The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1901-09-19
AN EXPLANATION
Ted Smith Explains His Attitude
ON the School Bonds Issue. u
Recommends Caution.

The question of voting for|
|$12, 600 worth of bonds for taklngl
Iup that amount Of outstanding|
|orders for Independent school
district No. Z, was defeated at the|
lefty Hall on Saturday EVENING"
Sept. 14th, by s votes. The total
amount Of votes cast was 1877 10A
for bonds and SO against, two.|
thirds being required TO carry ac-|
1cording to school laws governing
same.
With all due respect to the
people Of Bemidji and to those for
I land against those bonds / would
zsay that no citizen nor teacher
questions the need Of this money
to carry on the schools. What
the people do want is to be as
asured that the money will be
HANDLED judiciously and that they
Twill not be called upon to dupli.
Scate these enormous sums year
aafter year.
8 The amount Of taxes at the
Spresent time is certainly heavy
5burden upon the people and any
proposition that tends to tighten
them will meet with the hearty
approval Of all concerned. No
acitizen Of Bemidii is a stronger
advocate for the promotion of ed
8ucation than your humble servant
land I would scorn the action of
ANY one act or deed that would
tend to debar the educational pro-
gress of our young Americans,
8but when remarks are outspoken
#by some Of The defeated ones, Of
IAN infiammatory and damaging
mature, in regard to the social
standing and general principles
of saloon keepers in particular,
: and that through them the bonds
were defeated [ would say that In
Justice to them that If such was
the case, they were and always
are guided BY their own opinions
with a clear knowledge of wha,t
they were doing and are justified
. at any and al! times as Americans
and citizens to exercise their indi-
vidual rights at the polls as we'll
as any other business and Fro
fessional people. These kind Of
remarks are uttered only BY people
! Of degenerated or narrow minds
and if they would cast aside their
selfish prejudices and remem Der
that the money that comes from
this source has built Bemidjij1
modelled out the town for them
widened out the paths through
THE wilderness for the people Of
small means TO come in and do d
Thriving business on the strength
Iof the saloon keepers enterprise!
1Their money paid in the treasury
and the fact that they are here
HAS been the cause of helping to
build your good homes, educate
! and clothe your children, and now
the town is settling down to Al
normal condition and your differ
lent business houses and trades
established, you would now seek
Ito expel them. Their generosity
His unlimited, they attend strictly
Ito their own business and are ever
READY to encourage and assist IN
8any proposition that pertains 70
1.-THE welfare and building up Of
/ Jour town: even the preacher Of
1the gospel will admit that $500 Of
athe saloon keepers money will ad
Jas many shingles to a church, OF
ahelp to deport missionary to the
awilds of South Africa for the nat
lives to make soup of, as any other
business man S. / will admit
that they do nobprofess nor prac-
gtice any religious doctrines neither
do they use the church as a cloak
ITO cover their wrong doings. OF
sany.)
What the property holders OF
aBemidii want is to be properly
notified, through the newspapers
sand placards posted IN conspicuous
splaces, announcing all Intentions
ION the part Of school or local Off
scials (and if necessary personally
"A A = y Z. L =