Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, March 28, 1916, Page 1

PN 2 3an HE BE e 'lmxrv NO. 78. BEMIDJ1, MINNESOTA, 'mxsm EVENING, MARCH lfi 1016, mmmnmm ASSZSSORS AND CITIZENS MEET WITH MEMBERS OF STATE TAX COMMISSI BELIEVED WILSON WILL EXCHANGE NOTES WITH TEUTONS Sussex Situation is Serious; Washing- ton Officials Expect Notes. GERMAN GOVERNMENT WOULD DISAVOW ACT Question Whether United States Would Accept Such Action. Washington, March 28.—Whether the United States upon proof that the Germans torpedoed tlhre Sussex un- warned will break relations with Germany or will exchange notes was discussed today at a cabinet meet- ing. Officials think that even a dis- avowal and promises will never again be taken. Other officials look for another cx- change of notes. It is believed that if Germany sends a note it must provide for reparation and punishment of the commander. One course, say officials today, is to sever relations and then let Ger- many restore them with her own acts. London, March 28.—The British steamer Empress of Midland was sunk vesterday. All aboard were saved. Paris, March 28.—The fate of Europe for decades and probably cen- ‘tures will be settled before the ad- journment of the Allies’ greatest war council. MINNESOTA RIVER FLOODS; MANKATO PLANTS CLOSED Mankato, Minn., March 28.—The Minnesota river is 17 feet above low water stage and still rising. The North Star concrete works have been flooded and the works of the Minne- sota Pipe & Tile works are endanger- ed. The residents in the lowlands are moving. INDICTMENTS AGAINST STEEL MEN QUASHED Youngstown, Ohio, March 28.— Judge Anderson today sustained the motion to quash the indictments against five steel companies charg- ing conspiracy to maintain prices and to keep down the wages of the com- mon laborer. The indictments against Judge Gary were quashed. TO MERGE ALL EXISTING MOVING PICTURE COMPANIES New York, March 28.—A §$40,- 000,000 moving picture corporation has been launched, merging almost all of the existing companies. Mary Pick- ford and Charlie Chaplin have been contracted at $600,000 and $670,- 000 annually. It is reported that the American Tobacco company and the Standard Oil company are financing the merger. TAKES MOVIES OF SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK Rev. John O. Ferris of Minneap- olis, district superintendent of the American Sunday School Union, is taking moving pictures in this dis- trict to show the work of the union in this district. The Swedish Lutheran Ladles’ Aid society will meet at the home of Mrs. August Elmquist tomorrow afternoon. KRR XK KX KKK KKK KD % TODAY’S MARKET REPORT ¥ KEKKK KRR KKK KKK KKK K Bemidji Markets. Hens, large and fat, live, per 1b. Hens, large and fat, dressed, per 13 b, . ieeiiiiinnnneene 18 Veal, fancy, dressed, per Ib. .14 Veal, fancy, oversize, per lb. 12 Veal, poor, oversize, per 1b. .10 Fall lambs, per Ib... .16 Spring lambs, per Ib. .16 Mutton, fancy, dressed, per 1b. .14 Large hogs, dressed, per Ib..... 9% Medium hogs, dressed, per Ib... .10 Small hogs, dressed, per Ib..... .10 Beans, per.lb. ...... .o W10 Carrots, per bu. ..... .60 Potatoes, fancy, clean and free from rot and rust, per bu... 1.10 Butter— Dairy, per Ib. .32 Creamery,.-bulk, "per 1b.. .36 Creamery, prints, per Ib...... .37 Eggs— Eggs, strictly fresh, per doz.... .20 Cracked corn, per bu......... 112 Cracked corn, per sack, 75 1bs. 1.30 Bran, per sack, 100 Ibs. Corn and oats, per sack, 76 lbs. Shorts, per sack, 100 Ibs..... Oil meal, per sack, 100 Ibs..... UNIVERSITY COURSE SELECTEDFORLYGEUM Woman’s Study Club Secures Minne- sota “U” Course for Next Season. At a meeting of the Woman’s Study ‘club held Monday afternoon, the University of Minnesota extension course was secured for the 1916-17 lyceum course. There will be four numbers on the program, including Hon. J. Frank Haley, governor of In- diana, and the Chicago Male quar- tette. The Redpath-Vawter lyceum course was given under the auspices of the Study club last season. MUCH INTEREST IN REFUND CASE Many Citizens Interested in Injunec- tion Against License Refunds. Many citizens and several and towns in districts covered by the Indian treaty are watching the out- come of the request for a permanent | injunction against the refunding of liquor licenses to former Bemidji sa- loon keepers who were forced to close their saloons when the Indian treaty was