Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-05-13
JOHNSON ADMITS CHARGES

AZ luob lCoS Ids WluuS llOIu
the unwilling state treasurer, George
e. johnson, reason why he did not
turn over any interest 10 the state
during the months of January and
February, 1909, Mr. Johnson says:
"DURING THAT TIME THERE
WAS ABSOLUTELY NO LAW UN-
DER WHICH | COULD Do
OTHERWISE THAN AS I DID"
So that was the reason. The pro-
gressive law had not yet gone into eff
feet. Mr., johnson in the above ad-
mits practically every charge that has
been made against him by The Press.
The voters of South Dakota have their
answer and there is no chance for
Mr.. johnson 10 be reelected unless
the people have changed their minds
about the interest on state funds since
Cassill was dt feated and Johnson was
4 elected On the promise to account for
all interest WHETHER A LAW
WAS PASSED OR NOT.
If MIR. Johnson could not get inter
est from the banks because there was
no law requiring it, then neither
could Mr.. Cassill, and according to
Johnson's reasoning Cassil should
have been reelected.
Mr.. Johnson has now got himself
into hole from which there is no cs
cape Mr.. Cassill was defeated be
cause he did not turn over interest to
the state. Mr.. Johnson was elected
because he promised to turn over such
interest whether or not law was
passed compelling him to do so. For
two months johnson did not turn over
a cent of interest, all the interest the
state got during those two months be
ing on twine plant funds deposited
by Cassill.
Now Johnson says he could not
turn over interest because there was
no law under which he could have
done so
"Until the Legislature of 1909 passed
Sthe present state depositary bill" says
Mr.. Johnson, III was absolutely help
less" If so, then Cassill was absolute
ly helpless. Mr.. Johnson gives the
state depositary law credit for get
ting the interest, as he says be could
not get any interest until this law
was passed So it was not Mr.. John
son but Mr.. Ewert with his depositary
law who saved the state $4,000 up
to the present time in interest.
That is exactly what The Press has
been claiming Mr. Johnson has now
admitted it. Is there need to say
more? Mr.. johnson stapds self-con
victed.
He is also guilty of deception in the
matter of the twine fund certificates.
The Press has all along excepted
these certificates in it's challenge to
johnson, because the former treasur
er had invested the twine plant fund
in them under the law Mr.. Johnson
had nothing to do with it.
The Argus Leader makes Mr.. John
sons case especially bad by its uufor-
Aunate b.under;ng. 1t says the Press
entirely overlooked the fact that the
twine plant money was almost entire
ly deposited on time certificates. That
is just what The Press had been try,
ing to pound into the head of the Ar
gus-Leader for ten days and is de-
lighted that the fact has at last soak
ed through the Argus l. eader's under
standing. These certificates were on
deposits made by Treasurer Cassill.
The state got the interest on them
during the first two months that
Johnson was treasurer, because John
son could not have prevented it if he
would, and THAT is ALL THE IN
TEREST THE STATE DID GET.
Mr.. johnson admits the charges.
The Argus-Leader admits them. No
interest until the progressive law was
passed. What then, has become of
Johnson's scampaign promises 7-Sioux
Falls Press.
In 1905 the total state tax for