The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-09-28
FACTS PRESENTED BY Mr.. DUNN PROVE
JOHNSON'S REPORT FALSE.
STATEMENT BY ROBERT G. DUNN.

De destroyed Dy Hre or W1ndIall ana x
gave him my uitinatum to deposit $13.-
coo with the state treasurer and give an
additional bond OF $50,OO0 within ten days
or / would cancel the permit and let
him litigate If he so desired The result
of the matter was that my terms were
complied with, and to make long story
short, the state received pay for thirty
seven million feet of logs, more than five
times the amount of the estimate. The
land in question belonged to the nniyer-
sity and
hon. John $. Pillsbury Personally
Thanked Me
for the admirable manner" he said, in
which had guarded the interests of the
state and the university. cite this in
stance simply to show that there was no
neglect of duty on my part as far as the
permits issued by my predecessors were
concerned.
My efficient deputy. the present state
auditor who was thoroughly posted on
the AFFAIRS of the Office, having served
under Mr. Braden and also acted as
deputy state treasurer for four years,
the stumpage clerk, Mr.. Molander, and
myself worked INCREASINGLY for months
to bring order out of chaos and get the
stumpage records of the Office in decent
shape Prior to 1895 timber permits were
issued unfortunately and the permit
holder was not required to make any adj
vance payment. He simply held an OPP
ton on state timber and he might or
might not cut the same. AS a matter of
fact scores of permits were issued TO
men who never intended to cut the tim-
Der. They simply bid to keep others
from getting the timber and they could
do SO with impunity without the expendi-
ture Of a dollar on their part.
Both Gov Van SAINT and Public Ex-
aminer johnson think, or pretend to
think, that Hon. S. G. Iverson the pres
ent state auditor. is honest and efficient,
in which view heartily concur But
these gentlemen seem to forget that Mr..
Iverson was my deputy for eight years
and had immediate supervision of all the
details of the office and that he person
ally handled many Of the tresnass settle
nents and was consulted in almost every
instance. If Mr.. Iverson is honest and
efficient now, is it not reasonab BILE to pre-
sumo that he was equally honest and
efficient during the eight years he served
as deputy auditor? Will Mr.. Johnson or
Gov Van SAINT please point TO a single
tiespass case of any Importance that was
settled by me without advising and con-
salting with Mr.. Iverson?
As to Mineral Leases.
With reference to mineral leases
First and foremost ] want to say
that am not now and never have
been, directly or indirectly, inter-
ested in any mineral sease or con-
tract. either during my term of
Office as state auditor or since, to the
extent of five-cent piece. There is
nothing IN the law governing the leas-
ing of state lands for prospecting pur-
poses that prevents any one from secur-
ing a lease, provided he pays the amount
fixed by law. The law provides that all /
applications for mineral leases must be
accompanied by the cash; that is to say,
$25 must be paid for each. one hundred /
and sixty acre tract or less. The pros
pecting lease gives the holder the right
TO prospect for ore for a period Of twelve
months, and at the expiration of that
time he must take out a fifty year con-
tract at the rate of one hundred dollars
per year, and when a railroad gets with
in certain distance of the land COW
cred by the contract, after a period of |
five years, five thousand tons of ore
must be mined or an amount equivalent
to the royalty on FIVE thousand TONS
that is to say, $3.50 must be paid into
the state treasury annually. One mans
money is just as good as anoJners to
the state. Probably nine tenths Of the
leases issued are dropped at the expira-
ton of the year. Taking ontsa mineral
lease is like buying lottery ticket
The knowledge obtained by any clerk
in the auditors Office with reference to
the value of any piece Of mineral land is
practically worthless. The only way to
discover whether there is ore on the
land is by drilling Or test-pitting.
The law provides that where two or
more parties apply for lease on the
49,
the lease must be auctfOned off to the
highest bidder. That provision OF the
law was strictly complied with during
the eight years L served as auditor.
defy any living man to Prove to the con-
trary. II there was no competition the
first applicant who paid his twenty-five
dollars received the lease.
The law hxes i snecif1c amount that
shall be paid for a mineral lease and
q specific amount that shall be paid for
q mineral contract, and tn governor
just as good as right to take out a min
eral lease as any one else. IT is all the
same to the state.
1t il preposterous for any one to
assert that the state can be robbed or
injured in any manner by the issuance
OF mineral leases to any person so long
as the terms OF the law are complied
with. If ore II discovered the holder
Of the contract must pay TO the state
know Of no possible way in which
the state could be defrauded.
The Mabel Evans Lease.
Mr. Johnson's report particularly H.
fcrs to lot T. section a. town 5SgS, range
IL, upon which MISS Mabel Evans Sc
cured lease. This tract of swamp land