Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 14, 1911, Page 1

VOLUME 8. NUMBER 346. WHITTIER IS UNFIT," DEGLARES SULLIVAN “Man Whose Brain Could Invent Such a Machine” Out of Place at Red Wing Says St. Cloud Senator. “HUMANE” IS ROCKNE'S REPLY | sustained by the evidence. Goodhue Member Saves Superintend- ent in Senate But Removal by Governor Now Seems Cer- tain. (By F. A. Wilson) Pioneer Legislative Bureaa Paul, April 14—Although Frank A. Whittier, of the Red Wing training school for Bemidji St. superintendent boys, was “exonerated” by the legis- lature. He is in deep disgrace so far as the governor is concerned and as a result the investigation instigated by former Senator Stephens will not have been in vain for Mr. Whittier already understands that his resig- nation would be acceptable. Sub- ordinates, charged with cruelty also must quit the school. Governor Eberhart is much exercised over the exposures made and it is generally understood that the change of man- agement at Red Wing will take place without delay, probably by the first of May. The action of the senate on Wed- nesday evening in upholding Mr, -Whittier, but at the same time ad- mitting that cruelty has been prac- ticed, was witnessed by well filled galleries, many of the eccupants be- ing women. Senator J. D. Sullivan, the elo- quent and well known attorney from St. Cloud, presented with dramatic force the arguments of the majority report of the investigating commit- tee on which he was a member. The Daily Pioneer had a steno- grapher present—the only paper in the state thus equipped, and while space does not permit a reproduction of all the remarks made, all quo- tations given are authentic, other published reports to the contrary not withstanding. Senator Sullivan said: “As soon as the committee was appointed with the selection of Sen- ator Rockne, as the members of this senate are aware, the investigation was conducted with all possible speed consistant thoroughly. And right here, Mr. President and gentlemen of the sen- ate, I want to say that I do not think there was a single member of that committee who was dominated by any desire or purpose; that our aim was to try and see whether or not we had an institution for boys where- in practices were being carried on such as set forth in this resolution; that we were predisposed to believe that no such practices were in fact being carricd on and I think I speak for all members that it was to us a very great surprise and a source of grief to find conditions to be such as set forth in that report. “We spent money without stint, I might say, to try and get before us any and all witnesses that might be secured by either party to have a fair hearing. There was mno dis- position to cover up anything. There was no whitewashing. “After going into it most thoroughly, we made our report with no feeling towards any one but with a sole purpose of trying to see that Justice is done to the state of Min- nesota and that her fair name is cleared if it needed and required clearing. After consulting togeth- as chairman, and er, we found that five of the mem- bers could agree. We felt that we could arrive at but one conclusion. Our report conforms to the evidence of the case and from a _lawyer’s standpoint he would say that our findings are sustained by the evi- dence.” Senator Sullivan then read from the findings of the majority report of the committee, and continued: “I challenge any man who has heard the hearings or examined these findings to say that they were not Right here, T want to say that I don’t care how good a man Mr. Whittier may be otherwise, 1 don’t care how much integrity he may have and I don’t care how much eulogy he may re- man whose brain would lead him to man whose brain would lead his to install a machine of that character over which he would place boys to be whipped is not a man for an in- stitution of such a beneficent pur- pose. It is not a prison pen; it is not a penal institution. Its char- acter has been described by the su- preme court of this state in a case in which the character of the insti- tution was in question. The deci- sion bears the date of 1898. “You have got to have discipline, no doubt, but you don’t have to have barbarism. You don’t have to go back to the days of mediaevalism. You want to march ahead. The dis- cipline there should be parental, not pynitive in its character. Can you conceive the public schools where your children and mine are to be sent adopting the method of having their persons bared and placed over a machine to be strapped? “That strap was no light concern. It was presented to your committee when we visited Red Wing; the weight 1 don’t just remember but it was some foot and a half in length with a handle and I want to say to you, gentlemen of the senate, it gave me the good holy horror to think of it. “A man with that kind of con- ception, a man who would invent that machine, is entirely and utter- ly unfit to have charge for the state of Minnesota of the wards of the state. It will be said that those boys are tough and incorrigible and hard to manage. No doubt about that or they would not be sent tllelje. but, because a boy is tough is so much more the reason for patience and humanity and there should be in charge of those boys a man of broad guage, humane, with a proper conception of their functions, so as to try and bring about proper re- sults. “Mr. Whittier himself, came before us, and admitted substantially all that was c.aimed by the inmates in regard to corporal punishment.