The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1916-06-02
KENDRIcK IDAHO FRIDAY JUNE 1915
OFFICIAL GRAFT

great discredit on the fair name of
our state. But the chief offenders
are now doing 'penance in the Bas-
tile provided by the state. 1t was
supposed that the summary punish
ment of such offenders would act
as deterrent on the remaining
state officials but such seems not to
be the case.
This time the State Auditor, Hus-
ton, is the goat. The facts briefly
stated are these: The State Land
Board made loans to the amount of
$4,000 on four pieces Of land. This
land was owned by the Auditor but
was recently transferred to four
parties-one of the said parties being
the Auditors father. The loan on
three of the tracts was recommen-
ded by the Auditor himself and
that of the father by some other
supposed responsible party. These
recommendations were made with
out expense to the state for the
appraisement so the Land Board
waived the usual one per cent fee
amounting in this case to $4,000.
Now it is said that the land in
question is not worth the amount of
the loan. A rule of the Land Board
loans money on farm lands as Be-
curity to the amount of one third
the value of the land exclusive of
buildings. This latest transaction
has already assumed the proper
lions of an official scandal. The
latest development is that the Audi
tor has agreed to take up the loans
by the first of July with interest so
that the Land Board will not be
further involved.
It is claimed on the other hand
that the land is ample security for
the loan but as far as can be as
certained no one has attempted to
defend the so-called Illusion loans"
In the midst of charges and counter
charges it is hard to tell to what
extent the Auditor is blamable but
as a member Of the Land Board he
acted injudicious to say the least
and has relegated himself to private
life in the near future.
A leading newspaper has this to
say:
''In the respect that Huston is a
member of the Land Board and as
such member voted for the loans
after having appraised two pieces
of the tract and as such member of
the Board he deceived his associates,
this transaction is worse than the
famous o. v. Allen loan, because
Allen was not a member of the
Board.
"This loan is worse, however,
only inasmuch as it concers Huston.
As it effects the other members of
the Board it is more excusable for
the reason that Huston is an official
elected by the people with the same
powers and supposedly with the same
reliability as the other members
of the board, and as such member,
his associates had a right to
rely upon his official representations.
$50 far as the Governor is con-
cerned, he got caught in the decep-
ton and there is no disposition to
deny it. The only excuse he can
have is that he cannot expect to
prevent deals of this kind so long
as Republican officials are elected
with equal powers with himself
who will "put them over"
The whole matter is most un-
fortunate coming as it does so near
to the opening of the political
campaigns of the state. But it
emphasizes what the Gazette has
frequently said, that it is the bust
ness of the people to elect men of
honor and known probity. irrespec-
tive of party. nnto administer the
business affairs in the interests of
the people. To wear a party label