The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-11-01
VICIOUS METHODS EMPLOYED BY
"MINNEsoTA,s TAMMANY." IN
IT'S DESPERATION OVER
A.LOsT CAUSE.
THE MRS. RUTHERFORD CASE.
Chairman Rosing SpranE = "sensa-
tion," ond Now wishes
He Hadn't.

SpEdhGlS dflO IkGpuUtlId11 hCWSPdpCt ?
have refrained from any personal
abuse of Gov. Lind. They have criti-
cised the workings of his administra-
tion, his public acts and his public
statements, as they have right to do,
and which are certainly open to criti-
cism, but they have indulged in no
mudslinging.
What a contrast this is to the Dem.
ocratic method of campaigning! They
opened the ball two months ago, by
calling Capt. Van SAINT "a Little Tin
Soldier This was in the New Ulm
Review, a paper owned and controlled
by Gov. Lind personally. The more de-
cent Democrats protested against this
\ sort Of guerilla warfare, whereupon
the Review brazenly came back with
the assertion that Capt. Van SAINT was
not only 'tTin Soldier" but a "bras-
sy'' one, as well. It is hardly neces-
sary to say, in this connection, that
the captain served four years in the
Civil war, with honor and distinction,
and that the Department Of Minneso-
ia, G.. A. r., has accorded him the
highest honor in it's power, electing
him department commander.
Then came the infamous drunken
cartoon" issued by the Reform Press
Bureau representing Mr.. Van SAINT
as reeling along the street with a bot
tie marked enthusiasm whisky" pro-
l1uding from his pocket Capt. Van
SAINTS personal habits are above re-
proach, as all who know him will testi-
fy.
The broken ladder" cartoon was the
next yulgarity perpetrated by the Re-
form Press Bureau. which is conduct
ed under Private Secretary Rosing's 8
personal manag cement, and sends its
manufactured arguments" to all the
Democratic papers in the state. 1t
pictured the captain, still drunk with
enthusiasm whisky" falling off a lad
der leading to the governors chair.
This effort Of the Press Bureau was
just about on par with the preced-
ing one.
Then came one of the most scandal
#ous and vile creations perpetrated by
the Reform "Art" Bureau-the ''bood-
le:'' cartoon. 1t showed Capt. Van.
SAINT as placing away in his safe sew,
eral bulky packages, presumably mon
ey, and intimated that he was "influ-
enced" by this means while in the leg
islature; also, that he did not vote for
some four or five bills. Mr.. Van SAINT
served two terms in the legislature, in
1893 and 1895. His record the first
i term demonstrated his ability and
worth, and led to his election as
speaker ofs.the house In 1895 by the
unanimous vote of every member in
cluding Democrats and Populists. In his
latter capacity he proved to be one Of
the ablest presiding officers in the
states history; that session will long.
, be remembered for its economy, its ca
pacity for business, and the amount Of
beneficial legislation it provided. Mr..
Van SAINTS public record is open to
the scrutiny Of the state; nowhere can
he be found other than the friend of
labor and the champion Of farming in
terests. The insinuations against him
in this respect are fabrications of a
diseased brain. During the 1898 ses-
sion, much of the meritorious legisla-
tion was due to his uDtiring efforts.
AS an instance Of this may be men
toned the bill for the vestibuling of
street cars, to afford protection to the
motormen in stormy weather. This
was introduced IN the senate by Sen
ator Tawney, and was supported and
voted for in the house by Mr.. Van
SAINT, and the latter is entitled to
every credit for it's passage and for
helping to make it a law--and yet the
Fusion press is announcing that he
lodged the bill!
The Reform Press Bureau. with its
usual disregard for truth, also alleges
that he forgot to vote on certain
bills, which were passed in 1895, when
he was speaker of the house, and had
no vote except in case of tie!
This brings us down to the latest eff
fort Of the Minnesota "Tamlnany
Hail." to villify citizen whose reputa-
tion for integrity in every walk of life
makes him proof against such mud
battery assaults. On the evening of
Oct II, L. A. Rosing spoke in Duluth.
At the conclusion Of his speech. a wo-
man named Mrs. Rutherford, Of Min
neapolis, arose and made a dramatic
statement that Capt. Van SAINT had de-
priyed her Of a large sum of money.
She said:
"Sam Van SAINT and my husband,
who Is now dead, We're old friends for
some years. They were both old SOL
diers, and after the war a strong
friendship grew UP between them.
They were associated together in bust
ness, as we'll as social and fraternal
ways. Years ago Van SAINT and my
husband Joined an A. P. A. lodge in
Iowa as charter members. Then they
were partners in the steamboat busi-
ness, and my husband died during the
existence Of this partnership. With
the shares and dividends that right
ly accrued to me through or from this
partnership, I should have gotten S12,-
600. Did I get It? Not a cent of it;
and 7 want to tell you here tonight,
that it is due to that man Van SAINT
that I failed to get it. AS a conse-
quence, had to give UP my beautiful
home, and am now living in a barn in
stead"
This statement made by Mrs. Ruth
erford has been heralded far and wide,
but the promoters" of it are begin"
ming to wish that they had let it alone.
The wild charges were made by a wo-
man Of mind not too sound; she had
previously made them, not only to the
different state committees, but also to
the daily newspapers in st. Paul and
Minneapolis, both Republican and