The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-01-25
GOVERNOR DIXON WINS POINT.

civ CA0AA D0~HNt
Frank Conlev. former warden of the state peni-
t~entiary. The complaint states there has been an
alleged Discrepancy in handling the funds of the
state prison and demands an accounting from the
former warden from 1911 up to the end of his
tenure of that office. This is the very action rec
commended by Governor Dixon last November.
1t is indeed gratifying to see the case taken into
the courts for a final action. There is no doubt
but that the people of the state are in a frame of
mind to want the matter settled. This is but the
starting of the legal battle which can be expected
to follow for it is certain, from the methods al
ready followed by the attorneys for Conley, every
thing will no doubt be done to prevent the case
coming to trial.
Governor Dixon has acted more than fair with
Mr.. Conley in the matter. From the time the in
vestigation was started by 7. H. Macdonald up
TO the present, the governor has extended every
possible courtesy to Mr.. ConIey. In fact he has
lone more than could be reasonably expected of
him, by any man accused as Mr.. Conley is. The
report filed with the prison board carried charges
which must have some substantial evidence back
Of them, else it would have been foolish to make
them.
There has been a concerted action upon the
part of a number of newspapers of the state to do
everything possible in an attempt to discredit Gov
ernOr Dixon for the action taken. These same
newspapers are ardent supporters of Frank Con-
,ey. A peculiar part about the attacks upon the
governor has been the absence of any real effort
20 show proof that the alleged misrepresentation
Of funds by Mr.. Conley did not take place. There
has been a careful avoidance of the issue, in a
studied attempt to convey to the people of Mon
lana that the governor had made an attempt to
discredit an innocent man for personal reasons.
With the evidence, which there is every reason
TO believe must exist, submitted to the court with
all the evidence placed before the court, and pre-
sented in a manner to substantiate the charges
which have been made, the people of the state will
De satisfied. Should there be a lack of evidence
to substantiate the charges, then Mr.. Conley will
stand innocent before the people. On the evil
dence alone can a judgment be rendered. The at
tempt of some Of the newspapers of the state to
paint MIR. COnley as a lily white, or as a shrinking
violet of purity, should not have any bearing upon
the case.
This same crowd of newspapers began the at
tack upon the governor when he appointed a new
warden to succeed Mr.. Conley. There were rivers
of bitter tears shed by them because a man VIII
had filed a public office for many years, as Mr.
COnley has done, had been turned out. That yer,
argumen was the strongest one possible as
reason for making a change at the penitentiary.
These over-zealous friends of Mr.. Conley playe
the matter UP too strong. They created an im
preston among fair thinking people that the pc
sition should belong tc Mr.. Conley by right q
possession. 1t sounded ridiculous.
1t has always been considered the legitimat
right of a governor to appoint men of his polit
cal faith, who have rendered service in the SUI
cessful election, to the few positions at his con
mand. There was no reason to offer why the ru
could not apply in the case of the warden of Il
state penitentiary.
When the investigation was started there WI
another TRADE uttered by this same press again
the governor. Mr.. Conley was pictured as a gres
good, kindly, big-hearted man who was ever reaC
to extend a helping hand to the sick and distresse
He was held up to the public as one who went O
Of his way to steady a f~altering, or lift up a fall
fellow man. His many virtues were paraded
the columns of those papers in disgusting pr
fusion. Mr.. Conley must have felt silly when
read them.
Granting that these CLAIMS were true, it W
not a bill of clearance whereby Mr.. Conley had t
right to misappropriate funds of the state or
vert property of the state to his own use. az is
legged in the report fled with the prison board
Mr.. Macdonald. He was ammendable to the La
governing the responsibility of a public offic
just the same as the governor. He did not
quire, by law, any special favors.
Governor Dixon has acted for the state Of Nc