Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 9, 1915, Page 26

THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1915, Bemidji Located in “Indian Lid” Territory Federal Officers Wage Big Battle Against Liquor Bemidji is located in the district under the Indian treaty of 1855 which prohibits the introduction of Hquor into this territory. There are no saloons in Bemidji and the Federal authorities are wag- ing a big campaign against tha in- troduction of liquor. A Washington correspondent writes of the history of the fight between the Indian officers and the liquor interests cf this territory, that has extended over a period of five years as follows: “William E. (“Pussyfoot”) John- son made the first move against the saloons in Indian country in Minne- sota eraly in the Taft administration. Johnson was the special agent of the Indian bureau delegated to supress the liquor traffic among the Indianms. Johnson acted in the authority of the Chippewa treaty of 1855, in which there is a paragraph prohibiting the introduction of liquor in the terri- tory covered by it until congress had ordered otherwise. Johnson also tried to close saloons in territory covered by other treaties. The action of the Indian bureau caused a great stir in northern Min- nesota. A delegation froth Bemidji came to Washington to see Richard A. Ballinger, then secretary of the in- terior. The saloonmen asserted that the country was practically free of Indians, and that no harm would come to the redman by permitting the sale of liquor. Secretary Ballin- ger declared that he would enforce the treaties equally as to all the ter- ritory covered by prohibition pro- visions of the various Chippewa treaties. All Territory Covered. This announcement caused a great- er sensation than the move made by “Pussyfoot” Johnson. An examina- tion of all the treaties disclosed that if the “dry” provisions were enfore- ed practically all the territory from the Canadian boundary to the Mis- sissippi river would be covered by the prohibition blanket. Some . of the treaties, however, gave the president authority to remove the 1id if _he thought such action justified. Pressure upon members .of the ‘house from the northern districts was so heavy that a conference = with President Taft was arranged. . Gov- ernor Eberhart. came to Washington to attend this conference. . The ar- rangement was that the conference should see the president during the afternoon and talk over the situa- tion. Former Governor Eberhart, then - Why C. B. Buckman For Congress. First of all, because he is a man of Congressional ex- He knows the “Ropes” and knows how to . pull them to get results. ~ The Congressional post is a. perience. national office an Itis a well known fact, that Mr. Buckman has that “enviable reputation of having secured more for his district than did any other Congressman in the d experience counts. state during his term at Washington. Beltrami county should consider herself -fortunate indeed, for having been placed in the Sixth District, and still more fortunate for the opportunity of securing the services of so able a man, as is C. B. Buckman of Little Falls. The fact that the Sixth District is one of the largest in the state, makes it all the more essential that an experienced man be chosen to represent it. There is much this District needs in the way of legislation, the northern coun- ties even more than the counties farther south, and the man who is most cer- tain of securing this needed legislation is the man who has proven that he can deliver the “Goods.” From every section of this vast area come reports, that Mr. Buckman has already developed a strong following, and this support is especially marked by citizens who have their respective community interests at heart. the need of a capable servent at this time and believe: that he possesses the necessary qualifications. Suggestions on needed legislation will be welcome from all parts ot the district, which will be of National assistance in eutlining a course of proceedure beneficial to all. the state’s chief executive, “put one over” on the congressmen, however. He saw President Taft in the White House proper, and left before the con- gressmen gathered in the executive office, When the president came in- to the office and told the members that he had seen Governor Eberhart, they were indignant at the governor, but they explained the situation to the president and left the question with him for action. In Touch With Liquor Interests. In connection with this visit of former Governor Eberhart to Wash- ington it has been known for some time that he was in close touch with representatives of the liquor inter- ests.” ‘After Governor Eberhart left the White House he went to a handy telephone and called up a certain room in a prominent