The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 18, 1918, Page 8

oA ‘murder. Nonpartisan Teader Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League—Every Week Entered as second-class matter September 3, 1915, at the postoffice at St. Paul, Minnesota, under the Act of March 3, 18%9. OLIVER S. MORRIS, EDITOR Advertising rates on application. Subscription, one year, in advance, $2.50; six months, $1.50. Communications should be addressed to the Nonpartisan Leader, Box 575, St. Paul, Minn. MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS THE S. C. BECKWITH SPECIAL AGENCY, Advertising Répresentatives, New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City. Quack, fraudulent and irresponsible firms are not knowingly advertised, and we will take it as a favor if any readers will advise us promptly should they have occasion to doubt or question the reliability of any firm which patronizes our advertising columns. MR. MANAHAN VINDICATED AMES MANAHAN is a former Minnesota congressman. He is the J farmers’ attorney who balked in the courts the attempt of the Chamber of Commerce to put the farmers’ Equity Co-operative exchange out of business some years ago. Oscar E. Keller is com- missioner of publie utilities of the city of St. Paul. Thomas J. McGrath is a lawyer for labor unions and a strong sympathizer of organized labor. These three men were indicted recently by a grand jury for inciting riot at St. Paul. They had addressed a meeting of labor union men and other St. Paul citizens at Rice park, St. Paul, during the street car strike. After the Rice park meeting some windows were broken in street cars, during an hour or so of disorder on the streets. ‘When these indictments were returned it was heralded broadcast throughout Minnesota and the Unit- ed States that Mr. Manahan was attorney for the Nonpartisan league, and the papers attempted to carry the idea that the League had allied itself with a ‘‘lawless labor element in St. Paul,’’ and had incited a riot. It is true that Mr. Manahan at various times had acted as attorney for President A. C. Townley of the Nonpartisan league in personal matters. He had never been attorney for the League. The disgraceful thing, however, was not entirely this attempt to besmirch the League on account of the Rice park speeches. The worst part of it was that the case against Manahan was framed up, without a particle of justification, by the attorney general of Minnesota, the street car company and the anti-labor and anti-farmer business interests of St. Paul, aided by the St. Paul newspapers which are hostile to labor and to the farmers. As the attorney' general’s office aided in the prosecution of Manahan, and as the attorney general is a member of the Public Safety ecommission of Minnesota, it must be assumed the at- tempt to railroad Manahan to the penitentiary was done with the knowledge and approval of the safety commission. The facts of the case are these: Manahan during his speech advised the striking street car men of St. Paul to be orderly, and insist on their rights in an orderly but firm manner. He insisted that the strikers must convince the public of the justice of their cause by obey- ing the law and by a frank and lawful presentation of their case. The speech was, in fact, a plea for law and order. By no possible stretch of the imagination could it be held to be the cause of the alleged riot. And in fact, THE PROSECUTION ADMITTED THIS TO BE TRUE. But it was claimed that A RIOT AS A MATTER OF FACT FOLLOWED THE SPEECH, and regardless of the character of the speech, THE SPEAKER WAS GUILTY OF INCITING TO RIOT. Could a more diabolical interpretation of the law have been made? ‘What citizen would be safe under such an interpretation of the law? If you advised a man to obey the law, and he then, in spite of it, went and committed murder, you could be held as an accomplice to the government, never framed up a more dishonest prosecution to dis- credit organized labor. To use governmental machinery—grand juries, eounty and state attorneys and courts—for persecutions of this kind is anarchy. Of the three accused, Mr. Manahan was tried first, on the charge of inciting riot. A jury was drawn and Judge F. N. Dickson of the dis- triet ecourt presided. The case never got to the jury. After the state had presented its evidence, Judge Dickson threw the case out of court. e et e Y A A SR At otk Pt s e e T EDITORIAL SECTION Intrenched privilege, with the aid of the legal machinery of - Not that they did use him, or that he was proved guilty of wrongdoing. .. PAGR.FIGHT He held that there was not a particle of evidence to show Mr. Manahan had incited the alleged riot. He said, in effect, that it would be a judicial crime to let a case of this kind even get to the jury. Mr. Manahan and organized labor of St. Paul were vindicated in a most convincing manner. . With certain unserupulous business interests of St. Paul and anti- labor daily papers clamoring for the conviction of Mr. Manahan, Judge Dickson deserves the thanks of every law-abiding and decent citizen of Minnesota for his courage in refusing to let the Minnesota courts be a party to the persecution of Mr. Manahan. But what shall be said of the attorney general and the county attorney who were parties to this persecution? What shall be said of public officials who permit themselves, to be used by corporations, newspapers and anti-labor and anti-farmer interests to persecute honest and law-abiding citizens under the color of law? e e e PR OUR COVER THIS WEEK NE hundred and eighty-six years ago George Washihgton was O born. His birthday anniversary is February 22, It is fitting that we pause to do honor to him, the first president of this, the greatest republic that men ever built. On its cover this week, the Leader presents a picture of George Washington, ‘‘Father of His Country,’’ in three colors, suitable for cutting out and framing, if you have not a picture of Wash- ington in your home. George Washington was a non- partisan in the true sense of the word. He was a farmer. He be- longed to no party and was not a politician. When his country call- ed him, he led its armies to victory and freedom, and when the great republic was at last founded, he was DRAFTED by the people to be its first president. ‘Washington became president just like all men should be elected to office. We do not mean that voters today are so thoroughly in agreement that they can decide on a man unanimously for office. We do mean that men ought not to en- ! gage in a mad scramble for office, but ought to run only when there is a demand for them as candidates. That is how Lynn J. Frazier was elected governor of North Dakota. The farmers of North Dakota, in convention assembled, SENT FOR HIM AND ASKED HIM TO BE THEIR CANDIDATE. He did not come to them with promises or bribes or wire-pulling and ask for the nomination. He had no thought of running for governor till the farmers DRAFTED him. Let us from now on pick more men like Washington to be our pub- lic servants. Let us turn our backs on the politicians—the self-seekers —who only want the office for what they can get out of it themselves, not to serve the people. PROVING BRAND'S BIAS OME very interesting facts in regard to the United States depart- ment of agriculture’s bureau of markets were brought out in the federal investigation of the packing trust. It will be recollected that C. J. Brand is head of the bureau of markets. It will also be recollected that Brand is the man who succeeded 'in forcing through the unfair, eomplicated federal wheat grades, which penal- ized farmers and favored the grain buyers and millers. : The Leader has sought to show many times that Mr. Brand is con- stitutionally the wrong man to be in charge of a government depart- ment whose business it is to in- vestigate and handle matters con- cerning the marketing of farm . products. He is a man, we have sought to show, who always takes the view of the middlemen and who believes that everything is all right with the present marketing system " in this country. R : That the Leader has been right S sk in this contention was proved by facts brought out in‘the federal hearing. It was shown that the pack- ers sought to use Mr. Brand and his department for their propaganda. The point is that:-the packers, their lawyers and lobbyists at:the na-