Morris tribune., 1913-12-12


If you are subscriber to any OF
the st. Paul daily publications you
have undoubtedly been interested in
the police graft exposure which has
been engaging the attention of the
grand jury of the Capital City AZ
far as the graft end is concerned the
charges are probably true, but don't.
worry about any claim that the state
prison at Saltwater will be unable to
take care of the large number who
will be convicted as a result. There
is going to be a goat sure, but I think
l can count on the fingers of one hand
those who will furnish the sacrifice.
The trouble with the present exposure
is that politics is the principal feature
and those interested have agreed that
the present Republican administra-
ton, headed by Mayor Keller, must
60 His one trouble seems to be that
he surrounded himself with lot Of
"boobs" and petty thieves. Mayor
Keller is generally credited with be-
ing honest His friends" seem to
have been his undoing.
!. !. :.
County assessors over the state
have been advised by Attorney Gen
eraI Smith that hereafter in deducting
the 500 exemption covering assess
ments for personal property that the
deduction must be based on the as
sessed value of the property and not
it's true and full value. The ruling
really means an exemption of 5000.
!. !. :.
Governor Eberhart, the white hope"
A state capitol official used the ex-
preston the other day in speaking
of his excellency and it came as near
being something pat as l have heard
in many day. Just think of the
hopes that are pinned to his future
and then you can appreciate the title,
Lucky Adolph." Omitting Bob Dunn,
who denies any aspirations, there is
Secretary Of State Schmahl, who ex-
poets to round out his career as Gus
todian of state documents with a try
at the governorship; State Insurance
Commissioner Preus, who will not be
satisfied without a fling at the same
office, and last of all State Treasurer
Smith, who a late iron mining ven
ture is said to have placed on easy
street. Adolph, if returned to his
present job, will essay to succeed
United States Senator Clapp two
years hence and then the track will
no olnor howe
and then some have an interest in
seeing Governor Eberhart through
next year, so you see the term white
hope" is not so bad
!. !. X
State capitol gossips have been
busy the past few days with the name
of J. A. O. Preus, state insurance COM
missioner, in connection with the
state authorship. They say he is
candidate and that his promised an.
trance into the game is for the pu~
pose of heading off Henry Rines of
Mora, who already has filed. The
impression conveyed is that Rines is
to be put out of business because of
his unfriendly feeling toward the
Eberhart administration. Mr.. PreuA.
who was absent from st. Paul when
the talk started, denied any auditor
ship aspirations on his return. He
said he had never sought public Of
fee and he did not think he would be-
gin at this date. Mr.. Rines' candi-
dacy does not appeal to the organiza-
ton, that is certain, but down here
Preus would hardly be picked as the
man to oppose him. To offer him as
a sacrifice would be to put one of the
best managerial assets the Eberhart
administration has out of business
and I hardly think they have reached
the suicide stage just yet. Mr.. Preus
is a conner and if he knows anything
at all he knows that an elective Of
nee i where tae pest q en-, ,,,l. finish;
!. + ! 4s.4as.s's
Julius H. Block, former state treas
urer and a candidate for the Repub-
lican nomination for governor in 1907,
is facing trouble in charge preferred
by certain officials of the United
States and Dominion Insurance com
pany to the effect that he has wrecked
the concern. The matter is to be
aired this month in the St. Louis
county district court. Whether the
charges are true or not it has to be
said that Block in his time was as
popular state official as the state
had. He was a power, and when he
ran for governor his possible success
gave the Johnson administration the
shivers. They worked overtime in an
effort to put him out of business.
!. !. !.
In the graft investigation now in
volving the st. Paul police depart
ment some of the charges concern the
legislature of 1913. They have to do
with the Wallace-Fosseen resort
abatement bill and in brief are that
! the underworld of the Capital City
! furnished a fund with which to cor
rupt that body and prevent the pas
sage of the act. AS far as the knowl-
| edge of YOURS truly runs IT was the