The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-10-04
"A BADLY WRECKED. NEAR Pc.
LITICAL MACHINE.

Several money WrencheS nave been
thrown into the gear of Gov. Burn
uuist's political machine during the
past week.
1t is painfully remembered by the
taxpayers of the state that his nobs
deprived the rural, graded and high
schools of the state of $1,O70,0O0 by
vetoing the deficiency appropriation
bill following the adjournment of the
legislature. This veto directly af-
fected every school district in the
state, and such howl of protest went
up from all sections that he realized
that he had made very serious po-
litical blunder in repudiating the
credit of the state.
The question of how best to get out
of a bad situation was the problem.
Finally a scheme was evolved where
by the state high school board should
come to his rescue. Herald readers
will recall that the legislature ap-
propriated a sum of money with
which to carry on the public schools
of the state for the coming biennial
period of 1917-1S. They also set aside
$1,O70,00O for immediate use with
which to pay the deficiency accruing
over the previous two-year period,
contracted for by the school boards Of
the state in good faith and within
their legal rights.
AS stated above, the state high
school board was called to the aid
of his nobs for the purpose Of di-
verting $1,O7O,OO0 of the funds ap-
propriated by the Legislature for the
current two years to rectify the
blunder caused. by the Burnquist
veto. The diverting of the funds
from their regular channels was
strenuously opposed by State Sup
erintendent Schulz but several men,
bers of the board had been created
by Burnquist and these, with the as
sistance of President of the Uni
versity Burton, who by the way had
just come into the state, by a ma
jority of one vote decided to assume
the powers of the legislature and
divert the current funds from the
. course intended by the law-making
body. Accordingly S1,070,O00 of the
current funds were set aside to make
up this deficit.
Prominent school men all over the
state were opposed to this make-shift
arrangement, and finally suit was
brought by Mr.. Nutshell of Foley to
enjOin the state auditor from paying
out the money in the manner de-
cided upon by the governors board.
governors veto annulled the deficit
appropriation and that any attempt
to divert funds from other channels
to make up this deficit was in viola
ton of the statutes and the constitu-
ton of the state. The case was heard
before Judge Brill of the Ramsey
county district court in St. Paul last
week and he promptly granted the
injunction forbidding the state
auditor from paying out the funds
as provided for by the state high
school board. 1t has been stated that
the case will be appealed to the SUI
preme court, but to the laymen the
proposition is so clear that there can
be no doubt as to the final dec sion.
Several reasons have been advanced
as to the cause of Burnquist's veto
of the deficiency bill. Shortly before
the adjournment of the legislature
last winter his nobs endeavored to
force his public domain bill down the
Threats of the senate. He even went
SO far as to send special message
to the senate intimating that he
would use his veto perogative on ap-
preparations unless his wishes were
carried out. This splendid piece of
craftsmanship failed to have the de-
sired effect. 1t is alleged that in
making his bluff good the public
school system of the state were the
recipients of his official wrath.
Meanwhile the taxpayers of the state
are paying approximately $500 per
day interest on outstanding indebted
ness for the governors blunder.
***
The skids were put under him a
second time Friday of last week
when the republican state committee
met to name a republican national
committeeman to succeed the late
Chester Congdon of Duluth. A Mr..
Carpenter of Minneapolis was one of
the candidates. He had the back
ing Of Burnquist. The governor is
sued def to the rest of the CON-
nittee to "do their durndest," Civ
ing them to understand that he was
the cock of the political walk. Mr..
Carpenter undoubtedly is high
grade Ian and is no doubt qualified
to make a high grade national COM
Initteeman. The trouble was that he
was in bad company. Thursday and
Friday with one accord the st. Paul
Pioneer Press and Dispatch, the MIR
neapolis Tribune and Journal in
their news stories told how the
Burnquist crowd would name Mr..