The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-18
BETTER METHODS
IN LAND OFFICE
Senate Committee Finds Benefits
Resulting from Work Of the
Public Examiner.
(other legislative news Oh page 81

The senate committee on public &C
counts, which had the reports Of Public
Examiner s. T. johnson under consider
alton, came in with it's report today.
The document does not follow the lines
Of the house committees report, altho
it is also something of q .twhitewash. -
The significant point Of difference be-
Is found in the following paragraph:
Undoubtedly the result Of the ex-
animation made by the public exam
liner has been highly beneficial to the
state. having brought about the adop-
tion of better methods and more care
full rules In the auditors office relating
to to the II management; Of its great public
over ~ to an eaonerat ion Of the former
and present auditor from charges Of
dishonesty, forming q thick sugarcoat
for the pill contained in the foregoing.
The committees report, which was
adopted by the senate, is as follows:
The Report In Full.
The committee on public accounts and
expenditures to whom was referred the
message Of the governor, dated Feb. g,
1906, and the report Of the public ex-
aIniner Of his examination Of the: state
AUDITORS office Herewith transmitted,
have the honor to report that, having
knowledge Of the fact that the committee
on public accounts and expenditures Of
the house of representatives had under
investigation the same subject matter,
with power to send for persons and pa
peers the senate committee, after due
consideration, deemed it unnecessary to
undertake and duplicate exactly the same
| work. However, some Of the members
of the senate committee attended hear
| ings before the house committee, and In
this way and thru other inquiry, the said
| senate committee became advised in a
general way Of the facts relating to
| charges made by the public examiner. The
| fact was well established that the exami-
nation made was based wholly upon the
face Of the records Of the auditors Of
| flee, and beyond these records, no inquiry
whatever was made. Unfortunately, the
| personal relations existing between the
auditor and the public examiner were SO
unfriendly that there was not, and could
not be any cooperation between these
two officers, and hence, collateral facts
| known to the auditor, and contained in
correspondence explaining apparent de-
linquencies, and which in many cases
would have relieved him from blame anG
cause Of censure, were not obtained BY
the public examiner. Had they been sc
obtained, it is believed by the committee
that said examiners report would have
been greatly modified. ---. ~.
| Undoubtedly the result Of the examina>
tions made by the public examiner ha.
been highly beneficial to the state, having
briught about the adoption of bette1
methods and omre careful rules In thu
auditors office relating to the manage
ment of its great public lands and min
eral interests. ..... esq.,.
Your committee does not fmpute dis
honesty to the ex-auditor In the discharg.
of any Of his official duties. It must b
, admitted that in the eight years of hi
service as auditor he rendered the stat
many valuable services for which he
entitled to high praise and commentator
The reforms inaugurated since said ex
: animation and probably as q result there
8 Of, with reference to the conservation 9
q these interests by the enforcement {
g more careful methods, are much Ito b
f commended. ~ ILL., 4 s...t--. 4. F.
: That Auditor Iverson Is carefully, In
diligently and ably administering tn
r affairs Of his office there can be no doubt
+ The committee is we'll satisfied that a
|, Of his official acrs are governed by
) high sense Of official duty; that he is en-
Q titled to the fullest public confidence.
) Your committee is pleased to repo,
, that the recommendations Of the gov
:, ernor in reference to a new timber boart
: and also for Strengthening the attarne
generals office by providing for addition
al help, have been fully met by this leg
islature and. Furthermore, that the at
ditors office has been strengthened b
IS providing for it such additional help 8
seemed necessary to give it the ample!
efficiency. Respectfully submitted,
$3.50. "A. r. McGill Chairman,
a c.. NJ. Buck,
S G. B. Ward,
t j. +. Calhoun,
Q l.. O.. Cooke.
q W. E. Harrington,
w. A. Smith,
z George w. Peachcey,
o. g. Laugen.