discovered. Refunds have been ordered in sev- eral other cities and towns in the ter- ritory and it is expected that if an| injunction is secured in Bemidji an| injunction will be attempted in other i places. ANDREWS RETURNS FROM WASHINGTON Bemidji Attorney Says Bill for Vol-| stead Land Bonuses for County | " Introduced. Attorney A. A. Andrews returned from Washington today where he went several weeks ago with J. L. George, county auditor, to secure an amendment to the Volstead act so that all funds received in excess of the assessments bé turned over to the county for maintenance of ditches. “The bill has been introduced by Volstead,” said Attorney Andrews this morning. “The Minnesota dele- gation i sbacking it and the land of- fice commissioner has recommended it. I believe that the bill will be passed.” Attorney Andrews was on the same | train which at Devils Lake, Wis., struck and killed two girl geologist students. . BEMIDJI BOWLERS GET SIXTH MONEY IN MEET M. S. Gillette and H. Cominsky of Bemidji have been awarded sixth money in the doubles in the North- western Bowling tournament held at Grand Forks. The prize is three dol- lars. GUN CLUB PLANNING A BIG TOURNAMENT Members of the Bemidji Gun club are planning to hold a big tourna- ment this summer at which outside teams will be asked to compete. A meeting of the 0dd Fellows lodge will be held tomorrow afternoon at one o’clock at the lodge rooms. All members are urged to be present to attend the funeral of John Roe, a member of the order. Rev. Gregg of Little Fork is visit- ing in Bemidji today. SCOO. THE CUB REPORTER StateOfficials is $633, The assessors of Beltrami county met at the court house today for a conference with the state tax com- mission, Samuel Lord, chairman, and J. G. Armson, a member of the com- mission, being present. Many citizens attended the meeting and offered complaints in regard to the taxes. Many cases were investi- gated. There were over 100 assessors and citizens at the meetings. Explain Law. “Mr. Lord explained the various provisions of law governing an as- sessor’s duties. He reminded them that they had taken an oath to per- cities {form their duties in accordance with the laws of the state and urged them to be true to their solemn obliga- tion. He said that tax paying can iprobably never be made a pleasant . duty, but if taxpayers could feel fair- honestly handled and wisely spent and that the property of their neigh- bors was assessed the same as their own, we would probably hear less murmuring and fewer complaints. He said it was so clear as to be self-evident that if the property of every taxpayer in every taxing dis- trict in the state was placed on the assessment books and valued accord- ing to the same rule, the result would be a fair and uniform assessment all over the state, and that this is just what will happen if the property of every citizen is assessed according to law, hence the reason the commission {insists that-the law must be carried iout by every assessor just as. it - is written. . - Assessor Responsible. He said the opinion is quite prev- alent throughout the state that in some way mnot clearly under- stood the assessor is responsible for high taxes. Taxes are unquestion- ably high, but the assessor has no more to do with making them so than any other citizen. The duty of the assessor is simply to value the prop- erty upon which the taxes are leyied. The assessment is simply a factor to determine how much each person shall contribute to the expemse of government, but it does not deter- mine the amount of the tax. It is the amount of money that is voted for public purposes that determines whether taxes shall be high or low. Large appropriations mean high taxes. When a community is spend- ing large amounts of money—it mat- ters not what for—taxes will inevi- tably be high but the assessor as an officer has absolutely nothing to say about how much money shall be spent. The amount of money to be raised by taxation is determined by town meetings, school meetings, vil- lage and city councils, county boards, the legislature, and by the people themselves—not by the assessor. Justice in Taxes. 