Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 14, 1910, Page 1

Voi. XXI.—No, 25 Grand Uapids | 4 ‘ = . GRAND Rapips, Irasca County, MINN., Wepngspay, DECEMBER 14, 1910 z Two Dollars a Year PLAN FOR TAXES ON STATE LAND Representative-Elect Warner, of ‘Aitkin, Writes Tax Commission Regarding Matter. THINKS SETTLER SHOULD HAVE AID Asks Commission to See Attorney General and Get Opinion as to Whetber State Lands Can Be Taxed. Whe forthcoming report of the State Tax commission will contain « strong endorsement of the rath- er nOve)] idea of taxing our umsold state land for purposes of local im- @rovements, such as constructing roads, building schoo] houses and ‘ike like, the burden of which un- der present conditions falls heavily @a the poor, struggling settler, who Ww bearimg all the expenses, en- feances the neighboring land which belongs to the state. Realizing the enormous handicap under which the frontier — settler must build roads and maintain wdhools for his children, and the in- justice of a system which enables our rich ptate to profit by his toil and sacrifices without sharing in the bearing of the burden, Representa- tiveelect Warner has written a jetter to Samuel Lord, chairman of the state tax commission in which he sets forth some of these things and asks why it és not pos- alble to apply a remedy to such wonditions. Mr. Lord replies that ke and other members of the com- mission are heartily im favor of the idea of taxing the unsold state land, and that their forthcoming re- ert will clearly indicate their views ie the matter. Mr. Wayrner’s letter and the ex- rcerpt Brom the report of the com- miiasion follow: Hon. Samuel Lord , Chairman State Tax Commiesion, St. Paul, Mimnesota. “(Last June I noticed an interview am ome of the Twin City papers with you on the subject of the taxation of wnsold state lands, in which you were quoted as taking the position that there is nothing im the consti- tution or laws of the state that will prohibit or prevent it. Claiming to be the first man im the state to | If state lands can be assessd to pay the costs of county, judicial and state ditches, why can they not be jassessed to assist in paying the cost of constructing public high-| ways? Was there not an opinion | of ‘the attormey general or a de- cision of the supreme court as to} the assessment of state lands to | assist in paying the costs of drain- it? Will you not see the attorney general and talk this matter over with him and see how he feels about it and advise me?* * * Any eee tion you may be able to give, any suggestions you may be kind enough to e, any arguments you may ad- | vance to aid, will be greatly ap- | preciated. Thanking you again avd again for (Continued on page four.) ‘AN EDUCATION TO THE FARMERS Such Have the Farmer’s Institutes, By Known Results Proven Them- 4 selves to Be. MEETING AT GRAND RAPIDS FRIDAY Will Be Addressed By Practical Men, Thoroughly Versed in the Subjects On Which They LIST EXPENDED a a eee costs ee sac no Candidates at the Primary and Gem- | Bemidji Pioneer Claims That Bel- eral Election File List of Cam- paign Expenses. LEFEVRE MAKES BIGGEST OUTLAY While Corener Russell’s Only Ex- pense Was the $16 Filing Fee -—Cost McOuat $235.75 for The camdidates for the various offices have filed their lists of cam- paign expenses at the primary and general elections, as required by law and we give them herewith: D. M. Gunn’s campaign expenses was $152.85 while we could not as- certain the outlay of the unsuccess- ful public ownership candidate. $100 of Mr. Gunn’s outlay was a contribu- takion to the Republican county cen- tral committee. A. B. Clair’s expenditure during his rum for representative from this dis- trict amounted to $106. It cost T. T. Riley $234.20 to be elected sheriff, while his umsuccess- ful opponent, John Hepfel, expended $223.60 during the primary and gen- eral election campaigns. Will Talk. An education to the farmer. Noth- ing could more fittingly describe the series of farmers’ institutes which are peing held through out the state, the expense being borne by a’ fund set apart for that purpose: The meetings are held for the purpose of aiding farmers to gain a odetter kmowledge of the farm and the many: difficulties that beset the average farmer in northern Minnesota. Every- one who attends the meeting is pri- vileged and urged to ask questions, as it is by that method that many things are explained which vex all farmers. At the two meetings which will be held here Friday, December 16, those who attend will have a chance to hear some of the best and most practical imstructors sent to this portion of the state. C. E. Brown, of Blk River, is said to be one of the best potato, corn and clover men ever on the institute platform. Mr. Brown seems to get right next to publicly advocate the taxation state lands I was naturally greatly As a member-elect of Jegistature to convene in Janu- ary, I am inkerested, and as a resi- dent of a‘district which feels the hardships of carrying more than @ million acres of unsold state lands which are nonproductive as to taxes, I am interested. The settlers who build the roads, @ig the ditches, clear and subdue the land, erect school houses and establish homes im the wilderness, by their improvements make the state lands valuable and make it ble far the state to dispase of them. It does mot seem fair or right ta me that the ‘home builders in