The Sauk Centre herald., 1904-05-12

ALI the state lands have been sur
veyed, and the lines are plainly
marked by blazing the trees, and any
man who possesses the slightest
knowledge of woodcraft can follow
a section line through the woods
almost as fast as he can walk. The
section corners are plainly indicated
by stakes or marked tress and made
still more plain by marking four
witness trees or where there are no
trees by digging of holes and throw
ing up mounds. Midway between
the section posts quarter posts are
set up similarly marked. The fore.
man of every lumber camp is a
skilled woodsman, none other are
employed, he can read the lettering
of the section and quarter posts
with facility, and as matter of fact
he knows when he or his men get
off the land owned or under the con.
troll of the person or company by
whom he is employed just as well
and even better than farmer knows
when he gets off his own land and
onto the land of his neighbor. OF
course men are liable to get across
the lines and cut few trees but
when any considerable amount of
trespass Is committed the men who
commit it and the men who settle
it know it is willful trespass, and if
the people of the state, as whole.
were familiar with timber opera
tions the officials or trespassers
would never have the temerity to
claim otherwise. If the penalty
for willful trespass was imposed and
a few of the most fragrant offen-
'ders prosecuted, criminally trespass
on state lands would be unknown,
but such course is seldom if ever
pursued.
Mr.. JOHNsoN's REPORT.
After the columns of explanation,
which don't explain, that have ap-
peared in the columns of the city
and country papers, as to what Mr..
Johnson's report really shows, it
seems time that some paper states
the facts in the case and as it is use
less to expect it from strongly par.
tisan organs the Herald feels it
incumbent upon it to assume the
task.
1t shows that Mr.. Dunn knew
that under the law he had no right
to settle any trespass case for less
than double the value of the timber
cut by the trespassers as reported
by the cruisers or estimators ap.
pointed by him, and that he repeat.
edly lid settle at the appraised
value. or less. Mr.. Dunn claims
that he was acting for the best in.
terests of the state in making such
settlement. 1t does not make any
difference whether this is true or
not, every time he settled a trea-
pass case for less than double the
value he violated the law which
plainly declares: "that he (the land
examiner) shall not make any set
Element for less than double the
value of such timber"
That under Mr.. Dunn's admins
tration of the State auditors Office
it was cheaper for the lumbermen
to commit treaspass on state lands
than it was to buy timber at the
public sales and obtain the title
thereto legally, for the average price
collected from the trespassers was
less than the price obtained at the
legally constituted sales.
That Mr.. Dunn knew that the
law required him to collect double
penalty and he had no right to col
lect less.
That Mr.. Dunn exhibited unpar-
alleled leniency in settling with
trespassers, for instance in the case
of Congressman Buckman. There
is no question but Buckman's case
was one of willful trespass. The
trespass was committed in the win
ter of ls9s-99, the examination was
made in November 1899. The
value of the timber as estimated by