The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-30


HEATER,
the Executive Committees prepared
made public.
sition Unconscious OF the fact that the
Constitution forbade an officer of the
State to hold Federal position. This
the board grants. and by its action
In reinstating him, manifested that 1t
put no blame or censure upon him.
though, of course, he had held tho
office of commissioner Illegally from
November 1st to January 18th. dur
ing which period the State was without
a commissioner.
Department Offices Used.
One might suppose that the commits
sioner would have been grateful to the
board for helping him out of the pre-
dicament, and that he would have
abided by the laws of his State in the
future. But the commissioner, the
day following his reappointment as
commissioner and his tender of res
ignation as statlstician. went to Wash
ington and had one of his daughters
appointed to the latter position. This,
as results proved, was mere subter
fuge of the commissioner to defeat the
plain intent of the Constitution, and to
Juggle with the laws of his State lie
continued to do this work himself,
and to allow it to be supervised by
his immigration clerk, who for two
days. as we learn in Washington, re-
ceived instructions from United
States agent sent to the commissioners
office from Washington. The statis-
teal work was done by the direction
of Mr.. Koiner, in the department offices
in the Capitol Building by the clerks
of the department, and in the States
time, the work upon several occasions
consuming the entire forenoon in or
der that the report might be sent on
the midday train to Washington. Not
only this. but the commissioner used
his stenographer during the office
hours of the day to mail the instruc-
lions and other papers regularly to
the several hundred agents under him
throughout the State. and in doing this
used the stationery of the department,
as letters now i'm the hands of many
of the agents throughout the State will
prove. A portion of the offices Of the
department was set aside for the pros
ecution OF the statistical work, in
deed the entire plant" was located in
the Offices of the commissioner. No
later than the 9th of July. after the
board meeting which adopted the plan
of reorganization which forbids the
offices of the department to be used
for the prosecution of any business
not legally belonging to 1T. or It's en-
ployes to be used in the aid of similar
work, Mr.. Koiner wrote a letter to
Fertilizer Inspector e. !. Mock, of the,
First District, stating: Il wish you
would recommend to me two men from
Accomac and Northampton. whom
could get to make a monthly report
for the crop statistics. Couldn't you
do 1t as one from your county? /
make this report to the national gov
eminent. but it is ddAe in my sons
name" Why the commissioner has
stated upon nearly every occasion that
his son is the appontee, when the re-
cords in Washington. show that his
daughter. IL. M. Koner, age twenty
six was appointed to the position
upon the request of Mr.. Koiner, is a
matter in regard to which the COM
missioner may be able to thrown some
light.
Busincssllkc Plan.
There has been much talk OF the
Legislature being called upon to con-
slider the action of the board in adopt
ing It's plan of reorganization. The
board might have been subject to some
criticism had 1t failed to adopt such a
plan. We, as individual members of
the board. have no regret that the plan
was adopted, and have no apology to
make for it's adoption; and we believe
that the nine members who voted for
it hold the same opinion. The two
members who left Jamestown before
The vote on the plan was taken voted
for 1t at the meeting on August 9th,
when the plan, came up again for
adoption, In It's Slightly amended form.
N1n Nfr,, t1,,E {tNf Metz Ia
was not present at either meeting.
Only one vote has ever been recorded
against it,
The plan adopted by the board, we
believe, is businesslike one In every
way, and only curtails the commission
er's powers In one or two respects
Where 1t was necessary. The method
as to drawing warrants upon the funds
of the department Is similar to that
used in many leading business houses
in every city in the Lhited States. The
executive officer, in the majority of
cases, Is not the treasurer, and while
! the commissioner may in the formeA
capacity, mako such expenditures and
contract such bills as he may deem
the warrants In payment therefor. a
practice as stated, quite common
among business houses Ks
Drew Extra SuInry. rs
Mr.. Kolner about two years ago
stated to the board that he was doing
| extra work when he served that body
as treasurer, as his dutrs as commits
sioner did not carry with them the
duties Of treasurer. He demanded an
additional salary as treasurer of the
board, and the latter, nearly always
lenient with him, allowed an additional
salary. which Mr.. koiner drew until
The Attorney General rendered an opin-
ion that the commissioner could only
draw from the State the salary allowed
by law. Hence It Will be seen that N
transferring the duties Of treasurer te
another officer the board, aesor,dins + te
The commissioners own admission, has
not taken from him any power tc
| which he was entitled.
Tha. one of tho provisions Or the new
plan il certainly a wise one IS shoWr
by the statement OF the legislative In,
yestigatlns committee That out snr,i r. e.,
long line OF violations of tn. tersi!! 3. !,
law, only one had been proseeut g.,
The hoard. under the law, is hel ! re re,
sponsible for the enforcement {, 7, ", ! :