The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-08
THE ST. PAUL GLOBE, SATURDAY. APRIL s. 1905
JEFFERSON SCORES
BOWLING COMMITTEE
Declares Majority Ignored Evi.
dence in Investigation of
State Auditor

Plans of the Republican leaders in
the house yesterday to accept the re-
port of the majority of the public ac-
counts committee md to permit of no
debate sadly miscarried. r. II. Jeffer-
son. one of the minority of the commit
tee, forced Speaker Clague to recog-
nize him in speaking for the minority
report.
The venerable Cottonwood member
fayed the supporters of the majority
report for its failure to recognize the
evidence II had heard. Mr. Jefferson
challenged the friends of the Dowling
report TO dispute his statements and to
show discretionary powers alleged to
be possessed by the state auditors. He
charged that there has been a system
attic robbery of the school funds of the
state and declared that the law linn
iting extensions of timber permits to
one year had been violated eleven times
in the last year by the state auditors
office.
His statements brought no response
from the friends OF the Dowling re-
port, which holds that the auditors,
past and present. are guiltless of any
wrongdoing in the matter of timber
permits and mineral leases. The pro-
gramme not to permit of extended de-
bate was carried out. The majority re-
port was then substituted for the mi
nority report, and adopted by vive
voce vote.
The minority report had urged that
alleged violations of the timber and
mineral laws be turned over to the
governor and attorney general and that
suits be commenced under them. The
majority report dismisses the whole
matter as unworthy of attention.
Young Ignores Action
THE action of the house viii not in
any way influence the procedure of my
office" said Atty. Gen. E. T. Young
last night. THE legislature and the
office of the attorney general are en-
tirefy different departments, and the
performance of the legislature will
make no difference in my treatment of
cases already started. The suits to
recover from Congressman Buckman
for timber trespass and to cancel the
state lease now held by Mabel Evans
and her assigns to Virginia silver min
ing property will be prosecuted with
undiminished vigor.'
-P. e. Bowling under the head OF mo-
tions and resolutions, yesterday morn
ing carried out the programme outlined
at the Ryan hotel caucus Thursday
night. and moved the adoption of the
majority report of his committee. 3.
c. Carl of Chippewa Immediately NOV
ed the adoption of the minority report
Speaker Clague was for putting the
motion, but r. H. Jefferson persisted
in demanding recognition.
1t seems right and proper that those
who signed the minority report should
give some reasons for their action" he
said. Il believe that every man, no
matter how high he is, should be bound
by the laws of the state. / also be-
lfeve that any man in high office who
is ignoring the laws is doing something
which in the long run will demoralize
the public morals and injure the public
interest.
According to the report of the ma
jority on the auditors office, the law
has not been followed, and double and
treble damages exacted by law for
trespass have not been collected. This
report claims that the auditors have
discretionary powers 1 challenge any
member of the committee to show me
a law that gives them any such power.
Who has given them the right to do
discretionary acts?'