*** “After taking testimony and going to Red Wing to examine the books, we came to the further conclusion that punishment as inflicted there in a haphazard manner, without judici- al investigation, but reported back to Mr. Whittier afterwards, for his ap- proval. The books of the institu- tion are not a true record neither in amount or number of punishments nor as to the extent in which it was carried on. “It appears in the records that one of the common things for which they were punished and some times severely, was for the use of tobacco. Mr. Whittier’s subordinates went up and down, throwing away pieces of tobacco in the form of stumps, plac- ing temptation in the boys’ way and the boys who transgressed were licked. Is that right or manly? To first place temptation in their way and then whip them for viola- tion? “Now, I want to say to you that the books of the institution show that the membership was less than 300 during the past year down to Feb- ruary 1, 1911, when, for some reason or other, it stopped. During that time punishment was inflicted upon 155 boys. Do you believe that it is a trivial matter? Your committee finds that the continuance of such management is entirely out of the question, “We believe that a man who would go down on the streets here and whip a mule as boys at Red Wing have been whipped he would be put in the lockup. “Now, of course, if you don’t want any change made, gentlemen, you have the chance to say so tonight but your committee, whom you ap- pointed not to whitewash anybody but to find the facts, recommends this but, if you don’t want to carry out this recommendation, take it up- on your own shoulders. We wash our hands of the responsibility. .A man in whose veins runs the milk of human kindness, a man who would give them fatherly talks and teach them the error of their ways, in our judgement, is the man for this position. “When we were closing up our re- port, Mr. Whittier came to us and admitted, point blank, that he could not and would not conduct the insti- tution along any other lines. He did not apologize for anything. He simply stood pat and claimed that everything or his subordinates did was right and that they would do it over again. That was one of the tisings that led us to recommend this report. You might as well try “to make a leopard change its spots as to make Mr. Whittier change his methods.” Senator Rockne, in a lengtby speech assumed the defense of Sup- erintendent Whittier and in support of his minority report and proposed amendment, among other things said: “This institution has been run for many years. I think it was in 1898 that it was esiablis!;ed il Red \;fing, Minnesota. It was supposed that the institution had been carried on in such a manner that it was a credit to the state of Minnesota and in fact to the entire ‘' northwest. Nobody ever thought it was wrong until February 11, way up in the north- ern part of the state when a com- mittee of this legislature was visit- ing some institutions and charges were made against the man- agement of this institution. How they happened to be made I do not know. Why they were made I care not but it seems rather striking to me that if anybody had this institu- tion at heart and if they were anx- ious to correct something, why they did not go to the board of control of this state who have these matters in charge? “Frank A. Whittier is a humane man. He did not come here guilty of anything. If he had, he would have employed counsel in his de- fense. Frank A. Whittier believes Frank A. Whit- other himself innocent. tier is innocent. “I feel deeply in this matter. I think it is absolutely an injustice when a man has appealed time and time again for facilities , for the larger boys, to throw him out in the cold world. This work of handling this kind of an institution is Frank A. Whittier’s life work. Are you, by your votes, going to cut him off from that life work now, when he ie just passing his prime?” In replying to Senator Senator Sullivan said: “The senator from Goodhue adroit- ly attempted to confuse the issue. We give the man credit as I have tried to give him credit in the re- marks I have made, for the good qualities he possesses. What we Rockne, (Continued on Last Page.) The Eckhardts, Swiss Bell Ringers and musical entertainers, will ap- pear at the City Opera House Wed. nesday evening, under the gauspices of the Presbyterian church. your tickets early. I Tistorial So * MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOGIETY. TEN CENTS PER WEEK. . REGALL BILL PASSES ~ LOWER HOUSE Measure After Being Amended to In- clude Judges is Passed by Vote of 104 to 14. RO SESSION WAS HELD TODAY Appropriation Committee Kills Bill Appropriating $5,000 to Aid " . Boy Scout Movement. (By ¥. A. Wilson) Bemidji Pioneer NLegislative Bureau St. Paul, April 14.—Owing to the fact that this is Good Friday—a legal holiday in Minnesota—no ses- sions of the legislature are being held. ” The senate is so disgusted with the congested condition, and dilatory and often disorderly tactics of the house, that it adjourned over until Monday. The house, however, decided to begin anew tomorrow morning, setting the hour for com- mencing at 9 o’tlock, the earliest of the session. Both houses had a long, hard day of it yesterday but not much real progress was made. In the House in the afternoon the direct primary bill was up but finally went over until Saturday. The recall bill was up and was passed, 104 to 14, after it had been amended to include judges. Efforts to include members of the legislature as subject to re- call was made in amendments offer- ed, but they were defeated. This bill ljaq passed the senate, but must now' go: back fof concureiice. In the senate the first part of the afternoon was spent in concurring house bills, after which the Omni- bus appropriations were taken up. The House amendment cutting the salary of Dr. Bracken, secretary of the state board of health, from $5,000 to $4,000 was adopted by the senate. * K K Just a few more brief words rela- tive to the last quiver of reapportion- ment. In the first place it is dead and the governor will not call an extra session. Senator Hackney cays that his motion of yesterday, which was lost, to make the Hanson reapportionment bill a special order was the last effort for legislation along that line this session. Mem- bers- of the executive committee of the. Northern Minnesota Develop- ment Association, in reply to a call from Secretary MacKenzie are still in St. Paul preparing a statement which will be public shortly. The nature of this state- ment has not been printed so far. It seems now that reapportionment is a dead issue in Minnesota for some time to come so far as having a law enacted is concerned but probably an effort will be made two years from now to enact a law and in that event its constitutionality would be assail- ed. given the *x K % Although the House dragged from obscurity