The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-16

there was any lack Of men who could
fittingly serve in a case like that men,
toned, it is the consensus of opinion.
at least in the house, that it would
have been difficult to have chosen a
set of committeeman, who can be more
thoroughly depended upon to carry
the matter to legitimate finish with
all rea sonable expedition.
The selection, when it is known that
Speaker Jones was importuned on all
sides by the friends Of members desr-
inG to serve, meets with general appro-
baton, and no little praise is accorded
for his judgment and fearlessness.
The resolution will come up for action
in regular order in the senate next
week, and, if the lieutenant governor
names as good a committee from the
upper house, there is little doubt that
something of tangible character will
be developed
Readers of the G o b { will recall
that, when the matter was under con-
sideration Thursday afternoon, Repre-.
sentative Henry Feig, of Kandiyohi
chairman of the house committee which
two years ago Investigated the Noun
tain Iron question, attributed in no mis-
taxable manner to Attorney General
Childs, the blame attaching to the fail
ure to act during the interim between
the sessions two years ago and now
During the dying hours of the last
session, he had made the report of his
committee to the house, and, in speak
ing of it, he added that the attorney
general had hpQn
to follow up the work of the commit
tee by taking the matter into court
In conclusion, the gentleman from Kan
diyohi said: Il am greatly surprised
at this time to learn that no attention,
was paid by the attorney general to
that recommendation"
The fact is developed by a visit to
the office of the attorney general thai
although the resolution, under which
the committee was appointed and act
ed provided that it should report to
the house, and, in it's discretion to the
attorney general with recommended
lions, no such report was ever at any
time made to the attorney general.
and, although that gentleman made
several efforts, he was unable to OBJ
tain even the testimony which the COM
mittee had taken.
that Mr.. Feig did, after the last SEES
sion, deposit the records in the office
OF the state secretary, but although
asked during the summer of 1895 by
Andy Erwin, of the attorney generals
office, as to their wherea bouts, Mr.. Err
win says Mr.. Feig prOfessed ignorance
on the subject. They therefore couId
not be found, and it must be borne in
mind that without the records the at
torney general was unable to go ahead
with the case, especially as the COM
mlttee had made no provision for the
calling of witnesses, taking testimony
or any of the other many details Incl
dent to case Of this kind, by the at
tOrney general. When the proner time
comes, it is quite to be expected that
the attorney general will have this ex-
planation made upon the floor of the
house.
State Auditor Bob" Dunn had some
thing to say yesterday anent the i'm
preston which seems to have gained
currency in some quarters that Attor-
ney General Childs had laid himself
open to censure, owing to his failure
to take any action in the matter.
Mr.. Dunn, in whose office the memoir
anda, from which Representative Dom
nelly read, was prepared, said yester-
day that what had been said regarding
the attorney general was unfair and
uuJuSL 10 MIN.
The committee named by the house
two years ago." he said, ito urge Gen.
Childs to take some action looking TO
the recovery of the Mountain Iron
mine or the value of the property. bv
this state, never gave him or placed
at his disposal any funds with which ia
Push the matter, nor did they even
place the testimony of the few wit
nesses they examined at his disposaJ
In addition to this, the testimony whic;,
they took in the case was misIaid soon
after the Legislature adjourned. two
years ago, and was not found until a
few weeks ago when it was dug I'D in
the office of the state secretary. This
was not until after we had made una
statement Of the case for the present
house. No, l think the drastic remarks
made about Mr. Childs are not de-
served.
Without the records you can readily
see that the attorney general was DOW
erless to accomplish much. After going
over the matter very carefully. I came
to the conclusion that the state had
good fighting chance to recover this
vast property or something like it's
value, SO / determined to bring the
matter again to the Legislature. For
some little time I have been preparing
the memoranda from which Mr.. Dom
nelly read Thursday.
In my mind the decision of the land