a wilderness, the men and women who endure the privations and hard- ships of opening and developing a new country, should be required to pay all the costs of these public im- provements which so greatly enhance the value of the state lands. There are townships in this county where 25 to 50 per cent or more of all the lands belong to the state of Minnesota. The roads con structed by the settlers and the schools erected and maintained have at least doubled the value of those lands. Yet im. many instances those improvements have been paid for’ by an issue of school district or township bonds which are a first “Men and a first mortgage upon the lands of the settlers and towards |” which the state lands contribute not one red cent. 4 My attention been called to Section I, IX of the state constitution, and I am told that an act providing for the taxation of state lands would be clearly in violation of the provisions of the constitution. I am not a lawyer, and do not know, but I do know that the equities of the case are all im favor of the proposition. of /nis audience and talks with them about the things he has found out by his own experience, and the aud’- ence ‘feels “he ‘is ‘telling something worth while. C.% “>vlson, of Ers- kine, is well known all over north- erm Minnesota as the owner of ‘.:° champion dairy cow of the northern part of the state. Mr. Carlson has made a thorough study of dairy pro- duction, knows how to feed the cows, so as to get best results, and knows how to raise the feeds the cows need. H. ©. Larson, of Berner, has had his farm experience in northern Minnesota, where he has cleared a farm and is working out the problem that the farmers of this section are compelled to meet. These three men are good speakers as well as practical men and should be able to interest an audience, The new institute annual, No. 25, that will be distributed free of | charge at these meetings, has beer devoted to the subject of more and better corn. Articles on the growing ; and using of corn have been contrib- uted by the best corn growers in all parts of the state, and the in- formation on that subject should be the means of greatly advancing corn growing in aria Minnesota, | where it is yet little more than an experiment. Many other subjects are also taken up, and all in all, es new annual makes a very in- teresting and helpful book. Everybody is invited to attend the institute, sessions which com- mence at 10 o'clock, a. m., and 1:30 p. m., sharp. All the expense is taken care of by the state and the local business men, the state con- tributing the speakers and the books. | free dinner to all who atitend. Everr- attend. an institute at Feeley tomorrow. For county attorney, R. A. McOuat, the successful candidate, expended $235.75, while the republican nominee R. A. Stone parted with $245.60. The Primary election expense of W. A. Rossman and H. W. Stark, unsuccess | ful republican nominees, was $161.95 and $98, respectively, ry Price did not file his list of expenses. M. A. Spang, who was re-elected as county auditor, dispensed $243.50° to retain that office, while his umsuc- cessful opponent, Chas. R. Gates, dropped $219 for the privilege of running. In the race for ithe office of judge of probate, Clarence B. Webster id out $246.45 for the privilege of guiding the affairs of that office for the next two years, while John Lefevre was separated “from $250 for coveting the honor, $154.70 be- ing primary election expemses. This was the largest outlay made by any candidate. It cost Glen Strader $239 to be el- ected county treasurer, while his ap- ponent ak the primaries, Keo Leroux, did not file this list of expenses. Estelle Whipple expended $206.25 during her fight for the office of county superintendent’ of schools. Her pponents did not file their lists of expenses. E. J. McGowan, reelected register of deeds, who had no opposition, either at the primary or general el- ection, expended $174, which was chiefly distributed among the news- papers of the county. Jobin A. Brown, who was re-elect- ed county surveyor, paid $98 for that privilege, while John Muzzy, whc ran independent, invested $247.50, $100 of which was for the expense of obtaining signers to his petition, in making the rum. Among the county officers, Coroner Russell’s expenses was the smallest, Amounting to only $10, the filing fee, required by law. W. B. Taylor, elected court com- missioner, expended $17, $10 for filing and $7 for printing. In Commissioner district No. 1, C. M. King made an outlay of $200,15 for the honor of maintaining that office. The other candidapes did not file their expense account. In commissioner district No. 3, ; Andy Nelson, the successful candid- ate, expended $102.30 for his cam- | paign expenses. John P. Trebilcock’s expenditures amounted to $48, while those of his opponent at the primar- ies, M. E. Hanson, were $60. 