The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-05
Is WITHOUT A PRECEDENT
MILITARY INVASION OF IDAHO
DURING COEUR D'ALENE
TROUBLES
so SAYS MINORITY REPORT
document Is Made Public by Repre-
sentatives Lentz and Hayden.
Merriam's Mistakes Are
Pointed Out in Detail.

WASHINGTON, June 4.-The minorit,,
report on the Coeur d'Alene investiga.
.on was given out today by Representa-
ives Lentz (O) and Hay (Va), who
oraIted 1t. The following is a summary
Oh It's main features:
Ihe minority point out that the evil
uehce taken during the investigation
SLOWS that there was absolutely no riot-
ing IN Shoshone county, Idaho. after
April ~. 1899; that when the limited
states troops arrived upon the scena
quiet mad been restored, and no re-
slstance was being made to the state
authorities, who were arresting as randi
~ as possible those who were susnectea
OF being implicated in the crime Of
April %. 1899
1t is maintained by the minority that
the troops sent to Idaho by the president
of the United States continued tn ba
under the control of the president. and
that the military commander in COM
mand could only use the troops in aid OF
the clyI authorities of the state to pre-
serve peace and order and prevent re-
slstance being made by lawless persons
[" the process of the courts
St4iNt tAiS proper CIVIL authorities OF
the state. The president of the United
States has kept and is stin keeping sol.
dlers in thai community, and by so do
ing Is upholuing a tyrannicaI course OF
conduct pursued by the governor of
Idaho
Inc minority point out FIVE Ifagrant in
stances of abuse of power and VIOLA
ton of law by Gen Merriam, the com
mander Of the troops:
ABOUT l50 troops to the town of Burke
ana arrested. without warrant, the entire
male population of that town, consisting
OF ABOUT 3OO persons; 1t was an outrage
upon the liberty of the citizens which has
no parallel in the annals of this country
oecond-Gen. Merriam sent a detach-
ment OF troops into the state of Mon
Jana Tor the purpose of arresting fugi-
uVes from Idaho. an ineXcusable exercise
or afbI Itraty power by Gen. Merriam
Thlrd-Lteut. Lyon, acting under the
Orders or his superior officer, by threats
CT " violence, forced certain citizens to
their Will. No such fragrant invasion of
the right OF the citizen can be cited in
the history Of this country.
fourth-Maj. Smith suppressed the Null
Ian Mirror. a newspaper published at
Mullan, thus denying free speech and
free press. This was a gross violation
OF law wholly unjustified
F1tth-Ihe permit system. in fact a
blacklist system, approved by Gen Mer-
Ram and kept in operation to this day
py the presence of the military force of
the United States is a violation of law
which cannot be defended
MERRIAM MISTAKEN.
In summing up. the minority say they
are satisfied from the evidence produced
before the commission that Gen. Mer-
rlam was wholly mistaken as to his pow
ers and duties; that his conduct has re.
suited in the gravest injuries to the H3-
erty Of the citizens and the rights CT
individuals. Innocent men have been
kept in prison for months without trial
and nave been finally discharged with.
out any charges being preferred against
them. At one time or another there were
over LOO men i'll the prison at Wardner
known as the bull pen. They were kept
there many months. They were not
tried. They were not charged with any
crime; they were held and guarded bv
United States troops. 1t was the duty OF
Gen. Merriam and of the president of th6
United States to inquire into the causes
and reasons for the detention Of so
many American citizens. No such III.
quiry was ever made. Such indifference
is hard to understand
Tine plea that Gen. Merriam is acting
at the request of the governor of Idaho
and his state representative bartlett
| Sinclair, Is not good. Neither the gov
ernor nor Sinclair had the right to violate
the law, and Gen. Merriam knew it or
should have known it. Although the
governor of Idaho has for year or more
been governing Shoshone county by mar
tial law he has never called the LEXIS
laturc together; the laws of Idaho pro-
vide that a session Of the legislature can
be called on twenty days notice"
The minority hold that the president is
not justified in keeping United States
soldiers indefinitely in Shoshone county
at he mere will Of one man. when tha
legislature, representative of the people.
could have and ought to have been
called, to ascertain their wishes.
The majority report was also completed
today and submitted to the minority
members, but 1t will not be made public
until approved by the house ~.ilitary
committee, which conducted tfc investi-
CATION.
SHORT OF STAMPS.
There is doubt as to whether the col
lection of United States postage stamps
intended for the exhibition at the Paris
exposition will be sent to Paris for that
! purpose. 1t has been learned that three
sheets of proof" stamps were lost after
being sent to the exposition. and there Is
some question as to whether it would be