The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-12-02
DRY" ADRERENTS WILL APPEAL
TO HIGHEST COURT FOR OPINION
Right of Uncle Sam to Close the
Saloons Is Now Being
Questioned
Put the Treaty Law Up for Test
In Supreme Tribunal of
This Country

/ Washington, Nov. 30--Suits will be
Instituted in the federal courts Of Min.
! nesota in the near future with a pur.
/ pose of obtaining judicial decision
government to enforce what amounts
to prohibition of the liquor traffic in
the Indian country" OF the state.
Evidence has been or Will be collect
ed against saloonkeepers in Minneap-
oils, Duluth and other large cities
within the prescribed area, and COM
plants will be made that the accused
persons are operating in violation of
| the treaty under the authority of
which r. A. Ballinger, secretary of
the interior, issued his now famous
order. Every effort will be made by
the government to expedite the hear
ing and settlement OF these cases in
the courts.
The conclusion to test the force of
the treaty law prohibiting the ship
ping of liquor into and selling Of liquor
in the Indian country OF Minnesota
was reached by interior department
officials after careful investigation
of the situation in the state. The Spe-
cial agents in the field have been di
rected to collect evidence in the pro-
posed test cases, and they will be filed
in due season.
Neither Secretary Ballinger, who
has left Washington, nor Indian Com
missioner Valentine, under whose i'm
mediate direction Special Agent w. L.
Johnson is operating, was disposed to
discuss the proposed judicial proceed
ings.
'All | can say on this subject" said
Secretary Ballinger, is that | have
issued orders that the treaty law
bearing on the liquor question in Min
nesota shall be enforced impartially
and absolutely"
1--WE are carrying out the instruc-
tons of the secretary of the Interior"
said Commissioner Valentine. THAT
means that the law is to be enforced
uniformly wherever it applies"
Carried Out Only in Part.
Information received from Mime
sofa is that the Ballinger order has
been carried out only in part up to
date; that so far 'Pussyfoot'' Johnson
has acted only in the area covered by
the treaty of 1855 This treaty EN-
braces part of Itasca, Crow Wing and
st. Louis counties. nearly all of Ait
kin county, all Of Cass, Becker and
Hubbard counties. parts of Beltrami,
Clearwater and Norman counties and
nearly all of Wadena county
Unless the judicial proceedings
about to be instituted result in halt
ing Special Agent Johnson and his
assistants, all Of Minnesota, with the
exception of the following described
sections, will be brought under the
tolls of the prohibition order of Sec
rotary Ballinger:
A strip of land twenty miles wide
and fifty miles long, beginning at New
Ulm and extending up the Minnesota
river TO the South Dakota line. This
land, reserved by the Indians years
ago, was confiscated as result of the
Sioux massacre in 1862 Also Ram
sey. Washington, Anoka, Chisago,
Isanti, Kanabec Benton, Sherburne,
Pine and Mile Laos countless part of
Morrison county, small, irregular
tract around Red lake in Beltrami
county; another irregular tract in the
northern part OF koOchiching and st.
Louis counties; a narrow strip of land
around Lake Pepin in Wabasha and
Goodhue counties the part OF Ienne
pin county lying east Of the MiSsis,
sippi river and few townships in the
extreme southeastern corner of Hous
ton county.
The officials do not say that the
enforcement of the Baliinger order
will be suspended pending a decision
of the matter by the courts. On this
point they refuse to throw any light
Persons here familiar with the views
of Commissioners Valentine on the
subject declare that the activities OF
the special agent will be extended
soon and that in comparatively
short time the prohibition order will
move cas-; ward toward Duluth and
then southwark toward Minneapolis,
Doubt is expressed by some govern.
ment officials that the courts will su3
tain the order.