The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-12-27
Eastern Rumor Has It That Gopher
Statesmen Want to Cast Respon-
sibility on President.
CONCERN TO TAFT's FRIENDS
Temperance People Aroused and
Threaten Trouble For All Who
Disagree With Them.

The matter of the enforcement of
the liquor provision contained in the
Indian treaty of 1855, which now
much discussed document comprises
a large portion of northern Minne-
sofa, has become question of ma
tional Importance and much concern.
1t presents things to think about
on the part of our national law max
ers and other public men and there
are those who are bold enough to
say that the situation is causing some
of our statesmen to try to dodge the
ISSUE
A recent Washington dispatch
charges the Minnesota delegation In
congress with attempting to shirk
it's duties and shoulder them upon
the president. 1t is said the presi-
dent and his friends feel this is the
position of the Gopher statesmen,
who are accused of trying to carry
water on both shoulders. The dis
patch further states:
The conflict is the occasion of
grave concern to all of Mr.. Taft's
friends, who feel very strongly that
the Minnesota delegation in con-
gress is seeking to shirk it's respon-
sibilities and to induce the president
to make a decision which Is fraught
with danger. The president, as is
his want, has refused to consider the
possibility of political injury to him
self, and is considering the subject
wholly on it's merits, but, in estima-
ton of other members Of the admin
istration, eyea these are being pre-
sented to him IN q more or less dis11
torted fashion. by those members Of
the Minnesota delegation who are
anxious to retain the good will of
both the liquor interests and the adj
vocates of prohibition.
The president summoned to the
White House the representatives of
the liquor interests, the members of
the Minnesota delegation and Gov
ernor Eberhart. No one appeared to
represent the liquor interests, and
the Governor, despite the fact that he
had been guest of the president at
luncheon, failed to appear at the con-
ference held at 4:3O p. m. At the
conference the efforts of the men,
bers of congress who appeared were
directed to trying to induce the pres
ident to decide the question for them.
The situation is an ugly one, from
whatever point it is viewed. First,
the necessity for enforcing these laws
has passed away. With the excep-
ton of a very small area there is no
longer any "Indian country" in the
State of Minnesota. Then, If it be
decided that the laws should have
been enforced until repealed, it is
probable that the commissioner of in
ternal revenue will be found to be an
accessory before the fact.
Again, should the President decide
that the laws must still be enforced,
they will, as has been said, apply only
to a portion of the state, and will
therefore constitute discrimination
against considerable area. For in
stance, Minneapolis may be compelled
to ego dry" while St. Paul, which
adjoins Minneapolis, but is without
the boundries of the area affected,
| will remain "wet.''>
AS the laws are no longer needed
for the protection of the Indians, it
might seem that the simple way out
Of the Dilemma would be to decide to
abrogate them, but the temperance
organizations all over the country
have been greatly aroused over the
chance of compelling Minnesota to
Ego dry regardless of the wishes of
a majority of the people of the state;
and the leaders, headed by Wilbur
F. Crafts, threaten dire consequences
to any one who opposes the temper
ance view. And finally the legal
lights OF the administration and of
the state find grave objections to an
/ effort of the federal government to
exercise within the boundaries of the
state police power that was highly
Important when Minnesota was act
ually Indian country, but which is
no longer needed for the protection
OF the wards of the nation. 1t is re-
garded as significant that neither of
the Minnesota senators has commit
ted himself in any way on this ques-
ton.
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