The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-06
AUDITORS ON RACK
IN MINORITY REPORT
DlssenterS Want Timber Tres.
pass Cases Brought
to Courts

l. he minority report Oh the uouSo
public accounts committee made its APP
pearance yesterday. 1t takes the OPP
posite extreme from the report of the
majority submitted Tuesday, and holds
that the former state auditors are Gull
pable in their treatment of pine land
trespass cases. 1t commends the for
mer public examiner, S. T. Johnson, for
his investigations of the auditors Of
flee and says that it was his duty to
call attention TO apparent violations
of the law by the auditors in settling
trespass cases for less than the
amounts legally demanded. II is urged
that the cases be resubmitted 10 the
governor and attorney general to pro-
coed with them as their best judg-
ment demands.
Minority Report
When the report had been read, NJ. S.
Carl, one of the SignerS of the minor
ity report, secured an order for its
printing in the house journal, and both
reports will be considered by the house
at the same time. The minority report,
which is signed by R. H. Jefferson, NJ.
S. Carl and William c. Fraser, follows:
First-We diligently attended meetings
OF the committee and in every case heard
evidence We find as a fact that the pub
lie examiners report as made to the gov
ernor is substantially correct, and that
the records carry out the criticisms made
by him.
Second-we find that in great many
instances the law, which required double
or treble amount OF damages to be col
lected from trespassers on state timber
land, has not been enforced.
Third-The law in regard to bark marks
for timber sold has in many instances
not been complied with.
Fourth-The claim that the state has
suffered no loss by the noncompliance of
the law in regard to trespasses upon state
land Is not In our judgment borne out by
the record. and we are of the opinion that
the laws enacted by the legislature and
signed by the governor are binding upon
all of the people of the state, and should
be enforced by those who are elected TO
enforce them.
Fifth-In conclusion we would recon-
mend that these timber trespasses and
mineral lease cases be resubmitted to the
governor and attorney general with d.
rectionS that they take such action in the
premises as they in their judgment may
think best, and that these officers be au-
carry on such litigation as they may see
fit to institute. In a number of cases
there has no doubt only been technical
violation of the law, and the state has
cases We are of the opinion that the in
terest of the school fund has suffered by
lax enforcement of the law hence we are
of the opinion that the law enforcing
power of the state should be asked to
take charge of this whole matter.
p When the report was under consid-
Grafton yesterday, M. ]. O'Laughlin, the
only Democratic member of the COM
mlttee, rose to a question Of personal
privilege. He had been quoted by
Chairman bowling and the newspapers
as having signed the majority report.
Mr.. O'Laughlin denied that he had
signed the report.
Chairman Bowling agreed that none
of the members had signed the ma
Jority report, but he declared that Mr.
OLaughlin had moved that the report
be adopted, and that Mr.. Wyman of
the committee had seconded the mo-
ton to adopt the report of the SUBJ
committee.
That is true in part" the wabasha
member said, Il moved to strike out
the Mork amendment. / was tired of
the whole thing. 1t had grown obnox-
ious TO me, and wanted to get 1t out
Of the way"
Bowling Stands Pat
Chairman Bowling insisted that the
records of the meeting show that the
Wabasha member moved the adoption
of the report. The report of the ma
jority appeared in the house journal
yesterday, and ii is said that several
thousand copies of the report will be
circulated among Republicans of the
state. The minority report, 1t is said,
will also be generally circulated.
L do not care what the house does"
Mr.. Carl said yesterday. but 1 know
what the people of the state think of
the majority report. They consider it a
plain whitewash of the facts, and will
take the minority report as the truth of
the investigation" -
1t is said that two drastic sections.
condemning in strong terms the re-
ports of the public examiner as not
being justified by the results of the in
vestigation, were offered to the COM
mittee by Burdette Thayer and r. L.
Mork, but were rejected by the COM
mlttee as being too radical
New House Bills
II. F; No: 1854: BY Towns and Coun-
ties Substitute for II. F. No. 594)-Au-
thorizing the board of county commits
sloners of any county having population
OF $4,000 to employ a competent civil en-
H; F. No. s65: BY Vollmer-Repealing
section s, chapter 154, General Laws of
1895, relating to prison labor
Bills Passed by the House
S. F. No. 1856: BY Schaller-To author
lZe county commissioners to allow county
some cases.
H. F. No. 514: By Fraser-To amend
the laws of 1875 relating to the fencing
OF railroad rights of way in order to pre-
vent the ingress of sheep and hogs.
5. +. No. 314: BY Thorpe-To regulate
commission merchants by the railroad
ana warehouse commission. and to per-
NIT the revocation of their licenses for
fraudulent practices In receiving assign
ments from shippers.
ENGINEERC DDnTEST