The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-11-02
SCANDALS SMOULDERING.
Tams Bkby Forcibly Shows Up Weak.
uesses of Lind's Administration.

In his address at Red Wing the other
night Tams Bixby in referring to
Gov. Lind's administration said
among other things:
It will be charitable to pass lightly
over the conduct of the public ex-
aminer's Office under Gov. Lind. 1t
began in unwarranted attacks upon
individuals and institutions and their
credit, and it ended in petty scandals
smouldering about the incumbent OF
Governor Lind own choice.
He sought refuge in public pity from
the evil odors that the gave forth.
Remembering the howl that sounded
from one end of the state to the other
two wears ago about the record OF the
then public examiner, l feel justified,
in what would otherwise seem cruelty,
in referring to what Gov. Limbs APP
pointee has made of his eminent posi-
ton of honor and trust.
1t is scarcely an exaggeratlon to say
that this administration staked its
character upon its promised regenera-
tion of our grain inspection. Mime
sofa has secured for the head of that
department man competent and ex-
perienced that even partisan rancor
was 10th to disturb him.
As a part of the ranly partisan sys-
tenn of removals and appointments
that came in with Gov. Lind, he and
his subordinates walked the plank
cheerfully. They were succeeded by
men who were not at all worthy, but
who were chosen with reference to the
perfecting of the political machine
that Gov. Lind believed necessary to
his future and to the success of his
party to construct. What are the con-
seuuences2 l refer you to the opinion
of the farmers, shippers and buyers
of grain all over the state.
The evidence rests not with any one
man, but is the common property of
the entire business community. Our
varied grades, formerly the standard
of the country for the great hard
wheat product of the Northwest. have
fallen into discredit and disuse.
Buyers are obliged to judge by sam
pIes, because thew cannot trust the
work of the state Wheat that has
been inspected and graded, sells on the
open market on an entirely different
basis
This practical testimony of the
WOIGQl0SSu6SS VI Iu0
cannot be disregarded or explained
away. 1t would have been bettet for
the people of Minnesota to have paid
out of their own pockets the salaries
of the political incompetents rather
than to have had them so disarranged
as to destroy the most important me-
chanism of our industry and CONNER
cial development Although the SER
vice has declined, the cost of it both to
the farmer directly and to the state,
has in creased enormously.
The inspection fees which are paid
by the farmer have been advanced and
that too out of all proportion to those
imposed upon the large dealers in the
great cities. The cost of this depart
ment during this Democratic admins
tration has been proved to be more
than $40, 900 greater in the current
year than it was two years ago, not
withstanding the decrease of our wheat
crop This is because there are addi
tional employees appointed for political
reasons who must be taken care of.
That machine which did not exist
two years ago, but whose existence
was charged against the Republican
party as one notable reason for max
ing change, has been brought into
being under the administration Of
Gov. Lind, and for it, he and his
supporters must be held responsible
before the people of Minnesota.