Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, October 31, 1914, Page 6

WM. E. LEE FOR GOVERNOR WAL, £ LEE EXPLAINS BREWERY CONTROL In Buffalo Speech Nominee Charges Liquor Interests Support of In his speech in Red Wing the democratic candidate for governor re- ferred to my statements with refer- ence to the “Brewery combine” in Minnesota, and {ts activities in poli- tics, and asks: ‘“Are they extrava- gant fancies on little fact or are they true?” The democratic candidate for gov- ernor professes not to know that there 18 a brewery organization in Minne- sota or that it has been exerting a - most powerful influence in politics for many years; that it has Intruded it- self into every village and city in the state and has maintained a lobby in the state capitol during every legisla- ture; that it is, and has been, a most potent factor in Minnesota politics. s 4 s s 6 s e s s s If he is ignorant of all this, it is evident that his stay in the city of Washington for the past eight years has put him entire- ly out of touch with what has been going on in Minnesota. LI B . . . L I ecece s ace s e e s e e He i3 as innocent concerning mat- ters political as he i{a of the number of acres of waste land that there is in our state, or with the kind of timber that should be used in reforesting these lands to secure & rapid growth and quick return of investment. Record On Brewery Control. It he will read the little booklets published by Lynn Haines and C. J. Buell on the gessions of the legisla- ture for the yeara of 1909, 1911 and 1913, he will got an idea of this pow- erful brewery organization and what it stands for and against in legislation, and somcthing of a2 notion of who has been serving it. The history written by these men, so far as it refers to the fnfluence of the brewery organization on legislation, has never been ques- tionéd; in fact, it circulates as accept- ed history. Mr. Haines says: x5 e e s s s e » “The brewers exert an im- measurably evil influence in Minnesota politics. Thelir prof- ligacy and unscrupulous prac- tices in campaigns make the better class of citizens hesitate to become candidates for the legislature, and results directly in the election of law-makers lacking both in patriotic con- ception of their duties and in the character which should ac- company such responsibility.” st e e o 8 s s » e % e s s e s es s LR RN A A A B R He recities cases of trade and log- rolling for the advancement of defeat, as the brewery combination may wish, of important legislation throughout both of the sessions concerning which he writes. Responsibility For Brewery Influence. The effort of the democratic candi- date to shoulder the responsibility for the brewery influence in our legisla- ture onto the republicans will not stand investigation. No doubt his source of information in this case is the same as which gave him the in- formation that the state tax levy for 1915 would be increased and that C. P. Staples is now a member of the Railroad and Warehouse commission. 4 s s e 2 e s e s e » The fact is that there have ® been no party lines in legisla- ® tion affecting the liquor busi- ® nmness, and the brewers have * never inquired into a legisla- * tor’s party affiliation,—that he . . is with them {8 sufficient. e 2 ¢t e o o s s e e R I might say for the gentleman’s in- formation that In every session the per cent of Democratic members who have shown symptoms of brewery in- fluence has been much greater than has been the case among the Republi- can members. In the house fn 1909 thers were 21 Democrats. In 1911 there were 26 Democrats. In both sessions the roll call shows that not one. voted for County Option. In 1913 there were 20 Democrats in the House, and ounly one voted for County Option. In 1909 and 1913 County Option was not voted on in the Senate, but in 1911 the Senate roll call shows only two Democratic votes in favor of County Option. Republicans Favor Moral Regulations. Whenever the question of County Option has come up in either house a majority of the Republican members have voted for it, and all temperance and moral legislation has received its chief support from,Republicans. Has the Democratic candidate really been ignorant of all this? e ¢ s ¢t & 3 & s s s @ . . I am but repeating what every * ® wellinformed citizen of Minne- * * sota knows when I say that the * ® brewery organization in the leg- * ® islature of Minnesota has a * ® large number of votes in each * Are United in Opponent. * house which it can use to defeat * or advance any measure, and * that these votes are used for * that purpose without any re- * gard to the merits of the meas- * ures voted upon whenever such * action will be helpful in the - . brewery business. * & = & x % s e s @ LRI I SN A N Y The fact of the existence of such an organization makes it impossible to have measures in the legislature con- sidered and passed upon on their mer- its, and to which all of the bad and ex- travagant legislation can be traced; so, also, can the defeat of a large num- ber of meritorious