party and
The importance of putting Democrats on
guard.