St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-27
EX-AUDIT0R M'ILRATH
Talks Enteptainingly on Sew
eral Live Issues in Legis-
lation.
STUMPAGE LAW ENDORSED.
High Price Per Thousand Sc
cured in the Earlier
Years.
VIEWS ON SCHOOL FUND.
Change Of Method Dangerous
Royalty on Ore Is All
Right.

Charles Mcllrath, state auditor OF
Minnesota from 1861 10 1872, is at the
Windsor on his annual visit to st. Paul.
Although at present resident of New
York, the ex-auditor still regards st.
Paul as his home. To the GLOBE man
he talked interestingly of the develop
ment of the business of the state since
the early days. II may say that prac-
tically established the land department
Of the auditors Office" said Mr. Nell
rath, land | am not at all ashamed of
the results achieved. maintain, how
ever, that all expert should handle that
part of the business, because it is eX-
pert work. During my service as
auditor l followed the plan of diSpOSlng
of the stumpage slowly. only as the
people wanted it, SO that the market
was never pressed. We aimed to never
get less than So a thousand, and secured
sometimes as high as 81, after the ad
vent of the railroads. Naturally, these
sales of stumpage will need to be care
fully attended to by the proper officers,
or abuses will creep in.''
Touching on the public school fund
and the proposed change in the method
Of loaning same, Mr.. Mcllrath gave eX-
preston to some decided opinions. "In
my view. " said he, "a board ought to
be established to have control of the
loaning of that fund. The board ought
10 consist of the treasurer. auditor, at
torney general and the governor. and in
all advisory capacity the president of
the state university and perhaps others
high in educational affairs. In the
early days we added as much as $50, 900
to the fund by the increase in value of
investments and by funding bonds at
advantageous periods.
81 consider it very wise provision
which compels investments of the school
funds only in state or public school
bonds. The proposal to permit loans to
be made from this fund to build roads
and bridges is unwise 1 would lend
from it to build court house or school
house, because the people can see and
appreciate those things: but 10 invest
the money in roads and bridges on
township, or even county, bonds would
result. in my opinion, in great loss to
the fund. Wisconsin and some other
states tried that plan, and the loans
were never repaid in many instances.
The present law Is all right, especially
if board was created such as l have
referred to, and then permit it to loan
as the best judgment of the members
might dictate.
. N RI ct n
permit me to say that consider the
Minnesota system, which is modelled
after that of Maine. the only safe sys-
TEN for preserving the interests of the
people and the State-tO sell the stump
age and retain ownership of the land.
AND in this connection it seems TO me
the present mineral law is all right
The charging of a royalty on tonnage Of
ore mined is the best method for the
state. and should have careful attention
and supervision to prevent the possible
growth of fraudulent practices.
Years ago | estimated that the public
school fluid would grow to $4,000, 000.
1t bids fair to do that. although oppor-
tunitieS for investment are not as good
today. perhaps, as they were when we
could invest in United States bonds that
afterward commanded a premium. The
annual income to the state from this
royalty on ore is certain to amount to a
very large sum In the course of few
years. Let it stand as 1t is, SO far as
the system is concerned"
Questioned as to his views on the out
come of the senatorial contest Mr.. Me-
Ilruth said he had known Gen. WASH
burn very well for years. He was
surveyor general of public lands for
Minnesota when l was state auditor,
and has had large part in Minnesota
affairs for years. He naturally was
prominent in politics, aud l consider
him really able man. But Gov. Mel
son is adroit and aggressive. He has
come to leading place since my time,
and i know him but slightly. He is
man of the people, however. and has
made good governor. L look to see
him do equally as well in the senate"