The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-05-12

BOOMERANG WITH STRONG SHOCK.
Such is the Trespass Report-A Malicious
and Contem ptible Attack:
Governor Van SAINTS action in
springing the timber trespass accusa-
ton against Robert G. Dunn, candi-
date for the Republican gubernator-
ial nomination, at this time has stir
red up considerable Indignation
among the supporters Of the Princeton
candidate, but at the same time they
say very positively that the net result
will be to harm their opponents more
than it will them.
Governor. Van SAINT has killed
Collins and himself, too, by this trick,
and I think you will be able to notice
that the effect is in this direction
within a week." said a well-known
Dunn factionist. -,
"Why didn't they bring this thing
up six months ago if it was so bad?
They knew of it, and why did they wait
to spring it after the State Republican
convention had been called? It's the
rankest conspiracy that I've seen for
long time. The people want fair
play, and they are going to see that
it is had, and for them to spring this
thing at this time is an Indication of
the feeling of desperation that has
gotten hold of them.
ssThnv 10r3t 81
notice, of any dishonesty, or of any
crookedness of any kind. The law re-
quires that the auditor shall collect
treble damages for State timber cut
when wilful trespass is shown.
CHOW it's one thing to charge man
with wilful trespass and another thing
to prove it, as anyone who has ever
tried to prove charge will readily
tell you. You have to prove these
things before you can collect the treble
damages which the law specifies.
When you think you have man who
has trespassed in his timber cutting,
he can very readily get off for the
mere value of the timber he has cut
by saying that he did not know he was
on government land.
"Another thing is that the auditor
has to depend on the report of his
cruiser, as he cannot prefer charges
against a taker of timber by guess
work, but has got to make his recon-
mendations to the attorney general by
the report that is made to him by the
cruiser. If the cruiser reports that
the timber appears to have been will
fully cut, then he is pretty nearly safe
in recommending prosecution other.
wise not.
Governor Van SAINTS anxiety to
retain his hold on the State govern.
ment reins and keep his own friends
in power is little too much. He has
had his two terms, and now he wants
to say who shall be put in to succeed
him. He has done everything in his
power to perpetuate his own influence,
but the people have some rights to say
who shall Or who shall not be the next
governor of the State, and I think
they are going to be heard from.
Sin this case the evidence is all
sprung from one side, without giving
the accused chance to met the
charge. Now Judge Collins was on
the bench for a number of years and
he knows the value of ex-parte testi-
mony and I guess he would be glad to
give anyone fair play on this point.
1t is all SO malicious and contemplate
that it is astonishing, but I think the
Collins crowd will realize in few
days that they have let out boom.
erang which is going to come back to
them and give them strong shock.
"Just what they expect the public to
gather from these charges it is hard
to say, but if the public reads over
the whole matter it can draw it's own
conclusions. Mr.. Dunn was for a
number of years in the auditor IS
office and there is no doubt that he has
STONE knowledge of how it should be
run. Do they accuse him Of pocketing
any money? No, they do not, but
they simply charge that he did not col
]ect all that he might have collected
not that he collected any which he did
not turn over to the State. In fact
they seem to labor to keep the people
from gaining any such inference.
''Their charges give a copy of let
ter that he wrote to T. J. Neary, OF
Walker? Does the letter read like the
letter written by a criminal or man
who was afraid of anything? What
does it look like?
Looks a little friendly, does it, for
a letter written from State official to