The Saint Paul globe., 1904-09-11
.DONAHOVFR PASSES
It UP TO VAN SAINT
Attorney GeneralSays Governor
Is the Man to Wake Public
the Johnson Report

Strong pressure is being brought to
bear upon Gov. Van SAINT to force him
TO make public the last report of Pub
lie examiner Samuel T. Johnson.
which Is said to contain grave reffec-
uons On the administration of the state
auditors office under r. c. Dunn.
Ihe report has been in the hands
OF Attorney General w. J. Donahower
Tor some weeks, and since both the
Democratic and Republican state CEN
traI committees are demanding that
publicity be given to it, that official is
in sense under fire
WhIle no formal action was taken at
the wednesday meeting of the Demo-
cratic state central committee, menu
befs said after its adjournment that
request would be made of the gov
ernor for the Johnson report. A. mo-
ton would have doubtless been put
through the committee that the gov
ernor be asked for the report, but for
the statement made by a Minneapolis
man, Who said that he knew Of the ex-
! lstence of two copies of the report out
side OF the attorney generals office
The Republican demand to see the.
report came at the close of the meet
ing of the Republican state central
committee on Thursday afternoon. The
committee, it is said, discussed the
situation and resolved that it was bet
ter to face the report and make reply
to 1T than to permit the campaign to
open with the whole state knowing of
the existence of such a report.
Donahower Explains Position
Attorney General Donahower re-
turned yesterday from Scott county,
shooting expedition. He was asked
whether any demand had been made
on him for the report. He said that
none mad been, and he did not expect
that request for the report, if made
by either party, would be made of him,
but of the governor, the chief execu-
tive officer of the state and the official
to whom the public examiner had
submitted his report when it had been
completed late in July.
"The report came to our Office from
the governor as the legal department
of the state. l have sent men out to
Investigate cases where the report
shows that pine was Illegally cut un-
der permits issued by the state land
department.
''The report, it is true, shows that
there have been treSpaSseS on state
lands, but like a lawyer engaged in
I private practice, it would be an alb
fore the facts We're investigated to de-
termine whether there are grounds
| for suits.
Suits VIII Be Brought
Correspondence has been opened
with men whom we think owe the
state for pine taken from state lands,
and where the attorney generals office
| is convinced that the state can re-
| cover suits will be brought. We are
not going at the thing with brass
band, but are working quietly, with a.
! determination to collect any money
| that is due the state If we have to
| have lawsuits to accomplish it,
| Regarding the demands of the polit-
! fcaI managers of both John A. john
son and r. c.. Dunn for publication Of
| the Johnson report, the attorney gen.
eraI said:s :s% - sfF= ~As s
| THE report came to- me from the
| governor, with request for an inves-
| tigation of the liability under the law
and the evidence Of parties shown by
| the report to have prof1ted Illegally by
| pine land permits on state lands, and
when / am through with the report it
will naturally be returned to the chief
executive of the state. The governor
! possibly has an additional copy, and
| perhaps Public Examiner Johnson has
| one. The publication of the report
| will be made, if made at all, from one
of these reports, for the report In my
| office is being used as a basis for max
| ing the legal investigation to which
/ have referred"