Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-09-30

The Milwaukee Senuuci's Madison
correspondent has unearthed a good
deal more Of the true iuwdrGuess of
the recent attempt of certain state
officials to load upon the taxpayers
the burden Of supporting their person.
al newspaper organ, 1t would be use
less for the democratic press 60 at
tempt to defend the secret Job, and to
do SO would only be to do further in
jury TO the democratic party. The
Sentinel correspondent says:
The failure of GOV. Peck to make the
contract for printing the second edition
of the roster OF Wisconsin volunteers
In the war of the rebellion "A part of
the official records of the business OF
the state may serve to relieve the PEG.
pie from a suit against the state for
violation of the contract and result in
the governor becoming the defendant
in m action brought against him for
failure TO perform the duties under
taken by him in entering into an in
diyidual contract with Mr.. w. j. T..
McFail. While the state was unques
tionably saved a big pot of money whom
Coy. Peck was So influenced by fear Of
a threatened legal proceeding TO test
the validity of the secret contract that
he declared it revoked and cancelled on
the part Of the state, by the same token
the other parties to the contract or in
terested in it as certainly lost an eN-
ceedingly fat and profitable Job. More
over money was borrowed and other
obligations incurred on account of that
contract 1nd there are several interests
involved whicu are likely to develop
into an appeal to the courts TO deter,
mine whether II party to an express
contract a revoke aud cancel 1t with
cut the approval of the other parties
interested, even if the contract was
secretly entered into and contemplated
the milking of the public treasury with
the knowledge and consent of public
officials who might naturally r. sup
posed to be opposed to that sort OF
thing under their oath of office, if they
were not rs distinguished professors
of reform.
The information is accurate that the
peculiar character Of the contract and
the facts in connection with it are
chiefly responsible for the failure TO be-
gin action up to the present time. OF
course the governor could Lot be held
as an individual for damages resulting
from his acts as an official, and at
torncys may have some hesitancy in
suing the state upon a contract entered
into secretly and Of such doubtful
validity tllat the governor, as one of
the parties to it, undertakes to revoke
and cancel it for the given reason that
he had been led to seriously doubt It's
legality. Yet the governors failure TO
make the contract an official act to the
extent of mailing it a part Of the record
of official acts as prescribed by law has
caused consideration Of the question
MS to whether the entering into the con
tract by the governor was more than
the act of the individual for which the
governor is liable as anybody else
Mr., McFail, for instance.
But whatever the lawyers may decide
TO do, and regardless Of whether or
not they decide TO do anything, the
public viii be Interested IN knowing the
terms Of the carefully guarded con
tract and i'm learning how much has
been sayed to the treasury, temporarily
at least, by the defeat Of the roster job
as promoted by state officials for the
benefit Of the owners Of the then strug
Cling and now defunt newspaper organ
The Madison Times was q newspaper
Of the state administration Of this city.
very much devoted to the admiuistra-
ton and the democratic party, as well
as to giving the news. 1t was started
and published by The Times Printing
company, among the incorporators OF
which were Col. Clarence Clark, the
governors private secretary, and J.. NJ.
Clancy, the assistant attorney general.
Other state officials invested money in
the enterprise and state employees con
tributcd generously Of editorial or news
matter. The organ was conducted on
an eXI ensiye scale and at no time was
it within sight Of a paying basis, as a
newspaper. During the legislature an
effort was made looking to the making
of the official state paper of the official
organ, but a canvass Of the legislators
proved ]unfavOrable. There was talk
Of its removal to Milwaukee, which
resulted in nothing. Then The Tines
came out u morning with the ar
uouncement that it had passed 20 the
control Of Mr.. w. J. +. Neral who
had been employed as editor. Secre.
tlry Clark stated that Inc had disposed
Of his interest To the new proprietor
and TT was passed around for news chat
Mr.. Mcfail had secured q large amount
of money; that fgurJdvely he had
gobhled up the whole business, and
that state officials were no longer In
terested In the paper excepting in a
sentimental way. This was important,
whether it was true or not, in regard
for the law against state officials being