Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-10-02
S1RIEF REVIEW or "THB MAvKATo
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sBpYANS wAR rAE REcopD
\ Gen. Alger Takes the Wind Out Oh
the Democratic Claim That
M = the "Celonel" Was He'd
/, ssa.M> BACK. - 49,.

for an elective Office, but he IL a part
Aof the Democratic administration, and,
a. such, is an object lesson IN what
the Democrats perform Of their prom
1lses to reform. Gen. Pope had not
been very, long In Office when the fact
Was made public that he was wrong
fully holding $500 that belonged to the
Mankato library fund, and that he had
had this money in his possession Tor
more than four years and had said
nothing about 1t until an expert en-
ployed by the library board discovered
the discrepancy. When forced by the
board Gen. Pope refunded the money,
but claimed that he had . legal right
to hold 1t.
Perhaps as good an authority as
could be found on this subject Is the
editor of the Mankato Review, the
leading Democratic paper Of the Sec
ond district, and this gentleman ex-
pressed himself quite fully and freely
at the time.
In a leading editorial the Review re-
viewed the case while it was still fresh
in the public mind. giving a freely
spoken and candid statement Of the
case, a statement, by the way, which
has never been modified or withdrawn.
In 1898, as now, the Review was an
enthusiastic supporter of Gov. Lind,
and this is what It had to say Of the
Pope incident In its issue OF Sept. g.
1899:
"As far as the legality Of the trans
actions is concerned the general 10
mistaken. Al we understood 1t the
$500 was one of three drafts drawn by
him on the city treasury in favor Of
the library, about the NTH of April,
1895. At the time he was president OF
the library board and deputy city
treasurer under Mr.. Shepard. the lat
ter's term about expiring. This sum
was withdrawn from the treasury and
held by Gen. Pope until May, 1899. a
period OF four years. He was not dur
INK this period financial ofticer OF the
city. was not bonded as q custodian of
pubic funds, and. under the charter,
had no right to hold the fund. In the
meantime the library needed and bor-
rowed funds from banks and private
parties In Il anticipation OF the tn ~
levies, and, II We are correctly in
formed, some Of these obligations are
still outstanding. The city also made
four tax levies for the benefit Of the
library, all but one Of which were COL
lected and disbursed. The city treas
urer is the custodian Of all city funds,
Including those of the library; he Is
bonded for their secure keeping: and
he alone Ia authorized to receive and
disburse them. There Is NO possible
authority under which Gen. Pope. a.
president of the library board or in
any other capacity, could have bean
legally empowered to hold this money,
no matter whether authorised by tho
mayor, the council or the library board.
It was public money raised by taxation
for a specific purpose. and hence he
is wrong in claiming that his action in
holding this fund for four yeArs or
for any time IL legal. Ne legally con-
stituted body nor any public ofncial
could empower him to do an illegal
act, and If his custody OF the funds
was by authority Of the library board
It is all the worse for that body. ~,
desires further to say that II the rules
and regulations Of the library board In
any way countenance such transact
lions as have developed In connection
with this controversy the sooner they
are amended and proper safeguards a.
to accountability and disbursements
provided the better It will be for the
good name and perpetuity OF the
library" &s,. =,
During all the years prior to 1898.
when the Republicans were In power,
the Democrats made their campaign
very largely ON the issue Of civil serv-
Ice and upon the plea that. professional
politicians should be debarred from
holding Office or hogsing the patronage.
It was almost q paramount issue in
the campaigns of 1894 and 1896 that the
chairman of the state central commit
tee should not hold the ONCE OF private
secretary to the governor. When Gov
Lind was elected his first appointment
was that Of L. A. Rosing. chairman of
the Democratic central COMMITTEE. a.
began his term Of service long before
T.. Gov. Lind began his. Immediately
after the. election he reported for duty
at the governors home IN New Tim
and assisted very materially In making
up the roster Of the: governors appoint.
'ments. Since that time he has retained
: his position as chairman Of the execu-
tive committee and actual manager
1 and director Of the Democratic cam
,paign and the reform forces. II
there was ever an evil IN existence II
d was very promptly and thoroughly
4 adopted by the Democrats the moment
they got into power. Now that they
4, are in power they apply the same rule
the service Of the state
@ Every Democratic officeholder Of any
prominence is enlisted in the active
campaign, and from governor on down
through the list to the sixty dollar a :
month grain Inspector every man of
d them is personally engaged In the work
b Hof proseIyt!ng and in the attempt to
make votes for the reelection of Lind.
Y No one claims that there is anything
unusual or particularly improper In
this course. and the only significance
attached to 1t IL the fact that the Dom