The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-06
An Affidavit Showing that Funds We're
Lost in the Defunct Banks.
Conclusive Reasons Why There Should Be an
Investigation-The Legislative Proceed
ingS Yesterday Minor Matters.
THE TREASURY INVESTIGATION.
a Democratic Senator Declares that There
Is Need Of an Investigation.

sion of his officia affairs and the allegations,
stated emphatically as facts, with reference to
his management of the trust funds in his pos
session, or which should be in his possession,
were anything but soothing or pleasing to the
gentleman of Investigation antipathies. Mr.,
Cooper and franklin Landers were present dur
ing the discussion CT the question.
THE cULPABlLITY OF THE TREASURER.
The consideration of the minority report was
the special order of the afternoon, and the de-
bate began upon motion by Senator Lindley
to substitute the minority for the majority re-
port
Senator Mccullough, the chairman of the COM
mittee, attempted to direct the discussion of the
reports to the question relating to the interest
on the State funds. 1T has been assumed" he
said, ''from the time this question arose with
reference TO the Treasurer of State that the
statute prohibited him from loanlng the State
funds TO banks or TO persons, and that If he does
loan it and receives interest thereon, the inter
est is the property of the State. In my judg-
meDt, that is what prompted the attempted in
vestigation-a wish to show thas the State
Treasurer had probably received interest on the
States money, and then go to the people with
the cry that the interest belongs to the State.
] take the position that the interest on the funds
is not the States You can't place money in the
hands of an officer and say to him, you shall
pay me back every dollar" and at the same time
say to him you shall pay back every dime of
interest YOU receive it, If you charge him
with the interest he receives upon it you have
got to make him your agent and stand any loss by
fire, burglary, or other casualty. BY not giving
him any secure place to keep the State funds.
and by allowing him only the pitiful salary of
50, 600 year-a sum that no insurance company
would insure the money for, the Legislature
has recognized that the interest the State Treas
nrer gets from the State funds is his own, and
that fact, in my judgment, would be recognized
by the Supreme Court if the officer whose duty
it is were TO sue the Treasurer and litigate with
him for ten years to come. The State of Indi-
ana does not want to loan her money. The
State wants the principal of her money, and she
wants every dime of it. The majority of this
committee recommend that the law shall be so
amended as to leave no question about it-that
the Treasurer and his bendsmen are absolute
insurers of the money.
Mr.. Winter--I have listened with great pa
tience TO the speech by the senator from Gibson,
and with disappointment, and | do not affect
anythng when / say that there has been, in my
Judgment an utter failure to make any answer
whatever to the grave charges they called
upon to face This is question which rises
above politics 1t is a question as to whether
senators here, by the votes they will give on
these reports, are willing not only to put them
selves i'll the attitude which the senator from
Gibson says former Legislatures have been
lions of the statute, but whether they will put
themselves in the attitude of active participants
in violations of the law in the future.
Tt may be true, as the senator says, that
all Treasurers of State have violated the law, and
it may be true that Legislatures and Governors
have cOnnived at its violation; but submit, in
all eandor, we connot afford to go conniving
at the violation of law when it Is brought before
Us. officially that the law is violated. We have
taken an oath to see that no violation of law
hall utiyF1Ia ia IN ST.
The senator from Gibson has attempted to
argue that the Treasurer of State has a right to
keep the public moneys where he pleases, to spec
ulase with them as he sees proper, to make
whatever profit he may out of them. and no one
has any right to cal IN question his acts / take
issue upon that statement as to the law. The
very authorities the senator quoted show the
proposition he has been advocating is not law,
and never has been. It is conceded that the
Treasurer of State has been violating the law in
the discharge OF his duties That fact alone
creates imperative demand for full and
complete investigation
REASONS FOR. AN INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Magee-1 desire to address myself rather
from an individual standpoint. than any other
find it impossible for me to agree with the ma
iority on this question. l have been assured
this was not a political question: and I take it
that it Is not. 1t reaches beyond political
question. 1t is question that involves the in
tegrty of an officer Of the State, and the safe keep
ing of the funds which the people Of the State
have contributed for the maintenance Of the
government of the State; q question as to
whether the funds are in the custody of the
proper officer not--as to whether the Treas
urer of State is able at any time to produce the
money with which he is chargeable; and can
not conceive how 1t is that there could
be any obstruction or any delay in that il.
quirv, or why it should not be so full and COM
plete as to make it as satisfactory as it
would be TO inquire into the trust of any other
citizen; or why this inquiry is not to be met in
that spirit of fairness which man would want
20 meet and show that he desired close scrutiny
rs to his trust. 1t is not question as to whether
the Treasurer has been guilty of felony. neither
It is ita question of an attack on Ex-Governor
Porter J. caro- not if the insinuatien of Gov
ernor Porser was begotten in malice; tho people
have the right to know whether the moneys
they have paid in for taxes are on hand or not.
The majority report says they are. That may
be. But what harm would it be to ascertain
whether 1t is there or not2 undertake TO say
II is not there charge that no longer than to-
day warrant drawn against the general fund
has been protested. and | have tho authority
OF the gentleman who holds the warrant for say
the statement that the general fund which
ought to be at hand failed to respond to a war
rant drawn in favor of the gentleman who is en-
titled TO have the sum of money named in his
warrant 90 not KNOW any thing about the
truth OF the reports that the Treasurer is de-
linquent, but it seems to me when there is such
report it would be the duty of the Treasurer of
State at once to address the General Assembly
letter inviting them to make as full and complete
investigation as it is in their power to make. 1t
is the duty of the Treasurer of State to meet his
Solteations promptly, and at all times, without
hesitation. There some Instructions in this
minority report that hardly think proper. and
: tnat IS why have hesitated and some Of my
friends on the Democratic side have hesitated in
this matter
Senator Foulke closed the discussion, and he
spoke with telling effect It had been stated,
De sad, that the minority report was for pois-
ieal effect s'Why is it that the Democratic
organ Of Indiana, published in Indianapolis, and
the Democratic organ Of Ohio, published at Gin