1t is said that while the assessor has practically nothing to do with making the taxes. .of a community high or low he has nearly everything to do with making them fair and just. From the standpoint of the individual taxpayer he is the most n;uportant officer .who has anything tp do with taxation. If he com- plies with his oath of office and does his work in the way that the law pro- vides,” approximate justice will pre- his district, but if on the other hand he departs from the standard fixed by law, or if he omits any consider- able amount of property from his list, 1y certain that their tax money was| vail among all of the taxpayers otl Define Tax Lawsand Hear Complaints Against Taxes in County J. @ Armson and Samuel Lord of State Tax Commission’ Outline Taxes in County; Total Tax Levy Payable This Year 680.40. Over 100 Persons Attend Interesting Meetings at Court House; Much Interest Evinced in the Discussions; Comparison of Levies Shows Growing Tax Rates. his assessment will inevitably abound in the grossest inequalities and re- sult in the rankest injustice. Tax- payers whose property is not all list- ed and assessed will: pay less than their share, and taxpayers whose property is all assessed will pay more than they ought to. In nearly every community tax dodging is resorted to most by people who are best able-to: pay. It is not the citizen of limited means whose property is all in sight and easily found by the assessor who escapes. Such people as a rule pay taxes on every dollar’s worth of property they have in the world. It is among people with bulging pocket-books where we find our flagrant tax dodg- ers. Many of these people by one |dishonest device or ‘another evade every tax that they safely can. It is this class of citizens that make the burden of taxation harder than lit should be for honest taxpayers |because all taxes which by trickery +and dishonest methods tax dodgers get out of paying must be made up by the less favored and more honest !taxpayers of the county. To Aid Assessors. The tax commission will aid asses- sors by every means in its power to enforce the law against this class of citizens and when a false statement by a.taxpayer:is.called to our atten- tion..we- will- see that 'the matter is {Neumeier. BIRD HOUSES TO BE EXHIBITED IN WINDUWNEXTWEEK Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grades of Bemidji Sohools in Contest. TO AWARD PRIZES NEXT SATURDAY Over 125 Houses Are Made by Stu- dénts; Good Prizes Are Given, Bird houses constructed by the boys of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the Bemidji schools in the manual training department will be exhibited next week in the windows of the Battles Hardware store. It is expected that 125 houses will be ex- hibited. The construction of the houses was under the direction of A. D. Bailey, instructor of manual train- ing at the high school.. Prizes Offered. Prizes offered by the Bemidji mer- chants will be awarded next Satur- day. The judges are Dr. G. M. Pal- mer, Mrs. C. E. Battles and F. G. The prizes are as follows: Three first prizes, Barker Drug Co., a $3 Brownie camera; Schneider Brothers, a $3 pair of Scout shoes; Given Hardware Co., a $3 Stahl & Dean baseball glove; three second prizes, two dollars each, given by the Gill Bros. Clothing store, the Be- midji Hardware Co., and George T. Baker; three third prizes, A. B. Pal- mer, a $1 hammer, C. E. Battles, a $1 searchlight and City Drug store, a $1 knife. Houses Used. A similar plan of the construction of bird houses was adopted last year with much success. There were placed in the hands of the county at- torney ‘for prosecution. Much can be-done: by assessors prevent . tax fladglng “it” they wmfi’erfi)rm their duties ‘fearlessly and. diligently and in strict accordance with law. Mr. Armson, in addition to & de- tailed explanation of the new clas- sified ‘assessment law, discussed tax rates in Beltrami county at some length. . He said that in a general way growing tax rates are largely due to the expanding functions of govern- ment—state and local—and to an in- creasing demand on the part of the people for more things and - better things from each of the units of gov- ernment. We now demand and in- sist that numerous things be done by government that we did for ourselves years ago or left undone entirely. To do - these numerous things revenues are necessary, and the necessary rev- enue must be raised by some form of taxation, so that every expansion of the functions of government en- tailing the expenditure of money must inevitably be followed by high- er taxes. High tax rates do not necessarily mean extravagant