1 Dr. John L. Shellman’s expenses, in being elected county commissioner of district No. 5, amounted to $136.09 while Edw, F. Logan invested $95 dn campaign material and made @ phenominal run at the primaries, but slumped alt the general election. C. H. Dickinson’s outlay for the while the business men furnish aj treasurership of school district No. 1 was $13, $10 for filing and $3, to thing is free and everybody should | the republican committee. Who says CANDIDATES FILE {ITASGA MAKES BIGGEST GAINS i trami County Made Biggest Gain In State. iHTASCA GAINS 276.5 PER CENT While Beltrami’s Gain Is Only .75.3 Per Cent—Itasca Shows Big- gest Percentage Gain In Minnesota. We didn’t want to call attention to dt on aecvunt of our modesty, but now that the Bemidji Pioneer has | stated editorially that Beltrami coun- ty has made the biggest gain in pop- ulation of any county in the state We are compelled to take the wind out of its sails. The Pioneer says: ‘Beltrami coun- ‘ty shows a greater gain in popula- tion, according to the government | census figures announced a few days ago, than any other county im the state of Minnesota. In 1900, Beltram had aj population of 11,830. The pre- sent population is given by Census Director Durand at 19,337, am in- crease, asing these figures of 7,507. In 1900, however, the population of what is now Clearwater county was included fm that of Beltrami, At the time Clearwater was established it had a population of approximately 2,- 500, therefore, despite the Clearwater loss, the above gain has been made.” Now, here is where we set the Pioneer right. The population of Beltrami county at the 1900 census, which also included Clearwater, was 11,030, instead of 11,830, as reported. Granting that Clearwater’s poptla: | tion was 2/600 at the time of one division and adding it to the figures | | giyén for Beltrami at the 1910 census | 19,337, would give Beltrami a gaim | of 10,807, or 98.1 per cent. The population of Itasca county, wt the present time, is 17,208, ac- cording to the census figures, and at the 1900 census the population, in- cluding Koochiching county was 4,- 537. At the 1905 state census that | part of the county now known as Koochiching county contained a pop- ulation of 4,837 ,which added to the present population, gives Itasca al gain of 17,472, or 382.1 per cent. Near} ly four times the percentage gain of | Beltrami and Clearwater counties. | If the Pioneer is not satisfied with | that method of proving that Itasca county made the biggest percentage | gaim of any county in the stage, we ! will take it still another way. The combined population of Beltrami and Clearwater is now 26,207, while their population, at the 1900 census was | 11,030, a gin of 15,177, or 136.7 per | cent. The combined population of Itasca and Koochiching at the 1910 census , | was 28,639 and the population at the| 1900 census was 4,537. This would give a gain of 19,066, or 416.9 per cent. Over three times the Benems- | age gain of Beltrami and Clearwater counties. No way out of it. We simply have them, no matter which way you turn. | But in order ta fully satisfy and i canvince the Pioneer, we will do a, little more figuring. We will now! leave Clearwater and Koochiching colinties out of. the deal. The popula: | tion of Beltrami county at the 1900! census was 11,030,(We have repeated this statement until we think it is thoroughly understood.) and the 1910 census gives it an increase of 8,307, or .75.3 per cent. The population of Itasca county at! | the 1900 census wis 4,573 and the | 1910 census gives it an increase of} 12,635, or a percentage increase of | 276.5. 1 No other county im the state has made half as large a percentage gain | ae Itasca. Therefore, we will re- quest the Bemidji Pioneer and the bordering brethern to stand up and tilt their tiles to us. Election, Initiation and Supper. The Modern Samaritans, one of the) rapidly growing lodges of the village, ‘held their annual election of of- ‘ticers Monday evening and the fol- Nearly four times the percent- ; ial |special message to age increase of Beltrami county. | daak paslssot lw. M. Wright, V. G. S.; iMrs. H. E. Neveux, H. P.; Mrs. C. Levite; W. B. O'Donnell, treas.; Wm. McAlpine, scribe; Mrr. wT. Riley, C. M.; Mrs. J. Peavy, J. M.; Omar Stardig, sentry; C. Oppegaard, watchmam; T. H. Shoaff, inn keeper. Mrs. Lucy Prudy of Duluth was pres- got amd assisted in the initiation of a large class of candidates. T. H. Shoa¥f was elected as delegate and H. BE. Neveux was elected al- ternate to attend the grand council at St. Paul, which will be held sometime in March. Following the lodge work, the members adjourned and) marched im a/ body to the Mc- Alpime cafe where they were served with an oyster supper. The McAlpine cafe is establishmg a for serving gatherings of this kind with neatness and dispatch and the Samaritans are loud im their praises of the service THE SALOON MEN J. Biler, MAY WIN BATTLE Action of Bemidji Saloon Men in Serving Injunctions May Throw Territory Open. PRESIDENT TAFT MAY TAKE A HAND Ballinger Thinks Government Has No Legal Right to Enforce Pro- hibition in Organized Towns and Cities. The action of the twelve Bemidji saloon men in serving injunction papers on the Indian agents may result in the territory affected © be- ing again thrown wide open, al- though it was stated at the Interior department headquarters that no action has been decided upon bear- ing on the “injunction proceedings brought by the saloon keepers at ‘Bemidji! to restrain the seizure of their goods. No advices have been received of the injunction proceeding at Secre- tagy Ballinger’s office. When asked whether, as a result of the proceed- ings at Bemidji the activity of the departmept im the remainder of the 1885 territory would be suspended, the secretary said that phase of the question had not be®n considered. Secretary Ballinger, however, re- peated his statement that he would do everything