The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-15
A Remarkable Report.

Inc SYNOPSIS OF the report OF the
house committee on public accounts
with, reference to the office of 5public
examiner appears in another column.
OF the consideration of the sense of
fairness and common decency involved
IN the making of a report of this char
acter without giving those whose off.
clal acts are reviewed an opportunity
to be heard, every reader of TIL e.
J ourn a |, and we hope most members
of the house, will be able. to Judge;
for, in spite of the representation by
the committee that Mr.. Johnson, for
mer public examiner, has failed to re-
spond to subpoena to appear before
the committee on the ground of illness,
the fact is that Mr.: johnson presented
himself in St. Paul three; different times
in response to the summons of the com
mittee, and each time was met, by the
chairman with the request that he was
not to let the other members Of the com
mittee know of his presence there. The
interview III each case was devoted to
private consideration of proposition
that Mr.. johnson sign statement, the
effect of which would have been to
practically repudiate the work Of his
department in its examination of the
auditors office. @s. -
81 In view of the presentation of this
report, of the character Of its findings.
and Of the inability Of the former pub.
lie examiner to leave his bed in self
defense, the time seems to have arrived
to make the public acquainted with the
fact that on several occasions Mr.. John
son was solicited to sign letter or a
statement addressed to the chairman
OF the committee, the practical effect
OF which would have been to discredit
Z the value OF his own work and exoner-
ate the former state auditor Mr.. John.
son has stated that he was given
to understand that if he would sign
that statement the committee would
make him no further trouble. It hap.
pens, however, that knowledge of the
nature OF this proposition does not
depend on Mr.. Johnson's unsupported
statement. Several of his friends were
interviewed by the chairman Of the
committee, and to them was submitted
this statement which Mr.. johnson was
asked to sign.
They were expected to advise him Ia
do so. One of them at least, writino
now from personal knowledge, was
given to understand that the committee
had investigated Mr.. Johnson's office.
that they had found some things yery
damaging to his reputation-matters
that might be of serious consequence If
brought to the knowledge of the public
In the same connection it was urged
that Mr.. Johnson ought to sign this
statement SO favorable to the former
auditor,as it would be the magnanimous
thing to do. There was the unmistak
able intimation that his signature tt
that statement would relieve him from
any further annoyance at the hands Of
the committee.
Mr.. ohnson fatty refused to sign be
cause to do so meant reputation Of
the integrity Of his report on the audi
tors office, a report which he ,ha,
always stood by without hesitation
When his friends were solicited to urg,
him to sign the statement referred to
they each and all declined to do So
and when the condition of things il
the examiner s office was introduced il
that connection, their advice was tina
if the chairman of the committee knew
tn I