The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-02-17
STIR AT
STATE CAPITOL
SCANDAL IN THE TREASURER'S
OFFICE is A SURPRISE TO
SMITHS FRIENDS
new man In The POSITION
A. C. GOODING, A ROCHESTER
BANKER, is NAMED AT OF
FICIAL'S RESIGNATION

st. Paul, Feb. 15.-Until the al
legged populations of State Treasurer
w. ]. Smith and R. G. Pickit, invest
ment clerk under State Auditor Preus,
now close to the 100000 mark, have
been disposed of and forgotten, those
who look upon the state capitol as
their daily meal ticket, and the voting
public which is now sitting in judg-
ment upon the whole nasty mess as
necessary to their official existence,
will not feel safe. Though better than
a week old now, and with the two al
legged conspirators facing court trial
and a possible prison sentence, the
outstanding of the states trust funds
even though restitution has been
made-has the public by the ears and
the line of criticism INDUCED in takes
in nearly every state official and de-
partment head "Clean out the gang,
is the cry. Of course, such is not fair,
but it is just what could be expected.
With the public rascals beget rascals
when public office of an official trust
is involved and the average voter is
not a bit backward when it comes to
voicing his sentiment. The character
of Smiths populations came as a sur
prise to his capitol colleagues, though
it was known he was hard pressed for
money. That he should have entered
into an alleged conspiracy with
cheap clerk with the undoubted knowl-
edge that exposure was certain sur
prises more than any other feature.
Smith was an unusually lovable fell
low, but his one weakness was his in
ability to say "No." This one char
acteristic is now seen in the wave OF
sympathy that is being extended
Smith and rather nasty line of crit
icism for those who would hurry him
to the confines of a cell. They explain,
however, that they only did their
sworn duty, which is true. Team work
was lacking in the handling of the
whole thing. Governor Burnquist says
that he was not informed of the short
age until several days had elapsed and
it had become public property. Smith
at the present writing is very sick
man. Pickit, his alleged accomplice,
has coughed up everything. Truly,
the whole thing is a sad commentary
on official honesty and is bound to
make trouble for everybody from the
governor down. u4
- - "~ u"
Following his Indictment by the
Ramsey county grand jury on charge
of first degree larceny State Treas
urer Smith rendered his resignation
to Governor Burnquist, who promptly
accepted it and named A. c. Goodlng,
Rochester banker, to fill the vacancy,
Mr.. Gooding is native of Rochester,
being born in that city in 1871. His
father, Alphonse Gooding, came 20
Minnesota from New York in 1858 and
fifty years ago was treasurer OF Good
hue county. The new state treasurer
is a graduate of Oberlin college. He
entered the Union National bank OF
Rochester as messenger boy in 1888
and later became cashier. He was
elected president of the First National
bank of Rochester in September, l9Oo'
and now holds that position. He also
is secretary treasurer of the Rochester
Telephone company, president of the
Rochester Milling company and sec
retary of the Masonic Temple assocla-
ton. He is a Republican, member
of various Masonic bodies, including
Osman Temple, Mystic Shrine.
Is there a hoodoo attached to the
lob of state treasurer? 1t would look
that way. Smith is not the only state
treasurer to get into trouble and as
for those who have finished either un-
der a blight or almost within the
shadow of the poorhouse they are
manv. AS far as official history goes
no custodian of the states money has
ever extended his official ambitions
bevond that office. Smiths name, l
am told adorns private paper IN
score of banks throughout the state.
Manv courtesies were extended him by
banks handling state funds. Ana
right here is the kernel Of the whole
thing-the desire Of bankers for Dlt
of state money and their willingness
to do favors for those who can sup
ply it. Policy loans, believe, they
call such favors. Few state treas
urers have been able to withstand the
pressure. Smith was an easy mark
for wild cat promoters. Visions OF
millions constantly faced him and
quite a few banks, from what 1 can
find, helped him out when he was hard
pushed. There is limit, however, to
such favors and it was when such
ceased that the states moneys were
encroached upon. What the state
treasurer owes privately will probably
never be known, but the whole thing
will not be without it's lesson to the
banks. At any rate Smiths finish
will have a deterrent effect on his
successors.
Congressman Lindbergh has pulled
out of the Republican gubernatorial
contest and there are any number
who will say 81 told you So" Gov