St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-12-22
MATT CLARK'S SCALP
bangles at the Belt of the
Pine Land Investigating
Committee.
SOME HOT SHOT FOR BRADEN
No Records in Auditors Office
Until Biermann Made
Them.
TIMBER THIEVES LOCATED.
They Left the Land Because
They Couldn't Carry 1t
Away.
TIMBER THIEVES LOCATED.

y
The pine land in vestigating commit
tee has made its final report and filed
the same with the governor for trans
mission to the legislature. The docu-
ment, or, more properly, the volume,
occupies 200 pages Of typewriter mat
ter. Of this amount perhaps twenty
pages are devoted to a dispassionate,
non- partisan and business-like treat
ment of the matter, while the other l80
are devoted to ''roasts'' of various off,
cials, firms and individuals, sometimes
by name and sometimes alluding vague
ly to prominent lumbermen," who are
alleged to have committed various Of
fenses. There are quotations from near
ly all those living and dead, and once in
while there is tart. trite little stab
from the pen of Ignatius DOnnelly.
They can be recognized as readily as
though they were given over the sign
manual OF the Sage himself.
The purpose OF the report seems to
have been to exert moral influence
over future auditors, since it virtually
cOnfesses its impotency in correcting
the errors of past ones. and in view of
the impending change of administration
it would seem to have been drawn
largely for the guidance of the auditor
that is to be. So far as its practical
bearing is concerned the whole report
Might Re Put in DoZe n Lines,
thus: "All auditors previous to Bier
mann have been dishonest and incom-
petent; BIermann himself is scrupulous-
lY honest. but has been imposed upon
by designing SPECTATORS; Matt Clark
had good thing and worked
it for all it was worth; this CON-
mlttee has done its whole duty in the
face of great difficulties. and is de-
serving Of the warmest commentator
for its energy and zeal; we recommend
that the legislature do something or
another to bring abobt some kind of a
new system that will be better than
system that Is not so good. Respect
fully submitted"
The committee divides its report up
into sixteen chapters i'll regular book
form, with captions and subheads de-
noting the contents of each. InaSmuch
as the work" is to be published in
pamphlet form this was a wise fore
thought on the part of the committee.
The divisions of the work are as fol-
lows:
Sale Of stumpage.
Sale Of hard wood Stumpage.
Mineral leases.
Approval of estimates and appralsals.
Duties OF surveyors general.
State scalers.
State auditors Office.
Estimates and appraIsals.
EstimatOrS and appraisers.
State treasurer.
Stumpage thieves.
Matthew Uark'S relation to the state
auditors Office.
Frauds-who is responsible?
Work of the committee it's results,
Financial statement.
Recommendations.
Matt CIark's Relation.
One entire chapter of the work is de-
voted to the discussion of Matt
Clark's Relation to the State Auditors
Office" and seven pages of colloquial
matter are inserted as preface to the
remark:
I'm the Judgment Of the committee
the foregoing statement of facts, which
is unimpeachable, coupled with the
testimony quoted. shows a lamentable
condition of affairs In the state auditors
office, and very low estimate on the
part of that official of what constitutes
the duty of the clerks in the Office to the
people of the state"
The committee, not satisfied with the
CORY scalp of Clark. which hangs in tri-
umph at its belt, takes a shy at j. A.
Westby, a prominent Republican poll
ticisn and a many-time appointee of
various Republican administrations.
who, the committee says, prepared him
self for the high calling of state
estimator. SERVING in the various
capacities of policem an, prison warden
and ferry boat navigator. 1t quotes the
letter Of recommendation upon which
Westby's appointment was made. and
INDUCES In some adverse criticisms
upon Mr. Westby's attanments. adding
a few lines of comment upon the char
acter of his indorsers. They were Sam
uel Mathews. David Bronson, John Nc.
Cartny, E. s. Brown, I. c. Kitty. f. w.
Uurant, j. S. O'Brien, John f. Norrish
William &. Bronson and John J. Kitty,
all save one (NOrrish) being prominent
in the business and political circles of
Saltwater.
The chapter devoted to the auditors
office proper starts out with the state
ment that all authority as to the DISPOSE
tiOn of lands comes from this office, and
says: ut Is here, more than in any
other department, that we have the
right to expect that condition of affairs
that marks the faithful, intelligent serv-
ant, the honest man, and it would be
very gratifying to every member of this
committee II we could so report
The committee, however, finds it too
much Of Strain on itself in doing this.
and throws up the job with the declara.
tion that it finds the most palpable
neglect Of duty" and several other specs
lfications of official dereliction.
"ln justice TO all concerned, how.
ever" the report adds that this deplora-
bic condition Is not at all confined to
the administration of Auditor Bier
mann, but "has been uniform and unp
interrupted for many years."
1t would seem that the committee has
made q most industrious search 10 dis