The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-04

The political campaign is practically
over.
If the republicans had not made a
mistake at the state convention In the
nomination for governor there would
have been no campaign in Minnesota
this year worth speaking Of. There
would have been no need Of any. But
when it was decided in certain circles,
as long ago as last winter, that the re-
publican party of Minnesota must, if
possible, be made to reverse itself on
the merger, the trouble began.
R. G.. Dunn, ex-auditor, who had first
been an antimerger man, and then early
in the merger controversy, became
strongly pro-merger, had the support of
the merger people,: With him as their
candidate the mergerites saw chance
to take their long cherished revenge
upon all that element in Minnesota re-
publican politics which had stood for
the supremacy of the law and against
railroad monopoly and railroad dom
nation in state politics.. There was no
lack of resources for this campaign
and no embarrassment by scruples as
to methods. Some new devices were
introduced, notably the party-demoral-
izing scheme Of premeditated and pre-
arranged boiling. Whole counties and
even congressional districts were dis
franchised in this way, and means
never before heard of in Minnesota
politics were employed to control the
state convention, and nominate r. c..
Dunn. 1t seems to have been the fixed
determination of the merger interests
to wipe out every vestige of opposition.
Not only was Judge Collins, who stood
for the antimerger principle, marked
for slaughter, but all the other candi-
dates known to be unffiendly to. the
merger were turned down ruthlessly by
the convention Of which merger indu-
ence was in absolute control.
When all this had been done we were
told that the merger issue had been
eliminated from Minnesota politics. The
head of the ticket and his most subser
Went champions have ever since in
sisted that the merger issue is now
dead and no longer proper subject fol
uloCuOoiou. L oooIDly Ui1SJ CIV
But before the convention met the
record of the former state auditor haC
| commenced to suffer severely under the
l official investigation ordered and pro
: vided for by the legislature. It be
: gan to appear that that official, wh'
1 has been arrogating to himself. tn
t credit for everything that has been dom
S Of advantage to the state by the re
s publican party during the past tel
g years, had left record in the auditor ,
e office which would not bear investiga
/ ton. - T. - -&
The first matter to which attentio,
- was called was the peculiar method
y pursued in caring for the states timbe
land and mineral deposits. 1t actuall
:. appeared from the records. that tim
~ Der trespass, which the law had mad
crime and to discourage which it ha
sought to make it Improbable, under tn
90 peculiar business principles in vogue i
= the auditors office, had not only be
- = come safe so far as criminal prosecutio
- was concerned, but actually proftabl
- to those engaged in it. No wonder
- increased. I'D
a 1t thus appears that those taking at
le vantage of the. opportunities thus a:
j. forded to trespassers have cut man
a. millions of feet-nobody will ever kno'
er how much-of valuable state timbe
I'd without single prosecu tion for the O.
z, Tense during the eight years Mr.. Dun
49,. 20 dot VIZ
IN The first prosecution for timber pre-
at pass was undertaken by the prese1
ch auditor since the revelations with r
IL gard to the auditor IS office began to
es made public, and the next caseis the SUI
is brought by the attorney general again
en- Congressman Buchanan to recover tt
or balance due the state from the settl
de ment by Mr.. Dunn, amounting in tt
"a, aggregate to approximately $4,000
ne. In general settlements for trespass we
to at lower price than that obtained
m public sale.
Facts of an astonishing nature ha7
>. ~ been developed officially with regard
= system Of traffic in mineral leas
. and contracts in public lands for II
:. profit of Mr.. Dunn's land clerks al
20 their friends, contrary to the law, and
specific cases at the expense of II
- state. The answer made by the e
IA auditor to this established charge
IN - that one mans money is as good as a
IL others, and that he signed the
nts leases to his friends without loo
s. ing.
nd Proofs are also at hand, that the lea
on on the celebrated Silver land, &C
FOR tanning very valuable iron depos