The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-03-09
Carries on Losing Fight Against
Tonnage Tax, And Resents 1nsin-
uation as to His Truthfulness.
DIRECT VOTE FOR SENATORS
House Adopts Oregon Plan With
Every Member Present Being Re- =.
corded In Favor of Measure.
(By F. A. Wnson)

(By z. A. Wt1son)
Bemidji Pioneer Legislative Bureau
st. Paul, March eff a majority
of this house believe l am liar I'll
not remain member of this body
another hour" shouted Robert c..
Dunn, editor of the Princeton Union
and once upon time a Republican
candidate for governor of Minnesota
Mr.. Dunn, red with rage, was de-
nouncing Representatives Clinton
Robinson of Winona county and
Thomas Frankson of Fillmore county
and at the same time was following
up a vigorous condemnation of the
Johnson and Frankson tonnage tax
bill.
1t all happened at yesterdays ses-
sion when the house overruled, by a
vote OF 70 to IL, the recommendation
of the committee on taxes to indefin-
itely postpone the tonnage tax BILL
Representative Dunn, as chairman of
the house committee on taxes, urged
the adoption of the committee report
and took occasion to say some bitter
things regarding a yellow circular
bearing the names of Johnson and
Frankson which purported to be ar
guments in favor of a tonnage tox
and one Of the things contained in
the circular was an editorial credit
ed to the Princeton Union.
Mr.. Dunn was vehement in char
acterizing the alleged quotation as
"a wilfully garbled effort" and Mr..
Dunn emphatically denied ever stand
ing behind the sentiment expressed,
which, in word, was an unrestrict-
ed Endorsement of the Bjorge five per
cent tonnage tax bill.
DO you mean to say that the
Princeton Union never printed such
an editorial as appears in the circu-
lar?' queried Robinson of Winona.
Its damnable lie," Numbered
the Princeton editor, who then pro-
duced the issue of The Union in Feb
ruary, 1907, and read from it to
show that the extract given by the
circular changed completely his tone
of argument Robinson was from
Missouri on the proposition and de-
manded to see the paper. When his
name was reached on the roll, he rose
and said: Il have read the editorial
and find that the circular is not a
misquotation.'
Representative Frankson had also
despite the strenuous explanations OF
the Princeton representative, de-
clared that the Princeton man had
editorially Endorsed a tonnage tax.
These assertions as to his integ.
rity and truthfulness angered Mr.
Dunn as he has not been angered fo1
many day and jumping to his feet
under protection of Il rise to the
question of personal privelege," he
declared, in voice that meant bust.
ness:
Il have virtually been accused by
two members Of lying. Now l wan
to tell you. one and all, that if E
majority of this house thinks I an
liar, I'll not remain a member Of
this body an hour longer"
He could get no farther because O.
a burst of applause which continued
for several seconds, a thrilling tribut,
to the high esteem in which thu
Princeton man is held by the house
of representatives. However, thu
house turned down his committee re-
port and made the tonnage tax bill
a special order for Thursday of mex
week. In denouncing the bill, Mr.
Dunn said:
"There is no demand for this bill
except in the imagination of few
demogogic politicians. Two years
ago, man put in this same kind of /;
bill and had it passed. Last fall, il
! the great ninth district, he tried t,
go to Congress and when the vote
were counted he. didn't even know