The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-06-24

+ WHY HE SUPPORTS
/ JUDGE COLLINS
Excellent Reasons Given
by Hon. w. D. Wash
burn, Jr. /: +: ::

At a Collins meeting held in the sixth
ward, Minneapolis, last Thursday even
ing, w. D. Washburn Jr., made the fol-
lowing 1, address discussing the quail
fcations of the leading candidates
for the Republican nomination for gov
ernor. Mr.. Washburn is an ex:member
of the legislature, and gentleman who
stands high with the people of Mime
apolis:
l have been asked tonight to give
reasons why have decided to support
Judge Collins, rather than Robert Dunn,
as candidate for governor.
In presenting my reasons, wish to
first state that I have known Bob Dunn
for fifteen years. He has always been
kind friend to me and strong sup
porter of myself and my father. l
have always had a strong personal af-
lection for Mr.. Dunn and should always
be glad to do anything that would adj
vance his general welfare, On the other
hand, / have hardly known Mr.. Collins
for six months, except by general repu-
tation. so "a
shall support Mr.. Collins as against
Mr.. Dunn, not as matter of personal
relation OF regard, but simply because l
feel that Mr. Collins will make a bet
ter governor and that it will be for the
real interest Of the people of this state
to elect him to that position. When
candidates come before the people for
their support, such candidates must abide
by their record. "By their fruits We
shall know them" If public official
can show an unblemished record in the
administrations of any office; if he has
supported the interests of good govern
ment and honest people in his official
life, such as candidate may well claim
that he is entitled to their support when
he appears before them again and gives
an account of his stewardship.
If on the other hand, he has given
an administration, which is open to crit
icism as to either incompetency or me-
glect, he has no right to complain that
the people demand to know exactly
how he has served their interests. At
this point candidate is open to close
examination and he cannot claim that
such an examination is either an injus-
tne or an outrage against his personal
character. When he stands for a gen.
eral review of everything that may af-
feet the strictly official life.
If he cannot stand such scrutiny he
should not stand for office.
The Public Business.
For a long time in this state, many
people have fallen into the belief that
the governor or the auditor of this state
should be elected to that office simply
because some man happens to want the
office or because some group of poll
ticians happen to want him to have it
1t is even considered an intrusion when
it is suggested that all the officers of
the state government should be elected
on account of their personal fitness to
handle the business of the people.
AS a matter of fact these great state
offices are simply business offices. The
officers who fill them, simply handle the
business and the property of the peo-
pie and they should be run on strict
business basis to safeguard the property
of the people and of the state. If they
are not 80 conducted and any office is
conducted without due regard to the in
terests of the state and the people of
the state, such officer should be removed
and replaced by officials who are ready
apd willing to conduct state business
on a strict business basis.
Nor should the matter of conducting
state business and properly protecting
the property of the state, be left to the
Judgment of any particular state official.
The manner of conducting the business
of the state is strictly laid down by law.
tt is safeguarded by definite and de-
tailed requirements, by. legislative acts
and these provide that the business
of the state is to be transacted exactly
as any other. am not making any re-
Elections upon the honesty of any man.
I am simply calling attention to the
laws of this state and am inquiring
whether they have been properly en-
forced and whether the interests of the
citizens of this state have been properly
safeguarded. This is not q question of
Mr.. Collins or Mr.. Dunn. To the citi-
zens of this state it is simply question
whether the office of the auditor has
been so conducted by Mr.. Dunn that he
now has right to demand an election
as governor, standlng upon MS record
as auditor.
I do not think it has, and shall there
fore support Mr.. Collins as candidate
for governor.
The Office of Auditor.
In this connection the people of this
state should fully realize the response
bilities of the office Of auditor. This is
really The great business office of the
state. All the business of the state is
through this department; all
bills and expenditures are here audited,
and it is supposed totbe perfect check
upon all branches ofsstate government,
"a for os fha sfates exnenditllres are