measures. I re- peat, I am surprised, if it is true, that the democratic candidate does mnot know this, The Congdon Letter. A member of the legislature of 1909 and 1911, Hon. Chester A. Congdon, of Duluth, in a letter published in the Duluth Herald of August 26, 1912, said: “I discovered that, notwith- standing all the clamor about the rule of ‘the interest’ in Min- nesota, that there Is only one business enterprise in the state which makes politics one of its business departments and Min- nesota statutes a by-product. “There is only one industry whose political machine works every day in the year. There Is only one commercial organiza- tion which dares to name our governors and select our legis- lators. | need not name it. It is known to all men. “It 1s a business which has chiefly to do with the police power and the criminal laws of the state. By reason of its char- acter It Is of the highest impor- tance to its profits that willing law-makers and obedient exe- cutors are elected. At present its test of a legislator is his at- titude on County Option. “Be that as it may, the ma- chine exists. Its owners have fre- quently testified to Its efficiency by truthfully boasting that it has elected a majority of the legisiature. The self-nominated candidates of the present day dread to meet it. It is a power which must be reckoned with. Dominating as It does our leg- is lative halls, it is feared by all who may be affected by legisla- tion. The only fear it has Is the reduction of its profits. In or- der that the volume of beer sold may not be reduced it will not permit laws minimizing road houses and prostitution. If its manipulation of legislation is in- dicative of its desires, it would make profiigates of our sons and prostitutes of our daughters In order to enlarge the consump- tion of its product, If the legis- lative work of thelr headquar- ters reflects their desire, then, on the scales of their conscience the beer keg outweighs the vir- tue of woman, the honor of man, the welfare of all. It re- sists the efforts of our state sen- ate to ascertaln the ownershlp of saloons and their natural product, houses of lilfame, lest, If known, there be a diminution of brewers’ income. “Whether the people of Min- nesota exist chiefly for the pur- pose of furnishing a market for beer, or whether they shall gov- ern themselves is to me an Is- sue which overshadows the trust question or the tariff ques- tion, and which makes ridicu- lous such political issues as the advertising of the rescurces of our state or a more economical operation of its machinery.” The report of the senate committee two years ago on its investigation of the “Brewery owned saloon,” and its ‘effect upon our cities and villages, showed that out of 814 saloons in the Twin Cities, 712 were owned by brew- ers; that 418 buildings occupied by sa- loons in these cities were also owned by brewers; that from 60 to 75 per cent of the liquor licenses in St. Paul and 40 per cent in Minneapolis are paid for by brewers; that “blind pigs” and evil resorts are encouraged and their existence made possible by these same brewers; that their agents and officers “have sought to control elec- tions and have successfully dictated affairs of duty with reference to liquor traffic.” What the Issues Are. The Democratic candidate wants to know who it is that this brewers’ or- ganization influences. He calls upon me to name the men; he charges that some of them who in the past have Do Your Duty by the State on Election Day THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPUBLICAN SUCCESS IN MINNESOTA ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3, RESTS SQUARELY UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THE RURAL VOTER. DO YOU DESIRE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE POLITI- CAL CONDITIONS OF MINNESOTA? DO YOU WANT A LOWER RATE OF TAXATION? DO YOU WANT THE STATE OPERATED ON A SOUND AND EFFICIENT BUSINESS BASIS? A VOTE FOR WM. E. LEE WILL BRING THIS. SEE THAT IT IS RECORDED. been so influenced are now supporting me for governor. R e L . In reply to his demands I may * * say that I have been a candi- * * date for governor in two cam- * * paigns. The issues upon which * * I have asked the support of the * * people are: The need of a * * more efficient and business-like * * administration of the state’s * * business; and the need of driv- * * ing this brewery organization * * out of politics; and I have given * * as one of the best methods to * * accomplish this last and most * * desired result the placing upon * * the statute books of Mignesota * * what {s known as a county op- * * tion law which will enable the * * people to vote upon the license * * question by counties. Many Re- * * publicans have not agreed with * * me on this question, but have '* * volunteered their support not- * * withstanding. I have accepted * ¢ their support in good faith, be- * * lieving that they have either * * changed their views and now * * agree with me or that they are * * willing to subordinate their per- * * gonal