expenditures. If the money derived from tax levies is wisely and economically expended the benefits derived by the taxpayer may fully compensate for a high tax rate. This is a question, however, that each district must decide for it- self. Tax Levy $633,680.40. He analyzed the amount and pur- pose of the present tax levies of the county and said that the total tax levy in Beltrami county last year and payable this year tmaumed to about 50 houses constructed and the houses were installed by many peo- ple. In a majority of cases it was The types of structures this year are varied. Many of the structures ’ |made. s e e v oo DAUPER ASKS MANY SLOGANS ARE REGEIVED Last Week Bnng: Deluge of Contri- butions for Merohants Contest. This is the last week of the big slo- gan contest being conducted by the Bemidji Merchants association and each malil is bringing many slogans for entry into the contest. The contest will close at noon Sat- urday and the result will be made known as soon as possible. The Bemidji Merchants association at a meeting this afternoon is arrang- ing rules for the judging of the slo- gans. TENSTRIKE MAN ON LIQUOR CHARGE James Taylor Arrested by Federal Officer Brandt Charged With Introduction, James Taylor, proprietor of a gen- eral store at Tenstrike, was arrested Monday morning by J. P. Brandt, special federal officer, charged with introducing four and one-half gal- lons of liquor into Indian district at ! | Tenstrike. It is alleged that the liquor was shipped to Taylor in bottles labeled “Richard’s La Grippe Specific,” and that many shipments had been The ‘“medicine,” allege Fed- eral officers, was bought by many set- tlers. Attorney Henry Funkley appeared for 'TaylorA before Judge H. A. Simons and entered a plea of not guilty. Taylor gave bonds to the sum of $200 for his appearance at the spring term of Federal court at Fergus Falls, May 2. BIG- DAMAGES are one-story while others are two and three stories. Not only places for nesting are made, but food shel- ters from winter weather have been;, erected. In addition to training the students in building the houses, the contest will be highly beneficial to the stu- dents as it teaches the useful variety of birds and the harmful species. The material for the houses is com- mon inch and a half lumber.”* Cop- per and tin sheeting is used for roof- ing. The Woman’s Benefit association of the Maccabees will meet at the home of Mrs. J. Essler Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock. All members are re- quested to be present. KRR RKRKRRKKNK KD WANTED A SLOGAN FOR BEMIDJI All live, growing, buzzing, hustling cities have slogans. You have seen them on sta- tionery coming from live, en- ergetic business men in live, energetic towns. We believe that now is the time to boost for a greater Bemidji. We should have a slogan. Something that will become as catchy and famous as “Minneapolis Makes $633,680.40. Each $100 of this amount, when collected, will be ap- portioned as follows: To the state for support of state government and state institutions, $2.18; to the coun- ty, $31.58; to the towns, $4.58; to the cities and villages, $13.71; to edu- ication, $32.86, and to roads and bridges, $14.69. The total state levy in Beltrami (Continued .on Page 4) Good.” The Bemidji Merchants as- sociation will offer a prize of $5.00 to the author of the best solgan. The contest is open to all citizens. Send in as many as you want to. 7 Address your slogans to the Ak hkhkAkhkhkkhkhkhkkhkhkkhkhkkn Pioneer. George Norberg at Poor Farm Ejected From Kelliher Saloon; Wants $20,000. " Atterrieys P. J. Russell and Charles W. Scrutchin went to Red Lake Falls Monday afterncon where they will take up the case of George Norbersg, now a pauper at the Bemidji poor farm, who asks for $20,000 damages for injuries he alleges he received in January, 1915, at Kelliher when he was thrown in an intoxicated con- dition from the place operated by Oscar Thyren and Ole Pearson. Nor- berg alleges that he froze both arms to such an extent that they were am- putated near the elbows, making him a helpless cripple for life. Attorney Russell is appearing for the defendants and Attorney Scrutch- in for Norberg. The case was started in the dis- trict court here but on the request of the defendants for a change of venue it was changed to the spring term of court at Red Lake Falls. When the plaintiff alleges he re- ceived