what is .known as the Cashman distance tariff bill, al- though in the House it was intro- duced by Ralph Crane and, with the aid of Speaker Dunn arguing from the floor, passed it 64 to 56, it cannot become a law at this session as opponents in the Senate can now successfully jockey it to death be- cause of the remaining lack of time for consideration. Speaker Dunn is being criticised for the manner in which he upheld the bill. He called George A. Mackenzie to the chair and going down on the floor of the Secure | House, delivered an impassioned plea Sanborn of the federal court who last Saturday decided the fute cases adversely to the state. “That was a villainous decision,” wildly exclaim- ed the speaker. When the roll call was taken, Mr. Dunn kept track of the votes and when he found that one more was necessary to carry the bill, shouted,—“Now just one more good Democratic vote for this bill.” | The House was in great confusion but above the din Frank L. Kelly, democrat from Blue Earth county, changed from no to aye. That carried the bill but later two other votes changed in its favor. * x ¥ All of the newspapers of Minne- sota who last fall printed the pro- posed Constitutional will amendments receive their $100 although several of them were in excess of} ‘the legal number and some of them iprinted the amendments four ,times | instead of three, as provided by law. After much delay, the House, several days ago, decided to make full pay- ment and the Senate yesterday con- curred in the action of the House but not until Senator Ole Sageng had said it was 1liegal and crooked deal.” “an * KK There will be no appropriation by this session of the legislature for the Boy Scout.movement in Minne- sota. The House bill appropriating $5,000 for this purpose was killed by the appropriations committee. EASTER GIFTS AT BARKER'S Store Asks for Business Through Ad- vertising and Gets it. On page six of this issue will be found an aaveruisement of the Bark- er Drug and Jewelry store. The cut in this advertisement was made from a drawing by the well known car- toonist C. E. Zimmerman of Chicago. The advertisement gives expres- sion of a flood of Easter gifts to be found at this popular Mr. Barker is not only a firm believer in newspaper advertising, but does con- siderable circular letter advertising as well. He makes a practice of always giv- ing and doing more for his customers than the “ad” really tells. It will pay the readers of this paper to keep in close touch with this progressive store. The news from this store is not only of interest as news matter, value as a money saver for its pa- trons. LEGAL HOLIDAY OBSERVED store. but it is of great Postoffice, Bank and Court House Of- fices Closed Today. Good Friday was observed today by the banks, postoffice and the court house offices. The banks were not open at all today, while the postoffice was open between 10 and 11 o’clock this morn- ing, the same as on Sunday, and one delivery was made by the mail car- riers. At the court house all offices were closed with the exception of the sheriff’s and clerk of court’s, which were open for a short time this morning. Although Good Friday is not a National holiday, the state legisla- ture of 1907, made it a state legal holiday, and as the postoffice and banks always observe either a Na- tional or state holiday, this accounts for their being closed today. Listen, the Firemen are going to give a big Faster Ball, in the City ,for the bill, taking a shot at Judge Hall, next Monday evening. IWORK PROGRESSING ON UNION DEPOT | Although Held Back Considerably by Weather ‘Conditions Building of New Structure Continues. STONE BASE BOARD' COMPLETED. Nine Masons Laying Brick and Walls Will Be Finished by Last Part of Next Week. Although weather conditions have been such during the past . three weeks, that rapid and continual work on the new Soo Line-Minnesota & International railroad union depot. has been almost impossible, the work is progressing as well as could be expected. The excavating has been complet- ed for some time, as has the build- ing of the foundation. The laying. of the Bedford stone baseboard has also been finished. ) In speaking of the way in which the work has been progressing, Mr. Phelps, who has charge of the bui!(i- ing of the depot, said this morning: “The progress which has been made during the past three weeks has peen anything but encouraging, and I feel that in looking over my re- cords that hardly a day has passed dgrh‘l'g that time in which the men have been able to work the whole day. Work has been begun on the brick laying, and if the weather is in any way agreeable I expect that this work will be completed by the latter part of next we,gk;” . Nine masons are Tow at worl the brick laying. The depot will, in all probability, be completed by the first of August. FIREMEN TO GIVE BALL n Arrangements for Big Easter Mon- day Dance Nearing Completion. Tickets are now on sale for the big Easter Monday ball which the members of the Bemidji fire depart- ment are going to give on the eve- ning of April 17. All arrangements for the dance are nearly completed and from pres- ent indications the dance will be one of the biggest social events of the present season, and if it is not, it will not be the fault of the enter- tainment committee who have had the plans in charge. The purpose of the ball is a good one, it being for the benefit of the firemen, in that they will purchase uniforms with the proceeds. As was noticed during the fire- mens’ tournament held in Bemidji last summer, every volunteer - de- partment represented, with one or two exceptions, were in uniforms, and their neatness and general ap- pearance was very noticeable, it be- ing at that time that several business men spoke in favor of securing uni- forms for the Bemidji firefighters. Supreme Court Decision. In the action for damages brought by Mrs. Lena Lysacker against the Bemidji Pioneer Publishing Company for an alleged defamitory publica- tion, the supreme court yesterday filed its decision affirming the order made by Judge Stanton overruling a demurrer to the complaint. An answer will now be interposed and the case will probably be tried at the next general term of court in this county.