views upon the question * * to conform the general view of * * the Republican party. ¥ R R T T N The few Republicans who are not now supporting me are supporting the Democratic nominee for governor, and the manager of his campaign, Mr. S. D. Works, {8 much better prepared to furnish him with a complete list than I am. EE T I I S # It is common knowledge that * * the democratic candidate stands * * today before the people of the * * state as the candidate of this * * Brewers’ Combination. * e % s 3 % % s s o w2 Where “Both Sides” Stands. His letter defining his positions meets its approval and his Red Wing speech is being circulated as evidence of his “safe and sane” position on all questions affecting its interests; as is evidenced by the following from “Both Sides,” a liquor organ: “Inasmuch as the stand taken by Mr. ‘Hammond is far more satisfactory to the liquor trade than that assumed by the Re- publican opponent, Lee, the thing for the readers of this Journal to do is to support Ham- mond, paying particular atten- tion to members of the legisla- ture. It Is up to the people to say whether they want County Option and ultimate prohibl- tion, or a safe, sane and senslble policy. “Wm. E. Lee has come out flatfootedly for County Option and ultimate prohibition and any man in the liquor business who votes for him or supports him in any way I8 driving nalls in his own coffin. Remember that.” The “Bulletin,” published in the in- terest of the liquor business, of Sept. 15, and Oct. 1, criticises my position on County Option, and all temperance questions and quotes the position of the Democratic candidate with ap- proval. P A Suffice it tc say that the Brewery Combination I have re- ferred to, is now supporting the Democratic candidate for gov- ernor of Minnesota; no doubt there are temperance people also supporting him, but he can- not get gway from the fact that the forces which are fighting the passage of a County Option law in Minnesota are unan- imously his earnest, very enthu- siastic and nolsy supporters. ® & % = S % & * 3 s = 1 am making my appeal for votes to the people who stand for good govern- ment, first, last and all the time; who are opposed to all special privileges; who Insist that their homes, their fami- lies,—~the boys and giris'that they are bringing up are of more importance to them than Is the pecuniary interest of the brewers of Minnesota. This {s the dominant issue in this campaign. Personalities are irrele vant, and I refuse to be drawn into a discussion of them. In conclusion I desire to ask the Democratic candidate a question which has a direct bearing on his at- titude toward liquor interest in legis- lation. Mr. Hammond, will you please ex- plain why the "War Revenue Bill' (in the preparation of which you are cred- ited with much influence) does not place a tex on whiskey? PRI I I S N RN A s e s e e neesene DEMOCRATS DESERT STANDARD BEARER Geo. D. Christon and Emil Youngdahl of Hennepin County Committee Resign. Unable to stand for and countenance the open bid for the liquor vote of Minnesota that is being made by the Hammond campaign managers, George A. Christon and Emil S. Youngdahl, the former secretary amd the latter a member of the Hennepin County Dem- ocratic committes, on Monday, Oc- tober 19, resigned from that commit- tee. Their joint letter, published at the time in the daily newspapers of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and ad- dressed to the chairman of the Hen- uepinr County Democratic committee, read as follows: “With the possibility of Governor Eberhart’s renomination at the pri- mary election we considered it abso- lutely necessary that the Democratic party nominate an anti-brewery can- didate. We therefore supported W. S. Hammond against D. W. Lawler for the nomination, expecting Mr. Ham- mond to be the anti-brewery candi- date at the general election. The contest was bitter with the liquor in- terests supporting Mr. Lawler in an effort to insure themselves of victory by capturing both Republican and Democratic nominations. “Mr. Hammond was nominated as was Mr. Lee; the brewery crowd had apparently lost out entirely, as it was expected that Mr. Hammond would publicly and unqualifiedly indorse county option, thus removing this is- sue from this campaign. On the con- trary, however, Mr. Hammond’s cam- paign is being waged on an anti-coun- ty option basis, with a bid for the liquor vote which went to Lawler in the primaries. This is evident in the local situation. The control of the county committee having been cap- tured by anti-brewery Democrats, the state management has entirely ig- nored it and is managing the cam- paigm in this couaty through a branch headquarters under Mr. Dalton, a Lawler supporter, and catering to the liquor element, who refuse to recog- nize the county committee whom they roundly abuse. The state manage- ment has gone so far in attempting to placate the liquor element as to en- tirely ignore, locally, the claims of at least 2,000 Democrats who are op- posed to brewery dominatior and