The Detroit times., 1913-02-14
HAPPENINGS IN MICHIGAN

I you in any way. believe In De-
ing square with every man.
Hoping this explanation viii De
satisfactory, | remain,
Sincerely yours.
(Signed)
Governor.
considerable portion OF the bairu
report TO the senate Is given 70 an
attempt TO discredit James W. helnhe
by bringing up the scandal In cohhec'
ton with his contest for seat IN
the constitutional convention OF lSVt
when he Is alleged 20 have sousnt 10
influence the committee when was
Investigating the contest. A letter
taken from the records OF that con-
yention is attached TO the report. IL
purports 10 have been written by
Helme 10 Frank KEEPER, OF the u D
Voting Machine company, In Roches-
ter n Y. seeking 70 have the infiu-
ence of that company exerted In his
favor upon John Baird who was
chairman OF the investigating COM
mittee.
Helme is now state dairy and food
commissioners.
The Graham appointment was re-
ferred back 10 the committee second
time on the motion OF Senator Yer
der. Of Grand Rapids, who suggested
that the governor should make IL for
two years, bur not TO exceed the legal
existence of the once"
Relative to the communication sent
by Baird TO the senate today. Mr.,
Helme. when interviewed. made the
following statement;
Some time after election tho
yoverno- visited Adrian. inspecting
he Industrial Home, and he asked
ne what information possessed re-
ative 10 the inspection OF salt.
old him that the information | had
vas that the inspection OF salt was
/ farce, Sut that did not know so of
ny own knowledge and would In
'estigate the matter personally and
write him concerning il.
Accordingly, short time after, L
listed the Diamond Crystal Salt
Works. at St Clair, Mich. and inter
Tiewed Mr.. Moore and Mr.. Whiting
he managers OF the works. They in
ormed me that the inspection OF salt
vas an absolute farce. that the salt
Inspector for that district was a
at Algonac. that he left
lis stencil at their works and they
placed 1t upon the packages OF salt
hat he had never seen. That once
J month he appeared at their ONCE.
walked through the works and col
ected his fees for inspecting salt
hat they had made during the month,
most OF which he had never seen.
For this valuable service, they in
'ormed me that he received $1,000
per year asked them where would
be able TO obtain the annual report
Of the state salt inspector. One OF
them said that the Arm had them in
the ONCE. When Mr.. Moore and Mr..
came to look them up. the
only one they could find was the an
nual report for 1910. They stated
that they had one later but had mis-
laid II, but they thought they would
they did not they would mail 1t to
me. I never received it.
Soon after. wrote to the COVER
nor, telling him the conditions found
at st. Clair. exactly as ! have describ-
ed ABOVE l also IoTWaTueu MIN the
annual report for 1910, and at the
same time, informed him that this
was the last report was able to OBJ
Iain In his message, the governor
made the following statement relative
10 salt inspection, which i quote en-
lire. According to the state inspec-
tors report for 1910 (the most recent
report / could get). over $4,000 was
collected from the salt manufacturers
Of the state for Inspecting salt that
never was inspected. For this $4,000
no service was rendered the manu-
facturer or consumer. BY all means
abolish the state salt inspection
farce. The governor has never stat
ed 10 me and l have never stated to
the governor or any one else that Mr..
Baird had neglected to hle his re-
ports.
Regarding the voting machine deal
that Mr.. Baird dFags into the con-
troversy, l have simply this to say:
] ran for delegate to the con CON
but was counted out by So votes l