Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-09-04
LEE MAKES REjOlNDER
TO EBERHART'S LETTER
An Open Letter to Governor in Which
He Makes Plain His CHARGES.

"Hon. A. 0. Eberhart, St. Paul,
MINI. Sir: l have read in the papers
your criticism Of my speech at Fer
gus Falls. l have not seen the re-
port of that speech to which you re-
fer, but l wish to say that nearly
every statement you make is irrele-
want. Assuming that you have a COR
rect statement of what I said at that
time, l must characterize your crit
lclsms of it as an attempt to attract
the public attention from your per-
sonal failure in public matters by
raising issues which I said nothing
about. did not question the state
ments of the state auditor or treas
urer. The figures I quoted we're TAX
en- from the auditors reports, except
when gave other authority. I did
not suggest that the State go back
ten years. nor did I advocate discon-
tlnuing any necessary or desirable
service the state is rendering the peo-
pie, and you know I did not. 1 stated
that these services were costing the
people too much money and that you
had done nothing to improve things,
but on the contrary, it is your office
that has set the worst example. I
have said on several occasions that
your contingent fund is not an addi-
ton to your salary but is a public
fund to be spent in the public serv-
ice under your discretion and judy
ment, and that this discretion could
not be delegated to anyone else. I
have criticized Voucher No. 228O85,
referring to the expense Of transport
tation Of Bertha Clausen from New
York to Duluth. My criticism did
not refer to the purpose Of this ex-
penditure but to the method. You
tried to divert attention from the
bad method by calling attention to
the purpose Of the expenditure.
'You have been guilty Of the same
thing in your criticism Of my Fergus
Falls speech. At Fergus Falls l said
in substance that a political machine
existed in Minnesota; that it was
composed largely of Urge business
interests that needed legislation or
desired to defeat legislation; and
that this machine plays a large part
in the affairs Of our state govern
ment; that it controls largely the &C.
ton of the state legislature; that by
it's manipulation it was able to defeat
most Of the best legislation introduce
ed into the last general session of the
legislature and that you did nothing
to prevent it from doing so; that
this machine was the cause of prac-
tically everything the people had to
complain Of concerning the state
government; that with machine pol
ltlcs, unnecessary extravaganza al
ways followed; that all the powers
Of the state government rested with
the state Legislature; that the balance
Of the state Offices were executive or
ministerial; that the effect of ma
chine control in the state legislature
permeated every department Of the
state government, resulting in poor
business methods and fragrant ex-
travagance.
GAS proof that the state was be-
coming more and more extravagant,
i quoted the following facts: That
there passed through the state treas
ury during the last year approx
mately $l6,000,0O0; that after taking
out the revolving funds Of the state
institutions, and some loans made
from the school funds it leaves ap-
proximately $l3,500,000 that were
collected from the people and dis
bursed for various state expendi-
lures. l have stated in every in
stance that l could not give the items
Of expenditure, but that I would
compare three items Of expendi-
lture for the years 1901
and 1911 and to show their increase
during that period of ten years, anc
from this increase the people coulc
Judge something of how extravagan1
their government was becoming. Oh
the three items to which | referred
one is the legislative expenses which
were in 1901, $l45,929, which il
1911 reached the sum Of $3l9,97l.9l
the executive expenses, in 1901, wer'
$l24,2l2; in 1911 they had increased
to $3l7, 809.l2; state boards in 100.
cost $l29,276, in 1911 they eos
1856, 86l.44. l have made no state
ment as to what use was made Of tn
balance Of this $l3, 100000. I mad
no suggestion that any particula
item Of the expense should be elm
.. mated. l simply stated the enormou
r amount that was annually take
from the people Of Minnesota by tax
alton, and stated that | believed tina
: a large part Of it was unnecessary
7 and much of it was wasted. l hav
] stated that | believe that under goo
= business management from 5 to l
r per cent Of it could be saved to TIL
e people. [ stated that the tax levy i
1903 was is mills on a valuation Q
less than $800,000,00O; that it ha
increased until in 1911 it was 2.6
mills ON a valuation Of $l,212,000.