the liquor, Kelliher was sup- posed to be dry under the provisions of the Indian treaty of 1855 and in his complaint Norberg alleges that the liquor was sold to him without a license and after 11 o'¢lock at night. FUNERAL OF J¢ B.OE TOMORROW The funeral of John Roe who died Sunday morning will be held tomor- row afternoon at two o’clock at the Episcopdl church. Interment will be mede in Greenwood cemetery. The Ak khhkhkkhkhkk Ak khkhkhkhkhkhkhkhkkdkka -u x x x % Slogan Editor of the Dally x * * KR KKK KKK KKK KK KK 0dd Fellows lodge of Bemidji will have charge of the funeral. Seuop Jumps At A Kangarnu Idea-Which Turns Out To Bo A Bear Of A Story By "HOP" WHY NOT LET A WANGAROQ GET OUT TODAY-GOSH, @0 BACK-GO BACK = \(00 AINT No “[supervision. NYMORE TO VOTE - ONCONSOLIDATION NEXT FRIDAY Two Ballots Provided; Dissolution of Village to Be Voted. IENTHUSIASTIC MEETING IS HELD AT N!'IORE State Grade School Examiner -Tells Citizens of Many Advantages. Nymore will hold an elecung,nex Friday on the consolidation of _the. Nymore school district and the Be- midji school district, and on.the dis- solution of the Village of ‘Nymore preparatory to annexation to Betisid}i Polls will be open from 6 4. m 9 p. m. ' 100 Attend Meet. Over 100 citizens held a estir at the Christianson hall in "Nymq last evening to discuss the anfexa-’ tion of the village of Nymore to. Be- midji and the consolidation of. the-- Nymore and Bemdiji school distriets,: .- R. B. McLean of St. Paul, state gra- .. ded school examiner, attended the .- meeting. - J. W. Smith, president of the school board, presided at the meeting. “rnd “Although I do not know the his- - tory of the efforts of the schoel. :im: - Nymore, it is evident that you have- .. a resident district without industries. in Nymore,” said Mr. McLean in talk. “The school enrollment reach- es 300 and your schools cannot be ac- cepted by the state as graded schools under the present conditions.” Urges Conoslidation. Consolidation, as had beem Ppro- posed, was strongly urged by Mr. Me-~ Lean as a remedy to the conditions. He pointed out the benefits that would be received along the lines of The movement when ae- complished, according fo Mr. ' Me Lean, would put the grading of the Nymore schools on the same basis:~ with the Bemidji schools. It would; through demands of the state provide Nymore with industrial branches, such as manual training, sewing, cooking and mechanical drawing. Get State Aid. “Then again it would- bring to this district influence of the laws of the state and certain advantages. o along the line of aids,” said Mr. Me~ Lean. would be provided annually to be ap- plied on an industrial work. There would also be an aid for transpor- tation, making it easy for pupils to get to the central school and to the “Under the new law $500 _ industrial building.” i With an assessed valuation of $72,- 000, Nymore has $252 behind each of their three hundred school children, . whereas Bemidji with an assessed valuation of $1,600,000 has $1,119 to support each of its thousand school children. These figures were used to show the urgent need of consolida- ting with Bemidji. “There is absolutely no compar- ison of the two districts,” said a mem- ber of the school board. *“We have issued warrants and not voted bonds or provided taxes with which. to. pay them. It is the same as running a grocery bill. When you run a gro- cery bill you can live and eat until your credit is not good, then you - have to pay your bills or starve. . Now we are getting to the time when our schools have to pay the bill or starve.” GHOST TO WALK . FOR FIREMEN TONIGHT The “ghost-will walk” for the fire- men at a meeting of the Bemidji fire- men at the city hall tonight. Hvery member is urged to be present at eight o’clock to receive his quarterly salary. The salary for the past quar- ter will be the largest that there has been in the past’ two years. Hach fireman will receive between $16 and - $18.. There are 356 firemen. KEKKKKKK KK KK KKK KKK x * PROBATE COURT JUDGE % - HOLDS COURT AT 6 A, M. x * Judge M. A. Clark of the % probate court held an insanity ¥ hearing at six o’clock this % morning. Mrs. Lena M. * Skoe of Orderhurst town-in % Itasca county was adjudged * * x x x. *. K insane and the early hearing was held so that she could be taken on the morning train:to. the state hospital at- Fergus Falls. *Q*******'**fl{*t.**t iii{li*l* tlr *ii