Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-04-18
Wiling to spend his n dollars.

willing 70 spend his dollars. NOV, |
this is . pretty lame excuse. II ii we're
simply to destroy the prestige 81 the |
TRIBUNE, which is q very small mater
compared with the power Of the tenn
perance sentiment, Mr.. = altman could
have done it more effectually 81
championing the temperance cause
and having his newspaper do the:
same. Then he would have retained
the good will of 9 large share Of the
better elements Of our population and
not forced them to come to the sup
port of the TRIBUNE. This cry about
the ''TR1BUNE gang" is simply to
cover the desire to see licensed sa-
looms. 81 =,
The no-license campaign was man
aged by committee of twelve mem
bers. three from each ward, authorized
by the citizens mass meeting. It is
composed of Messrs. J. A. Johnson,
W. D. Fredrickson, J. L. Johnson, E.
M. Stanford, E. P. Glad, J. H. Mar
tin, G. P. Karwand, V. E. Lawson,
William Thompson, T. O. Gilbert, G.
S. Johnson and G. Freeberg. From
the very nature of the case, these men
could have no inducement to spend
their time for the no. license cause ex-
cept desire to promote the general
welfare of the community. 1t was on
ly from q sense of public duty that
these men entered the fight at the re-
quest of the city convention. AS cleo
ton day approached it was openly
boosted by the liquor element that the
election would be carried for license
by the Importation of votes if need be-.
Every safeguard at their disposal to
prevent illegal voting was taken by
the citizens committee. On the eve
of the election the officers of the COM
mittee offered a reward of $25 for in
formation which would lead to the
conviction of anyone who attempted
to vote illegally.
| After the election number of cases
of alleged illegal voting were re.
ported from many different sources.
These cases are being Investigated as
rapidly as possible and the intention
is to hand over every case in which
evidence is secured to the proper au'
thorities. What less could any hon
est citizen do? If illegal voting is tc
be permitted and condoned what be-
comes of the boosted sanctity of ou1
ballot box? One would think tina,
every honest citizen, whether for Ii
cense or against it, would welcome
any inquiry as to such charges al
these. But what happened?
i #
At the very first arrest, the leader.
of the liquor element set up q ferc,
howl. They had been hit apparent,
in sore spot: They at once tool
steps to attempt to check any further
attempts at prosecutions. They be
gan a suit for personal damages
, against the Third ward election boart
} on a most ridiculous claim, hoping
that it would brighten other men from
, doing their duty. The good old Re
7 publican Gazette loaned its columns
, to the whiskey gang by charging tina
3 the Citizens campaign committee wa
. guilty, technically at least, Of whole
sale BRIBERY. The claim is made tina
t by assisting voters known to
: no-license men to come to their home
I and vote, the Citizens committee i
guilty of bribing them. This rockies
. charge is made simply to divert tn
= public gaze from the crimes of thei
e own henchmen. The Citizens CON
e mittee has authorized the publicatio
S of all its expenditures up to date
d which includes all money paid for cal
fare of voters, and invites the closes
scrutiny of its work. The committe
el is thoroughly conversant with 1th
q election laws and knows which ar
= legitimate election expenses an
y which are not. In playing up thes
t false charges against the Citizens
i. committee, the suit against the ele<
2 ton judges, and condoning all char
j. ges against men otherwise who wer
g charged with illegal voting, the Ga
!. zette last week, on it's first page, CON
, mits itself squarely for saloons-some
q thing that it apparently has sought t
g avoid up to this time. =
a II
This damage suit industry agains
e city officials whose official acts do No
: suit the booze crowd cannot be sue
cessfully played much longer in th
I lefty of Willmar and the perpetrator
escape the odium to which their az
tions entitle them. This game of high
e handed bluff has about run its course
r and those who resort to such mean
$ to bull-doze every man who does nc