possible to expedite the cases brought by the saloon keepers im order to get an early construction of the treaties by the courts at the Indian Bureau. It was stated that the injunction proceedings were im the hands of United States District Attorney Houpt. The Bureau had been ad- vised of the injunction proceedings at Bemidji, but its officials seemed to attach little importance to it be- cause procépdings were brought in county court, Imtimation has reach- ed the Indian-Bureau that suit would be brought im the Federal courts on the 20th of this month, which will bring the whole question before the courts, In the absence of details as to these suits the plans of the officials are in doubt. President Taft has been appealed to to exercise his authority and issue an exeecutive order modifying the treaties materi- ally and last week it was believed that he ‘would issue such an order. Later information, however, has_ it that Secretary Ballinger holds that Congress has a] large measure of re- sponsibility in the matter, and should be given an opportunity to act. Secretary Ballinger’s advice may lead the. president to send a r congress on embodying the sug- | gestions made by the secretary in | |his annual report that the Govern- | ment has no legal right to' enforce prohibition in cities and municip- alties organized under state laws nor Indians from whom property restrictions are removed and who are citizens under the law. If the treaties are taken into federal court | the president may withhold action. Most everybody is getting their 18 is an unbucky number? ~ J. D./| lowing were elected to guide the| picture ‘‘took.” They’re sending one destinies of the organization for the | home to the folks. Better join the | ensuing year: C. J. Bier, G.S.; Mrs. |“procesh” and see Byam. Bock These same gentlemen will hold|Doran’s expenses for election as clerk af the same district was $10. tn tae reputation | GRAGKOMEN BLOW UP PONTPS oAFE | When Store Was Opened This Morn- ing, Safe Was Found With Door Blown Off, EVIDENTLY THE WORK OF EXPERTS About $70 in Money Taken and a Quantity of Cigars From Stock—No Clue to Robbers. When M. Ponti opened his grocery store and bowliag alleys for busi- ness this morning he discovered the store was entered during the night, the safe blown open, $70.00 in money taken agid also a quantity of cigars, the exact amount not yet being known. From the appearance of the store and the safe, the job was evidently the work of experts and it was also plainly evident they were familiar with the store. The safe ordinarily occupies a position along the side of the wall, well to the front, but when found this morning it was in about the center of the building, the outside steel plate having been ‘thrown, by the force of the ex- plosion, a distance of about 18 feet, where it cut a jagged hole in the wall. The inner plate and the materi- al used between the plates lay on the floor at the foot of the safe, a big bag of shavings having been us- ed to keep the pieces from flying and to also muffle the sound of the explosion. The drawers papers and books kept im the safe were strewn among the wreckage, as though the cracksmen had worked very hastily when the doorwas forced and the muney drawer, containing about $7: was rifled of its contemts. A glass jar, containing pennies was also rifled. After taking a hurried inventory of his stock Mr. Ponti stated noth- yng was missing with the exception of a few boxes of cigars. The eracksmen evidently had a skeleton key, that fitted ‘the door, as eve way of ingress was locked and had not been disturbed. That the safe- blowing was the work of experts was easily deduced from.the.fact that the door was blown clear from the hinges and there was more than one man concerned as it required two or more to move it from ite per- manent position. They were also ‘well posted as to the location of | objects im the store, as the bag of Shavings and a steel casting, used to plug the drain, were taken from the cellar and used In the work. As there were no marks of drilling: on the outside plate, it) is presumed nitro-glycerine was used, the method of operating being to plug the open- ing around the safe door with soap, and knocking the combination knob off with an ax, leaving al small hole jthrough which the explosive igs forced inside. A fuse and cap are attached, and when this is compiet- ed and fired,there is a sharp ex- plosion and the dead is done. Noa clues to the identy of the men} have been found, there having been no suspicious characters lurk- | ing around and the only thing known about \the affair is that it occurred about two o'clock, a. m., the sound of the explosion being heard at that hour by George Lothrop, who sleeps at the Central school, and Miss El- len Ashton, who resides with her brother Jnear by, but both thought it was distant blasting. The Catholic Card Party. Those who do not attend the card party given under the auspices of the Catholic Laélies’ Altar society jat the home of Mrs. K. C. Lent to- | morrow evening, December 15, will certainly miss the time of their lives. The evening will be spent in | card playing and during the festivi- ties a substantial luncheon will be served. Somebody will also get a 100 piece set of dishes, as the one holding the lucky number will be the ; recipient of the set. Remember, everybody is invited and the price of admission is twenty-five cents.