Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-10-28

casions. He has pronounced the law
unconstitutional in advance and would
be in a sorry plight to defend It's
validity If it shall be adopted by the
people at the polls.,* go. ., =
The nomination Of Ray w. Jones,
OF Minneapolis, for the second high
est position I'm the state-that of lieu
tenant gOvernOr-shows the utter
moral frrespOnsibility of that conven-
ton. :.sl: :: =: = - :. =
On the sth. day 81 January last a
by the United States. On the same
day summons was served on him
by William H. Grimshaw, the United
States marshal, calling on his COM
pany to answer the following charge.
I quote, from the complaint on file: =
HISTORY OF LUMBER TRESPASS.
THAT certain parties in the logging
season of the years Of 1909 and 1901,
with the consent and~~at the request
of the above named defendant wrong
fully entered upon certain lands own
ed by and the property Of the United
States
THAT at the special instance and
request of said defendant (said par
ties) did wrongfully, wilfully and UNI
lawfully fell, cut into logs and re-
moved large quantity of public tim
Der.
That said parties delivered and
caused to be delivered said logs to the
above named defendant and said de-
PENDANT took and appropriated said
logs and caused the same to be re-
moved to it's mill at Frazee, in Beck
err county, in said district of Mime
sota.'
THAT said defendant knew said
logs were the property of the United
States and were unlawfully taken
from the lands of the United States.' -
And that the value of the timber
so taken was $115,863.25.
The case was tried at Fergus Falls
on the 18th day Of May last before
Judge Morris and a jury in the United
States circuit court. The jury found
the charge.in the complaint true, but
assessed the damages at only $751;
1891. 49, -
Judgment was subsequently entered
on this verdict and for some $1,000
costs. ,.-.
This is the record Of Ray w. Jones
In one transaction. Tt was public
property and fresh in the minds of
the people. l. repeat,> If the conven-
ton had represented the patriotism
and the conscience of the great Re-
publican party of the state, would it
have nominated this man for that
high office?
HOW CAN JONES BE EXCUSED?
When this matter comes up In con-
gress next winter, as it surely will in
connection with appropriations to pre-
vent timber stealing, and If in the
meantime the Republicans elect him
lieutenant governor, what can I say
in their defense. Shall say that he
is representative of the Republican
ideal in public life? If not, will the
Pioneer Press. or some Republican
kindly inform me what excuse to
give? His record in helping himself
to state timber has been dealt with by
the public examiner.
Mr.. Dunn, the candidate for COVER
nor by the say so of the same con-
many good qualities and of those I
have frequently expressed my appre-
citation. I bear him no ill will and
shall not knowingly utter one word
derogatory to his personal character.
His official actions alone I shall dis
cuss and criticise, and of those only
such as-1 have personal knowledge.
His record in the management of the
timber and timber trespasses on state
lands has been fully examined and
commented upon by the present Re-
publican public examiner. In regard
to the trespass cases I have no per-
sonal knowledge. I shall only refer
Dunn has made mention Of my name
in that connection in his public
speeches. These are the facts.
UP TO STATE AUDITOR.
The state auditor has the sole man
agement of the state timber. He
alone has authority under the law as
land commissioner to settle in case Of
trespass upon state lands. (See Sec
ton SO, page $40, General Laws of
1889 The law provides for a board
of timber commissioners composed of
the governor, auditor and treasurer.
The only duties Of this board is to
pass upon the question whether any
particular tract of timber should be
sold, on the ground that it is liable to
waste from fire, decay or other cause,
and these are the only questions that
came up before the timber board
while was a member Of it,. -.
Mr.. Dunn is reported to have said
that his alleged settlement with Mr..
Buchanan was brought before and ap-
proved by the timber board. In this
he is IN error. He was the secretary
of that board. Any action taken by 1t
Is required to be in writing. II the
facts are as he states let him pro-
duce the record. f@4z zs.- -. e &
The only knowledge that 7 have in
regard to any trespass on the state
timber by Mr.. Buchanan was com.
municated to me by Mr.. Dunn in Mr..
Buckman's presence. One morning
cannot give the date) those two
gentlemen called at my office, Mr..
Buchanan remarking that he had some
l :, $50,