who will not compromise on this issue or wear a brewery collar, and cannot, therefore, vote for Mr. Hammond. “Owing to the attitude of the state management, which is dominated by the brewery interests, through the ac- tivity of Senator Works and others, the county committee is without au- thority, is discredited and is of no consequernce in this campaign. We, therefore, resign as members of the committee. “GEO. 8. CHRISTON, Secretary. “EMIL 8. YOUNGDAHL.” P. J. YOUNGDAHL FOR LEE. Former Supertintendent of Anti-Sa- loon Leagues Believes Lee’s Election Will Advance Temperance. To the People of Minnesota:—I have been engaged in advancing the cause of temperance in Minnesota for over ten years. I am familiar with the campaign against the saloons in Minmesota in all its phases. I firmly believe that in the candidacy of Wil liam E. Lee for governor there is a real opportunity to advance the cause of temperance in our state. This op- portunity ought not to be thrown away. I appeal to and most earnestly urge the temperance people of Minne- sota to lay aside partisan prejudice, whether it be Democratic, Prohibition- ist or Progressive, amd unite with the friends of good government in the sup- port of Mr. Lee, to the end that the opportunity be not lost. (Signed) P. J. YOUNGDAHL, Former Supt. Anti-Saloon League. Maple Lake Messenger.—Whatever may be the sentiment in Minnesota for prohibition county option is the issue in the present campaign. W. E. Lee stands for county option, LEFS RECORD TOD BY JULILS SCHMAHL Secretary of State Graphically Narrates Candidates Long Record of Effi- cient Public Service. I feel that I can come before you and honestly say that there are few, if any, men who hold the remarkable public career that is held hy William | E. Lee, the republican candidate for Governor of the State of Minnesota. * & ¥ ¥ T X ¥ & X ® *® It was in the 1885 session that William E. Lee, then one of the youngest, but yet a most important member, insist- ed upon the law creating the railroad and warehouse commis- sion for Minnesota and giving to that body the power to con- trol railroads. L I In 1885 there was enacted the ZArst bill for the regulating of warehnuses and the inspection and the weighing and handling of grain, and Mr. Lee is on record as a supporter of this meas- ure. It was not all that could have been desired, but in 1893 when Mr. Lee was speaker of the House, and when what is known as the Peterson bill declaring elevators and ware- houses on all railroads to be state pub- lic institutions and placing them un- der the control of the Railroad and R ERCECIE A AN Warehouse Commission, Mr. Lee gave | his personal, as well as his speaker- ship influence to the enactment of that law. Helped to End Adulteratlon. It was in 1885 that the Dairy and Food Department was created by the; This law made ' it practically prohibitive to offer adul- legislature of the state. terated products for sale in Minne- sota. O N T T * Mr. Lee is found on record in * favor of this measure, as he also * was for the law providing for * the prevention and spread of * contagious diseases among cat- * tle, horses and other domestic * animals, the first of its kind in * » the state. * e x % 2 5 8 e 8 3 * PR 0O1d residents of the state will recall the struggle for the establishment of the agricultural experimental station at St. Anthony Park, but it was not until the 1885 session, the first one in which Mr. Lee appeared, that a bill finally became a law. As a result of that act Minnesota has now one of the finest agricultural school systems in the Union. Favored Farmers’ Institutes. It was during the 1887 session that the first provision was made for con- ducting farmers’ institutes through- out the state, and who is there now who will deny the wonderful benéfits which have accrued to the farmers of | the state as a result of this act. Mr. I.ee was a warm supporter of that] measure. In the 1885 session he sup- ported the measure providing for the formation of mutual companies for in-! surance of crops against loss by hail, tornadoes, ete. The Famous “Y” Law. Standing out also prominent is Mr. Lee's record in what is known as the celebrated “Y" connection law. This measure was introduced in the 1893 session when Mr. Lee was speaker. Its author was J. F. Jacobson, of Lac qui Parle county. The motive for the measure was that the Great Northern and Minneapolis & St. Louis Rail-|" road Companies intersecting at Han- ley Falls, refused to put in a Y where- by wood from northern Minnesota could be hauled to Hanley over the Great Northern and switched on to the Minneapolis and St. Louis without unloading from the former and reload- ing to the cars of the latter. The bill directed those connections, and through the influence given by Mr. Lee the bill became a law. s 8 8 5 3 % 8 s 8« s e He also supported the meas- ure, during the 1885 session, fix- ing the maximum hours for the employment of locomotive engi- neers and firemen each -day. Mr. Lee is also found on record to have supported the law re- quiring