The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-02-24
land Commissioner
Replies to Critics

Replying to the charges made II
the state senate rejecting upoI
Land Commissioner Ross and ms
management of the state land de
partment, Mr.. Ross in statement
furnished to the press says:
Il became Commissioner OF Pubic
Lands January II, 1905. The Leg
islature of 1905 was then in session
and even before the close OF the
session powerful influences com
menced a bombardment looking te
nv political downfall. Attacks up.
on nv administration, both private
and public, were continuous during
the years 1905 and 1906 and looked
forward to a legislative investigator
by the Legislature Of 1907. At the
opening of that session, | requested
such an investigation and received
| it at the hands of an adverse legls-
lative committee. Upwards OF one
thousand pages of testimony were
taken and hundreds Of pages OF
books and documents were examined.
and was exonerated. | was re
nominated and reelected in 1909
and have two years more to serve.
Immediately following my cleo
ton, the Legislature Of 1909 provld-
ed for an investigation by another
committee, which continued through
the year and closed with the filing
Of the report on April l, 1910. Not
one word does that report contain
against me directly por against my
administration, except by inference
and innuendo.
"Forty-eight pages of my official
report, closing the biennial period
ending October /, 1910, are devoted
to the report of the Investigating
Committee. To any fair, unbiased
mind reading my report and examin-
ing the public documnets therein
referred to. the report of the in
vestigators is simply smashed, not
in few minor matters of mistake,
as stated in some of the newspapers,
but in every vital particular.
'sThis was practically admitted
in the Senate Thursday of this week
upon consideration of the motion to
reconsider Senate Bill No. III. II
was expressly admitted that nothing
was or could be said against my in
tegrity or ability as Commissioner
of Public Lands.
'The purport of this bill is that,
as soon as it shall become a law
the Governor will appoint two men
who will come into this Office, elect
one of themselves chairman of {
board of three and this chairman
will take the seat now occupied by
me and will be shorn of all powers
whatsoever, and a new board anc
all the political powers this boaro
can devise in the land office will be
added to the already inordinatt
powers of the Governor now being
used against me.
During the debate in the Senate
Senator Allen read three affidavits
one by the son of my predecessor
one by clerk who served with hin
and the. third by one Taylor anC
afterwards filed copies of these ane
three others not read at all, made
by cruiser who served through the
Calvert administration. later giving
all of these afidavits to the press
The originals have not yet been filed
''These afidavits purport to con
meet me with fraudulent trans
actions, each and all alleged to have
occurred over two years before
was first elected Commissioner ant
at times when | had no control O.
any branch of this Office.
.sIn view of the secrecy maintain
ed and cunning employed by m!
enemies during the past two year.
and Of their political and financia
power now being used against me
| must be excused from making an.
specific disclosure of what / propos.
to do, but will say that at tn.
! proper time, to be determined by
myself, / will lay before the publ,
evidence that will destroy thes.
afidavits and discredit their maker
fully and completely.
1T has been known to all Of tn,
people that / would not be q candi
date for reelection to this office.
do not propose. however, that thi
office shall ever be used as politica
power to perpetuate any Governor
| in office, if | can help it.
e. w. Ross.
j There will be services in tn,
Methodist Episcopal Church on Sun
day next as follows: Sunday Schoo
NI10 oro Droo oh:c<~ C,~,,:,r II = -