The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-17
LOCAL POLITICS
STATES LANDS
And The PEOPLE.
AUDITORS OFFICE AFFECTS THE
LATTER THRU THE FORMER.
Point Raised by w. D. Washburn, Jr.,
at Collins Meeting Last Evening
Has Important Bearing Upon the
Dunn Administration.

DANA hall last evening was filed
with men who desired to hear the
speakers at the scheduled Collins
meeting. The gathering was one en-
thusiastic for 'the little judge
The leading address Of the evening
was that made by w. D. Washburn,
Jr. Mr.. Washburn laid particular
stress upon the necessity for a care
full and business-like administration
of the land and timber interests of
the state. Immense tracts of land
were given to the state Of Minnesota
by the government, worth many mill
lions of dollars and constantly grow
ing in value, both from the growth
of timber and from the deyelopm ent
of mineral resources. The grant was
made in order that the schools of the
state might be amply provided for,
and every parent who has children to
educate is vitality interested. If it APP
pears that these interests have not
been properly guarded by the former
auditor, those who have suffered by
it are the common people of the state,
who are more deeply interested in the
preservation of those resources which
contribute to the support Of the pub
lie schools than any one else.
The point was also made that it is
folly to complain of the aggressions Of
corporations and capitalists when the
dividual responsibilities and fail to in
form themselves on public questions
and the qualifications Of candidates
for public office.
Mr.. Washburn emphasized the point
that the AUDITORS office was the great
business agency of the state and that
the people had a right to expect that
the business of that office would be
conducted in a business-like manner
a nd in c11nh " a G 70 II q
interests of the state. To this end the
| method was not left entirely to the
discretion Of the auditor, but the leg
| islature has taken pains to provide
very carefully by law for the public
interest and has made it mandatory
upon the auditor to comply with the
! provisions of the law.
| A review of the conduct of a public
officer must not be regarded as in the
nature of a personal attack, but as in
| the nature of a business inquiry which
the citizens have right to make.
When questions arise as to the fidelity
with which the responsibilities of the
office have been discharged and an
examination of the records leaves ut
| least room for doubt as to the eff
cheney Of the administration, they have
a right to expect that the officer SO
reviewed shall not ignore or fiout the
criticism, but shall meet and explain
| if he can the apparent irregularities
A business institution which would re.
fuse to require Of its. agents an ac-
counting on the prima facie showing
Of Observation-Disclosures would deserve
to be injured by the neglect or ineffi-
cheney of it's officers. The public will
| deserve the same consequences if il
remains Indifferent to the apparent
neglect of duty by any official.
Judge W. Collins spoke Of the
/ danger of corporate influence in state
| government, and promised that, a:
governor, he would do@alIhe could tc
i oppose it. $500 8,
4 j. w. Stokes, prominent in labor
| circles, asserted that, from long &C.
| quaintance with Judge Collins, he
could say, from the standpoint Of {
union man. that Judge Collins, a:
| governor, would deal fairly with al
men, no matter what their socia
! standing.
:. w. H. Morse cited a certain lan6
settlement made by r. G. Dunn al
state auditor, which had come under
i his personal supervision. I'm $780,
said the speaker, "Mr. Dunn conduct
/ ed sale at Brainerd, in Crow Wing
county, at which the land was biz
in by certain land and lumber inter
ests at $11 an acre. The settlements
| however, were made on the basis O.
! SIS and Sc an acre and the records
show it,