Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-11
AS TO THAT DEFICIT.
Senator Johnson Answers Question as
To Where the Money Came From,


State Senator Willis Johnson, who
for the past few weeks has been acting
as treasurer Of the Utah-St Louis
worlds fair commission, was yesterday
subjected to some very pointed crit
lcsm for his alleged failure to official
~ and publicly state where the 81, 1852
came from that was now In the COM
missions treasury but which was not
there a couple of weeks before. 1t was
limited that he was trying 10 cover mat
tiers up; that he knew something he
would not tell. The result was he was
placed In an embarrassing situation, He
made 1t very clear that he was not a
party TO any wrongdolng and that he
would not become one. Yesterday he
arose IN the senate and made state
inent to his brother senators that COM
pletely eXonerates him from any
shadow of blame What he said follows
"Mr. President and Fellow Senator's;
/ rise to a question Of highest personal
pryilege-that Of making an eXplana-
tion on question that has been made
by circumstances that | was unable to
control to seriously reflect upon some
of my official acts, II not to involve my
honor, | know that associates on this
floor are not parties to the misconcep-
ton as to my conduct or standing, but
there are others, some OF them prom
inent citizens, who wonder why ] have,
as they say, remained silent when in
their judgment ] should speak, ! have
specific reference to the discussion and
criticism that has arisen out OF the
recent report Of the joint committee APP
pointed by this body and the house to
inquire into the financial affairs of the
Utah worlds fair commission OF which
/ have for the past few weeks ouly
been the treasurer, succeeding the Hon.
Hoyt Sherman In that position a short
time prior to his departure for Europe,
II was not, In my Judgment, proper for
me TO say anything upon subject
which a special committee was investi-
eating The committee was made up
of honorabel and intelligent gentlemen
who were able to speak for themselves,
which they have done.
"But in view of the criticisms and ac-
cusatons made In the house and by
other persons with regard to the fact
that there was a difference as to the
condition of the treasury OF the fair
commission as between the early part
OF January aud the present time, ! want
to say this: Early In January there
was an overdraft at the bank. Now
there liz money on hand TO the amount
of S2125 O2, just as stated In the COM
mittees report am blamed and placed
under suspicion for not telling where
this money came from. ] have nothing
TO hide In the matter There is MOTH
ing to hide, I'm fact, so far as / know.
This amount Of money was turned over
TO me as treasurer OF the commission
1t came from the secretary of the COM
mission and was turned In to cover the
amount called for by the missing
vouchers of the secretary, or for orders
drawn on the treasurer for this amount,
over and above that which was ac-
counted for. The secretary claimed
that these were either lost or misplaced
That Is n matter Of which | personally
know nothing. ] have simply stated
the facts In the case 80 lar as ] know
them. They explain how there Is now
q surplus I'm the treasury when there
was recently deficit
In answer TO n question from Presi-
dent Love he said he would like TO nave
the statement go into the journal. Seq
ator Bamberger thought that Johnson
attached too much importance To what
he termed idle criticism But john
son did not think so, whereupon Sem
ntor Bamberger declared that his assoc
ciates had the most implicit confidence
in his integrity and that he was sure
the public had
1t being manifest that there was IN
no wise the least blame attaching 10
Senator Johnson and the latter feeling
encouraged nc the confidence placed IN