Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-22

the integrity of it's management it is in
tended 70 be a blessing TO the future mil
lions Of Nebraska children, and for al
ways. BY it's use corruptly, by being
nlched from, to that extent are the chill
dren defrauded for all time That is your
one great and should be sacred trust l
leave Il to you. Why should young men
and boys be sent to prison in this state
II we countenance the plundering of the
funds that are to educate and moralize
them, by the thousands of dollars.
Now II I have laid enough foundation
to attract your attention, l will say that
your treasury has for a number of years
and until the present incumbency of Peter
Mortensen been used for private gain.
That was so under Meserve and under
Steufer. The evidence that there was an
organization under Steufer'B management
TO corruptly use your funds for private
gain is, In my opinion, overwhelming and
conclusive. The evidence that great
many thousand dollars were lost to your
funds by intended malmanagement is posi-
tive. The fact that your legislature and
public oficers have failed to recognize
and rebuke a scandalous condition is true.
l write this letter to you so that you
shall insist as you nominate and vote
for your members to the next session that
Investigations shall be held that will bS
of effect, and not of farce, as to the con-
dition OF your funds and OF the conduct
of your oficers. This step / have In
tended taking ever since the last session,
at which I sought TO have the matter
properly inquired into
Five years ago, for the FIRST time. a state
treasurer's bond was paid for by the state s
appropriation Every member OF that ses-
sion will tell his neighbors that such bond
was paid for by the state only after Mr..
Steufer stood before the house and gave
his direct promise that all interest moneys
should be turned into the treasury. As
he made that promise he had bank checks
running to himself for unlawful interest
on unlawful deposits which. even after that
promise, he kept getting and keeping. in
defiance of his duty and against his di-
rect promise charge directly that he
was engaged in bond buying peculations
The next session. after having been re-
fused a denomination, he came back for
the price OF his last years bond and this
! time for 5000. II he had conducted his
ONCE with integrity. II was right TO pay Il
! II corruptly, not a cent should have beer
paid. He admitted acts Of direct corrup
| tion in his management Of your funds
! The committee, by course OF conduct anC
report sounding only in whitewash, ignored
! your interests and their duties, and helped
in gift OF 5000 not only where nothing
was due from the state, but to one VIII,
had knowingly and intendingly defraudeC
! you.
II seems to be generally accepted as tru'
that the recent Investigations relating L
the management of the great New Yorl
insurance companies were necessary 10 b
made, and have resulted In the disclosur
OF great abuses and the correction OF grea
evils. recall nothing dtsr:osed in thes
Investigations as corrupt as has been Ger
tain phases OF your state tressurer's ohic
for number Of years prior to Mr.. Morteu
sens incumbency Such an investigation
into our own affairs can only result 4
proper legislation, safeguarding your in
terests and the conduct OF your business.
I shall ask the people of my county I
speak clearly as TO what their own view
are. At the next session | shall see tha
competent attorneys, having an interest 1
the states, welfare, are at the service q
the members whom you shall send TO tn
legislature. l know that you are not salts
fed, for I, claiming to be a reasonabl
person and knowing those conditions to b
against every proper rule OF good govern
ment am not satisfied.
I shall suggest TO the conventions OF IN
different parties Of my county, Burt. III
duty OF demanding Of right a strict ir
curry into the past management OF III
treasury department And personally
shall support no man for any State Omc
whom 1 do not believe 10 be for a stri'
inquiry and square reporting 10 the legii
lature and the people as TO the conduct {
the treasury department In the past
|. w. G. SEARS