hotel. To the occupant of that room he stated that “everything looked right.” Inquiry afterward developed that the hotel room was occupied by a Mr. Crane, chief representative of the distillers, who can always be found in Washing- ton when anything threatening the liquor men is on' foot. After some time President Taft issued an .order- modifying such of the treaties as he could, by removing the restriction from some of the ter- ritory. Before doing so he consulted with local officials of the Anti-saloon league, who gave his advice about the parts of Minnesota in which In- dians were still to be found in large numbers. The order, however, did not touch the territory covered by the treaty of 1855, the president find- ing that congress alone had the power to modify the boundaries of the dry territory. President Taft then sent a special message to congress, stating what he had done, and calling atention to the treaty of 1855, and the powers of the house and senate in relation to it. There was much talk about con- gress taking some action, but no one was willing to make a move. The president’s message was sent to the committees, on Indian affairs of the house and senate, and that was all that was done. ' Having the dry and the wet ter- ritory prescribed by President Taft, “Pussyfoot” Johnson went to work again. He ordered the saloons in Bemidji closed. Bemidji is in the territory covered by the treaty of|. 1855. The saloon men resisted. They went to court and secured an in- junction against the agents of the Indian bureau, which prohibited them from closing the saloons. That stopped the placing of the dry blan- ket. It took about two years to get the matter before the supreme court of the United States. This court, in June 1914, decided that the 1855 territory was dry and that the Indian bureau was acting properly in clos- ing the saloons. The saloon men filed an application for a rehearing — [just as the supreme court ended its They feel PAID ADVERTISMENT: =i ampaiga Committ by B. W. LAKIN, for C. B, BUCKMAN. Price $15,00.. . %k 3 term of last year, and this gave the liquor men a new lease of life The application for rehearing was rejected in October, and the way was cleared for action. Change of Administration. In this time there had been a change of administration. The re- publican commissioner of Indian af- fairs had been succeeded by Cato Sells of Texas, a democrat. There was also a new special agent in charge of the bureau’s liquor force in the person of Henry a. Larson Commissioner Sells ordered Mr. Lar- son to go ahead and close the saloons at Bemidji and other places. The towns in the territory in which there were Indians were “dried up” rapidly. The bureau, however, wasn't acting fast enough for the Minnesota Anti-saloon league as to other places. Magnus Martinson of Minneapolis was sent to Washington early in the present year to take hold of the matter. The first thing that was done after of a brewery at Brainerd. The saloons already had been closed, but the brewery was still turning out beer. Then followed the closing of the saloons at Barrows. These places are located in the southern limit of the 1855 territory. The Indian bureau’s liquor force then went north and closed up Big Falls and Warba, in Koochiching county. Then the lid was placed on Grand Rapids. Afterward it was placed qm Ironton, Deerwood, Manganese and Cuyuna, all in Crow Wing county. Then on Bovey and Coleraine. 200 Saloons Closed by Bureau. The big fight made on Hibbing and Chisholm. Martinson was in Wash-. ington nearly three months this sum- mer and fall before Special Agent Larson was finally ordered to close these two places. The liquor men made a determined fight against the application of the lid, sending their best men to Washington to see Com- Martinson came here was the closing [missioner Sells. They lost out, how- ever, and the order was issued to the liquor men to close their places Nov. 1. - An injunction was served by the Range country liquor interests against the order, and the matter is still pending. In all, about 200 saloons have been put out of business by the Indian bureau, County option elections in Minnesota have closed about 400, so that in all 600 places where liquor was sold two years ago are now de- voted to other uses. A glance at the want column may help you nll\ it. Beltrami County Farm Scenes. 12 Christmas Presents | HAKKERUP’S Phone 239 g # 3 -~ ---That’s the thing to do, buy them all at Why debate and worry and fret as to what tofsend. Let it be a Photograph. Your photograph, or that of your son or daughter. You know you've been wanting to have your picture taken for the longest time,] and this is your chance’to kill two birds with [one stone} Yes morethan that---12 birds---eleven Christmas presents and one for yourself. AKKERUPS |/