The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-01-20
A"REFORM" APPOINTMENT.

A"REFORM" APPOINT NENT.
In his appointment of Mr.. e. s.
Corser, of Minneapolis, as surveyor
general of the upper Mississippi dis
trict, Gov. Lind seems to have stirred
M sort of a hornets nest among the
old line Democrats and started in
fiuences at work that will do much to
shake the belief that large class OF
people shave had that he is a genuine
reformer. There is slight suspicion,
however, that the opposition to Mr..
Corsers appointment from some of the
old line Democrats, is due more to the
fact that Mr.. Corser is what has been
known as a silver Republican, than to
the charges alleged against shim that
his business transactions connected
with his failure several years ago, were
not as straight as they ought to have
been. The particular charge brought
against Mr.. Corser is that he specialized
in wind wheat with other peoples
money and lost it, and that since
his failure he has made no particular
effort to pay it back. Perhaps from
this course it is natural that he should
drift to the so-called reform party and
become one of it's most Jealous advo-
Gates, but it will always be regarded as
a little strange that the governor, who
dwelt at length upon the skulduggery
of Republican officials, should have
picked up man resting under such
cloud, for the important office OF sur
veyor general, place that has been
looked upon with suspicion by the OPP
position from the governor down as
breeding place for official corruption
The attempt that is made by some to
hold the Republican senate equally re
sponsible with the governor for the ap
pointment, will hardly wash. True,
the senate confirm the nominations of
the governor, but that does not lessen
the responsibility of the latter in the
least, for he has power in the matter
that the senate does not in any way
share. The senate simply confirms the
appointment. 1t has no power in, any
way to fill any office in question nor to
make any removals or suspensions
therefrom. The governor can do both.
If the senate had declined to confirm
Mr.. Corser's appointment there is no
doubt but that the matter would have
been allowed to rest until after the adj
iournment Of the legislature, when the
appointment would have been again
made, and Mr.. Corser. would have
served his term before the senate would
be in session again s-.....
1t is not likely that the Republicans
of the senate care to have any friction
with the governor, and prefer to con
firm his appointments, holding that as
he has probably fully investigated mat
tiers regarding them, he should be held
strictly responsible for the move he has
made, and the Free Press is inclined to
believe that the Republican senate is
not far from right in this. Had they
turned Mr.. Corser down it would have
been claimed at once that it was simply
because he was a so called silver Re-
publican, and that it was an attempt at
persecution. Gov Lind made great
professions asa reformer and what he
would do if he were elevated to the ex
81 j.
ecutive Office. He is now, doubtless,
finding out that professions are easier
made than lived up to- He was strong
in his charges of Encouragement of
the state prison, in his campaign
speeches but he swallowed them all in
his reappointment of Warden Wolfer
without even superficial investigation
thus publicly admitting that there is no
foundation for his former charges, and
accepting the explanation of the warden
and prison managers as correct,
There is no doubt but the governor
has made mistake in his appointment
for surveyor general of the most i'm
portant. district, and it should be al
lowed to rest directly where it belongs
upon his shoulders The attempt to
shift it to others is rather thin.
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