Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-04

Oduhh where interest," was atCuTtu 70 NuN
treasurer's private account. AS this is un-
lawful, no treasurer has dared make q
public accounting OF state funds and tell
where deposited, although repeatedly called
upon to do so. State Treasurer Stuefer
when called upon last fall by his own party,
in convention assembled. to make q state
ment showing location OF all state funds
refused to account for many Thousands Of
dollars Of school funds. There Is little
probability Of a conviction under this In
dictment. but It may result In the election
Of a state treasurer some time in the future
who will handle the funds for the benefit
Of the state and not for his own private
gain.
Norfolk News: II ex-state Treasurer J.
B. Meserve hoped to escape without the
tag Of opprobrium which has regularly been
attached as part and parcel OF the honors
OF the state treasurer's once in Nebraska
for a number OF years past, he has had his
hopes rudely shattered by the grand jury
sitting in Douglas county, where he has
been cited to appear to answ to the
charge Of embeszlement Of the state school
funds. While. in view Of what has hap
pened to the republican treasurers. II would
probably be unfair to permit the only fu-
sionist In the bunch to escape. 1t is occur
AAhk W u eANaN MANY kE1RAS Aia - -
woeful lack Of honest men in the state Or
the laws governing the once are such that
II is impossible for the treasurer to perform
his duties honestly and honorably. II the
latter is the situation, perhaps there is rea-
son for the treasurer TO ignore the law and
the people and go the limit, a Ia BARLEY.
It has become. apparently, the custom for
Nebraska to place its treasurer In once
with the Arm conviction that he Is a thief
and with the implied sentiment, There are
the state funds, thief, get them IL you can"
Everyone desires that the state shall be
protected from thievery regarding It's public
funds, but there should be, legislators
shrewd enough TO enact a law governing
the office and protecting the people without
requiring the surrender Of the honor Of the
man who undertakes the duties. u some
such change is not soon effected Nebraska
may be brought TO the point OF witnessing
the ONCE go "a-begging" for a man TO
fill It.
Tekamah Herald: The Indictment by the
grand jury Of Douglas county OF ex-state
Treasurer J. b. Meserve on the charge Of
embezzlement. by appropriating interest on
permanent school funds to his own use, was
a surprise to his many friends In this
county. Mr.. Meserve went out OF once
with a good reputation. The law govern
ing the custody and investment Of state
school funds is very faulty. The constitu-
tion says that they can only be invested in
national, state and county bonds; the
statutes say that all uninvested state
funds shall be kept In depository banks
and the interest credited to the state; the
supreme court Gays that the placing of
state funds in depository banks constitutes
an investment. This conflict has been the
contention for several years and can only
be changed by a constitutional amendment
and that is one reason why we favored a
special session of the legislature this win,
ter. Under the nresent constitution the
state treasurer cannot be required to place
state school funds In depository banks and
account to the state for interest. We be-
lieve that IL the school funds have been
earning interest in the state banks every
dollar of It should be turned over to the
state, and the state treasurer who pockets
any of this interest is unlocking the door to
admit him into the penitentiary. The con-
stitution says that no slate oflcer shall re-
ceive any emolument or proAts other than
his salary, and Ii shouidvbe enforced TO the
letter. II a public ofneer cannot live on his
salary lot him resign there are plenty OF
people willing to wear the honors for the
small stipend of s2.5oOe.s
st. Paul Republican: II is no defense to
say that Meserve's predecessors did the
same thing. The installation Of fusion
ofieials In the capitol building was heralded
as the opening Of a new era In the admin
i~stration Of state affairs. That this promise
failed dismally in every other branch Of
government is now well known, The state
treasury is notably the most dlficult Of any
state once to administer correctly and In
akgfaN - "a l. -
is so small and the bond required so large
that 1t is Impossible for the treasurer to
make ends meet without either drawing on
his private resources or manipulating state
funds TO his own advantage. This Is a glar-
ing injustice. but II does not excuse Me-
serve any more than It did BARLEY. II IL
fair to presume that he knew the conditions
before he was elected. There was no Law
compelling him to accept the once. But he
made an active canvass for the place, prom.
Using the people that II he was elected he
would place the scandallzed and disgraced
state treasury above suspicion. The Omaha
World Herald has sounded the keynote OF
defense by demanding that "if the state
treasury is to be dragged into politics the
republicans shall suffer with the fusionists. 4,
Sc far as this paper is concerned, tn.
proposition is acceptable with the simpl,
amendment that all guilty republicans shall
suffer with all guilty fusionlsts. We do no
pretend to alt in judgment upon Mr.. Ne
serve. Neither do We assume to know
whether the charges against Mr.. StuefeI
Z are well founded. Both men have been &C.
; cused Of serious oficial misconduct. Tn,
public good demands that searching inves
| tigation be made In each case and ade
'quate punishment melted out where guilt 4
5 found. The party organs on each sid,
7 should be the last to offer excuses or at
: tempt to eondone any ofienses that ma,
: have been committed.