The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-04
FACING A FIGHT
ON 'WHlIEWASH'
COMMITTEE DIVIDED ON AUDI
TORS OFFICE REPORT.
Majority Report Admits Violations Of
the Law, but Says They Were Merely
Technical and No Losses to the State
overwhelmingly Yet to Be Heard
From.

r. C. Dunn and s. 6: Iverson, former
and present state auditor, did not OBJ
serve the laws of the state in the con-
duct Of their offices. But the state
lost. nothing by such conduct.
This is the substance Of the report
committee, presented to the Minnesota
house today. The long-awaited docu-
ment was sprung by Chairman P. E.
Bowling, and was read at length. Ac-
ton was deferred until the members
can have time to read it, and until the
minority has time to decide on it's &C.
ton. The report, was agreed to by ten
of the fifteen members Of the commit
tee. Three dissented and two were alb
sent.
The vote Of the committee on the re-
port was as follows: Aye-Dowling,
Bouck, Mork, Vollmer, Hille, Thayer,
Saari, Hayes, Wyman and O'Laughin.
Nay-Jefferson, Fraser and Carl. Alb
sentees -Timberlake and Stock.
The report covered eighteen type.
gingerly handling of the subject, even
to those who were expecting "white-
wash - Public Examiner S. T. johnson
is not censured for making the exam
nation or for making the reports, but
is inferentially criticized for putting
men on the work not expert in timber
matters.
Insisted on Reading.
A. J. Rockne of Goodhue asked that
the report be printed and lie on the
table. Chairman Bowling resented this
attempt to sidetrack his report and de-
clared that the committee which had
spent six weeks on the report was en-
titled to the courtesy of having it read.
R. H. Jefferson of Cottonwood, one of
ho 81 fho %4oa yho no n
voted against the report, supported the
Rockne motion. He said that mem.
bers of the full committee had not read
the report and in Justice to all con.
cerned he asked to have the report
printed. When it was explained that
only twenty minutes would be required
to read the report, objections were
withdrawn and with the members fast
in the seats under a call of the house
Then it was laid over. It will be
considered again when printed.
The minority, R: H. Jefferson, M. 8
Carl and w. G. Fraser, will meet to
night to agree on minority report
1t is said it will be brief but to the
point.
The report touches upon the reports
submitted by Governor johnson on the
examination Of the auditor office by
|
submits the " deductions, findings ane
report Of the majority Of the commit
tee. The report states that examina
tion was made Of the records, tina
Messrs. Dunn, Iverson, S. T. johnson AM
deputies nthe public examiner's offic'
were examined under oats. 1t wa
found impossible to examine every indi
vidual case, so the committee picke(
promiscuously and also allowed MI
Johnson to pick number of cases.
The report first takes up the criticism
as to handling of permits issued by R
G. Dunn s predecessor, on which h
failed to collect what was dues an
finds that owing to insufficient appro
priation he was unable to examine tn
states timber as thoroly as the state
interests required.
AS to permits and bark marks, tn
report admits that there was failure t
comply with the law, but accepts tn
explanation of Swan Molander, Nj
Dunn s stumpage clerk, that this wa
impracticable. The committee find
that the Noncompliance with the la
was technical,' and "without an
resulting loss to the state.'