The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-05-01
WHERE THE MONEY WENT.

Now that the legislature has ad-
journed, and inasmuch as it was the
only real reform" body ever elected
in the State, it is well to take a brief
accounting or stock and see where the
peoples money went. This can be
most concisely and comprehensively
done by quoting from the Mime
apolis Tribune, whose reporter has
been investigating. 1t takes up the
House end of the body as this branch
was presided over by an Alliance
Democratic speaker. Reviewing the
expense account the Tribune says:
In this branch it is acknowledged
that the Alliance had the stronger
control of legislative matters. in that
there was elected SimOn-pure Alli-
ance man as presiding officer. To
this gentleman belonged the power of
checking extravaganza, SO far as leg
iSlatiye expense for supplies were con-
cerned. He was supposed to see that
the materials furnished were not put
to any personal uses further than they
were necessary to transact the BUSH
ness of the State To aid him in this
work he should have had the hearty
cooperation Of the chief clerk for it
was to the latter with whom the
Observation-Disclosures combine was
made that both were elected as Off
GERS of the house. How well this gen.
tleman performed his duties is shown
by the following. To him belonged
the duty Of ordering such supplies as
were needed in the house, and one of
the first purchases was 10 dozen best
pocket knives at S247.50 with an Incl
dental bill thereto attached of S26. 80,
making a total of S273.SS. As there
were not knives enough to 60 around
among the 116 members. the Obliging
clerk ordered another dozen, for which
he paid SIS.
Yesterday Tribune representative
had the privilege of spending a great
er part of the day in looking over the
acquisitions made on the secretary of
state by the clerk of the house. 1t
had been intimated several times
during the session that cart loads of
stuff were being purchased of which
very little good seemed to result to
the members. And it might be stat
ed that nothing remains at the CAPT.
tOl but dozen broken or defaced file
holders, that are left of the order for
which the state was charged over
$500 for these articles alone More
than this resolution was forced
through the house allowing the chief
clerk and ergeant-at-armS to pur-
chase necessary articles to be used by
members. Among these articles were
towels, pitchers, tumblers, busters,
thermometers, desk baskets and even
an ak. Not one of these articles are
now to be found around the building.
In the reqisitions mentioned above
were 150 reams of paper, valued at
$500, and $4,000 envelopes. $3.50. 9th
er article were 60 gross of steel pens,
at 81 per gross: 155 rubber pen hold
erS. at $3.50 a dozen: GA dozen COM
mon pen holders, at / cent each: "a
quarts of mucilege at 81 quart: 153
dozen lead pencils at s. a gross: 154
gross of rubber bands, 45 dozen ink
and pencil erasers at 80 cents a dozen:
100 dozen blue and red pencils at SO
a gross: 159 pair of shears, at from S12
to Is dozen: 425 boxes of aple bind
ers at 20 cents box; 10 ivory folders
at from So to So dozen: Is dozen will
low paper baskets at 40 cents each:
262 dozen scratch blocks at cents
each: 10 mucilege bottles at 40 cents
each: 70 pasteboard clips atS1.25 each:
$50 ruling pens at 81 dozen; 132 hand
pincers at S. dozen: q dozen thumb
tackS at 2 cents each: 200 ink bottles
at 40 cents each; % quarts Of ink at
Is cents bottle.
One of the greatest orders was 357
steel knife eraserS which cost Sc per
dozen.
Let not the voter forget that there
were but lis members in the house
for whom these goods were supposed
to be secured, and also that the prices
given for these articles are the same
as those taken from the records of the
secretary of state and are for large
orders at contract prices.
There is considerable to be learned
from these figures, and it may also be
stated that they form the basis for a
circular soon to be issued by the Re-
ii or tn 1naor11n