Morris tribune., 1904-11-05

the Democrats thought they saw
their opportunity to become "resi-
dual legatees" of that dissatisfaction
But the Democrats are not making
this fight on Dunn openly as Demo-
Gratis. They keep party in the back.
ground, and do not mention Parker
and the party principles IN their
speeches. If johnson and Winston
were to drop down here tonight
unannounced and speak their little
piece, you couldn't tell from their
speeches whether they we're Repub-
licans, Democrats, Populists, or
Anarchists.
Bob Dunn began HE political
career in Mile Laos county, where
altho he was not an attorney, the
people had 80 much confidence in
him that they twice elected him
county attorney. After that he
served as their representative in the
legislature, and for eight years after
that was state auditor. During the
eight years he was auditor, and for
eighteen months afterwards, he was
accounted the best auditor that the
state ever had, and if he had newell
run for governor, he would still be
accounted 80. Six years ago, John
Lind attached the Republican party,
but he said only good of Bob Dunn.
Four years ago, we argued that we
were entitled to all the Republican
votes on account of the good record
Dunn had made, and two years ago,
we pointed with pride to Van SAINTS
fight against the merger, and Bob
Dunn's conduct of the auditors
office.
Then what are these awful charges
against Dunn? He is not charged
with being boodler, CRATER or
thief, but they do say that he failed
to collect timber trespass damages.
Under state auditor Bierman, the
state timber business was in chaotic
condition and the vicious practice
grew up Of issuing permits to lum'
bermen to cut state timber. In 1896,
when Dunn became auditor, he went
to the legis lature and persuaded them
to pass law providing that no state
timber should be SOLD except IN case
it were in danger of being destroyed
by fire or otherwise. A state timber
board was created who should sell
such timber at public sale to the
highest bidder.
The next step was to prosecute
those who cutting state timber un-
lawfully, but in many cases, these old
permits we're presented as going to
show that no willful trespass had
been committed, and in the Shevlil
case, i. was practically decided that
only actual damage could be collect
ed instead of treble damages.
Another way in which trespass was
committed on state lands was for a |
lumberman when he wanted to make
some money easy to buy piece of
timber adjoining state lands, and
when the cutting season opened, have
his choppers cut the states timber as
we'll as his own. But when they
were brought to account for it, they
would say it was all mistake, and
the whole thing was very difficult to
prove, especially when the auditor
had only three or 'our cruisers. Then
it would be hard to decide how much
timber had been cut, because very
often the fires would run thru the
that were left, and there
would be no way to estimate the tim.
Der cut. But Mr.. Dunn settled all
these matters so advantageously to
jhe state that he collected ten times
;he amount OF damages from timber
hieves that his predecessors had
done, altho tim Der stealing had been
going on for third of q century.
The senator then told some of his
own experiences with trespasses
while governor. In '93, lumber
man bought section OF land in Mile
Laos county, and Dunn was 80 dis
with the small estimate of
The timber on it that he interested
Nelson and the result was that the !
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