street railway com- panies to place the vestibules at the iront and rear of their cars. DR A Taxed Utility Corporations. In 1887 Mr. Lee is found to be an enthusiastic supporter of the bill pro- viding for the taxing of telephone and telegraph companies, and giving the state auditor the right to examine the books of these companies. ‘When the critic scans Mr. Lee’s rec- ord on all matters pertaining to edu- cation he can not help but feel proud of that record. Two of the most im- portant measures pertaining to our school system were enacted in 1885. One was the law providing for the compulsory education of children, and Mr. Lee was a persistent and consist- ent supporter of the same. At the same session a measure was passed and supported by Mr. Lee pro- R I SN I A A N viding for the loaning of the perma- | nent school funds of the State to the various counties or school districts in the State to be used for the erection of county or school buildings. Free School Books. Prior to 1893 the parents of chiw | dren, the poor as well as the rich, were obliged to buy school books, and through some pernicious system the books were so arranged that but in a few cases could they be used a second time. ¥ ¥ 2 8 s s & & e @ At the 1893 Session thls bill, through the influence of Mr. Lee, as Spealter, and his friends in the house, became a law and throughout the entire state, with the exception of the larg er citles, text books were fur nished to all the pupils ln the graded school. ® % * * *x * 3 s 3 e @ A Friend of Labor. As a friend of labor, my hearerns, William E. Lee Is always found oa record as among the most epthu siastic. I can recall the attempt made in the 1889 session to estabiish a bureau of labor. Again fn 1891 a simi- lar attempt was made and faflad. But in 1893 when Mr. Lee was speaker of the house such a bill wes passed. As far back as the 1885 sessiom there were complaints to the effect that employment bureaus were not treating their patrons fairly and ss a result a law was then passed for which Mr. Lee voted in the affirmg. tive, regulating the employment of la- bor bureaus. In 1885 he was among those to vote for the biil providing for the board of inspectors of stearn vessels and boll- ers and to lessen the danger of those - . » » - . . . . . | who were required to gain a iivell hood by working around those Instru- ments of power. It was while speaker { of the house in 1893 thiat he Insisted on the law providing for ths proteo tion of employees by requi quards, | shifting devices, hoist-w fire es- capes, etc., In and around factorles and all kinds of indusirial establich. ments. Stand On the Liguor Question. Most of the old Republicans of the state fought side by side for the eleo- tion, in 1886, of Hon. Andrew R. Mo~ Gill as Governor of the siate, on what is known as a high-li se liguor law platform. Governor McGill announced that if elected he would recommend and urge the passage of 2. bill fixing the minimum license fee in clties, towns or villages of less than tem thousand at $500.00, and in cities haw ing a population of teu thousand and over, a minimum fee of one thousand dollars. Victory finally came to the Governor, and the bill was put through the house largely through the efforts | of William E. Lee. & & &2 & & = 3 s s e . * It was in 1893 that Mr. Lee * secured the enactment of & law * providing that liquor licenses * ghould be granted only to resi- * dents of the state. * . . - - These two measures alone, my friends, guarantee his position in a strict enforcement. of the liquor laws of the state. L How the Capitol Was Bulit. One of the institutions that the peo- ple of the state are now particularly proud of is the new Minnesota stato capitol. A general cry went up over the state in 1893 that the constructiom of the building was golng to !ncrease taxes. Mr. Lee and his assoclates as sumed all responsibility for the pass- ing of the bill in the House, and today every resident of Minnesota is proud of the magrificent structure standing on one of the hills of St. Paul. But what seems to me, my friends, best of all, in 1900 Gov. Van Sant zee ing that the 1899 gession falled to make provisions for a Board of Con- trol, determined to appoint a commit- tee to go through the other states with a view of ascertaining whether a board of control for such state instk tutions would be effective. One of tke men he selected was Wm. E. Lee. The other was S. W. Leavitt, and the other, T think, was Charles A. Morey, of Winona. The Board of Control. At the 1901 session these gentlemen reported in favor of the propositica and before the legislature adjourned, in one of the most magnificent battles T % ®= * @ 8 s s & ever fought in the legislature, the reo- ommendations of Gov. Van Sant, through his committee, Mr. Lee, Mr. Leavitt and Mr. Morey, prevailed and a Board of Control was created. Mr. Lee was the first member appointed, and laid broad and deep the principles for that Board of Control and placed it upon a foundation that has saved the state already millions of dollars.