New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-02-27
INVESTIGATION
Peterson Inquiry Began in ST. Paul
Monday Evening.
Lotus is First Witness, but Fur
nishes Little Information.

nishes Little information.
Manahan Insists on Interposing
Objections, but is Called
Down.
The house committee appointed to
investigate tho doings of the Mime
sofa Shippers and Receivers assoc
citation, began its examination Mon
day evening by questioning George S.
Lotus. S. D. Peterson of New Ulm
is chairman of the committee, but
Representative Bills of Wadena con-
Quoted the examination.
The examiners went into the methods
OF the officers in determining whether
a candidate was ''good man" and
the methods pursued to compel him
to come out for the things favored by
the association and the methods used
to defeat him if he failed to do so.
Mr.. Bills wanted to know whether
the fact that candidate failed to
answer the questions on the card sent
out by the association caused him to
be considered as opposed to the
measures. Mr.. Lotus said that they
would first get information from mem
bers and other shippers in the district.
If he was a former member of the
Legislature they would consult his re-
cord. The fact that he voted against
measures advocated by the associa-
tion would be sufficient to condemn
him. But if there were two candidates
in district and one answered the
card and the other did not, the one
answering the card would be favored.
''In determining whether a candi-
date was a good man did you give
more weight to a statement from a
member than from shipper not a
MEMBER" asked Mr.. Bills. Mr.. LOT
tus said they did.
Because he sent you IS for MEM
bership?''
mo; because he has the courage of
his convictions and is right
Well, do you mean that because a
man sends you SIS that he has the cour-
age of his convictions more than other
menu" asked Mr.. Bills. isn't it a
fact that by paying S. any man may
become a member? Have you ever
turned down an applicant? Is there
any other qualification for member
ship than the payment of $5?''
Mr.. Lotus maintained that while
no qualification was insisted upon, no
man would send in his fee unless he
was in sympathy with the movement.
He said that he did not recoliect that
any applicant had ever been turned
down.
Mr.. Bills questioned about the
letters sent to Sherburne bounty re-
garding Representative Andrew Davis
of Elk River, who did not answer the
card, but had voted right in the legis-
lature. But Lotus had no recollee-
ton of the case.
Mr.. LOTUS said only one county had
been covered with circulars opposing
a candidate. Representative Lennon
wanted to know if these circulars had
not been sent to candidates in other
districts, with letters stating that if
they did not declare themselves they
would be treated in the same way.
But Mr.. Lotus did not recollect.
James Manahan, who had been
summoned as a witness, interposed
objections, and the chairman ruled
that being a witness Mr.. Manahan
could not appear as attorney at the
hearing. But several times during
the hearing Mr.. Manahan interposed
objections and explanations, and at
one time during the evening, after he
had failed to keep still when requested.
there was talk of ejecting him.
Last nights Minneapolis Journal
contained the following anent the in
vestigation:
Business men of New Ulm have pre-
pared a rejoinder to the attack of their
townsman, Representative S. D. Peter
son, upon the shippers association
A protest signed by seventy mine
firms and business men Of the city, in-
Mayor Charles Silverson, has
been forwarded to st. Paul and will be
presented to the house at its session
tomorrow. It reads as follows:
Eve, the undersigned, business
men and manufacturers OF the city of
New Ulm, enter protest against the
action of the legislature in attempting
to carb the full expression of senti-