River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1924-08-07
HENRY VS.. SOLOMAN
FOR STATE TREASURER
Continued from page one.)

"In the years that 1 was treasurer
there never was banker so keen af-
ter state money as Mr.. Levitan. In
stead of daily receipts from different
departments being deposited with the
state treasurer they were deposited
in Mr.. Levitan's bank and he had
millions of deposits that way without
paying the state cent of interest.
l put stop to that as the records
in the Governors office will show. l
am speaking of this so that the poo-
pie may understand and appreciate
Mr.. Levitan's generosity.
eve have heard a great deal about
Public Resources. In the years l
served on the Commission of Public
Lands, lake frontage was reserved
for the public. No long leases were
granted to Chicago parties, as stated
by Mr.. Levitan. No timber was sold.
'In a speech Mr.. Levitan made at
Park Falls, during the last campaign,
he said, johnson is opposed to sell
ling the woods, when l become treas
urer you shall have woods.
'Last fall Mr.. Levitan sold in the
northern part of the state 1900 acres
of timber stumpage, not the land.
The lumbermen do not want lands.
However, part of this timber was
burned. Mr.. Levitan had his press
agent busy announcing the great
timber sale Of Sol Levitan, where he
made 100000 for the state. The
fact is according to record in the land
Office, the timber stumpage was sold
for from $500 to $500 per thousand
where it should have brought from
$500 to $4,000 per thousand. So
the state lost the difference between
those figures. The trouble was Mr..
Levitan was not selling commodities
but was selling something he knew
nothing about. He kept his cam
paign promises but the state has or
will have another eighteen hundred
acres Of burnt-over slashing. And
then he talks of conservation.
"The state receives $50 on daily
balances. 1t is common talk here
among bankers and others, that if
you want to be a depository the
question is asked, "Are you doing
business with the Commercial Ma
tional Bank?" "Well?"
81 am told that the Commercial
National Banks deposits from coun-
try banks have increased from $780,
100000 to $1,800,000.00 since Mr.. Lee
vitan became state treasurer.
"In trying to discredit my admin
istration when he was a candidate
Mr. Levitan pointed to Small's record
as treasurer in Illinois. We return
the compliment. Let Mr.. Levitan
now look at Mr.. Small's record him
self. Small had to organize a bank,
Mr. Levitan already had one.
"This is the time we shall hear
about economy. Mr.. Levitan in his
speeches has been busy sympathizing
with the farmer and telling them how
he is saving money for the tax pay
ers. Here are some official figures
that may be of interest to the voters.
"The first year of Mr.. Levitan's
administration from January to Jan
uary according to the figures from
the Board of Public Affairs, it cost
his Department $3,620.94 the first
year more than my last year in office.
Besides he transferred work from his
Department to the Secretary of StaLe
to the amount of 100000, making a
total Of S6,620.94. Now $6,62O.94 is
not much for the State of Wisconsin,
but when economy is preached during
a campaign it ought to be practised
after election"