The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-18
BREWER|ES CONTROL
MAJORITY Of
SALOONS
This is Situation in Minneap-
olis-Saugstad Com
mittee Meets Soon.

That breweries own ninety-seven
per cent of the saloons in Minnea polls
is the statement of the county attor-
ney there. The question is being in
vestigated because of a resolution in
PRODUCED in the Minnesota senate by
Senator Saugstad of Climax, demand
ing a probe of the brewery control of
saloons in the state.
In regard to recent developments on
the proposition, the Minneapolis Jour
nal says:
Samuel Y. Gordon, candidate for
governor. who is making his campaign
on an issue of brewery control of
saloons, with James A. Martin of st.
Paul and Cleon T. Knapp Of Chisholm,
more than an hour with County Attor-
ney James Robertson in the latter's
office in Minneapolis today. They dis
cussed conditions as revealed by the
partial investigation of brewery own
ership of saloons in Minneapolis.
Senator John Saugstad Of Crooks
chairman of the state n COM
mittee, appointed by Gordon as lieu
tenant governor at the special session
of the legislature, to make a state
wide investigation of brewery control.
is to call his committee together with
in a week and will use, as a basis for
investigation, the findings County At
torney James Robertson has made in
Minneapolis and Hennepin county.
This much was admitted by Mr.. Cor
don.
Breweries and Politics Discussed.
The visitors were %reticent, but did
not deny that they discussed brewery
control Of saloons and the influence
state. Mr.. Robertson had before him
in card index form the real estate
holdings of the Minneapolis. Gluek
and Schlitz Brewing companies. as
shown by the tax receipts Of the coun-
ty tr%easurer's Office. On the table
around which the conference took
place lay a copy Of the Minnesota laws
Of 1905. The book was opened at
licenses"
II received a letter from Senator
Saugstad," said MI. Gordan. "in which
he said his committee probably will
begin it's work next week. Senator
Saugstad is the man who introduced
the resolution in the senate for in
vestigation of brewery control. With
him on the committee are James T.
Bolye of Eveleth and Edward Rustad
Of Wheaton. Where they will begin
their Investigations I am not advised"
Mr.. Gordon said that the meeting
with County Attorney Robertson was
incidental to the keeping Of a dinner
engagement in Minneapolis today. He
admitted that brewery control was
talked Of and that records SO far gath
cred by the Hennepin county official
should prove a valuable basis upon
which to work.
RObertsOn's Discoveries.
Our investigation is not complete
said Mr.. Robertson today. but. judy
ing from the showing made so far In
the county. it Is safe to say that brew
cries own or control about 81 per cent
Of the saloons in Minneapolis. The
ga loonkeepers controlled by the brew
cries from whom they rem and from
whom many Of them receive the
money to pay the license fee. are pow
erful factors in politics. The brewer
les themselves do no exert the great
influence directly. but 1t Is through
this indirect method that pernicious
corruption creeps into politics."
That one large brewery owns or
controls more than 100 saloons and
pays taxes of $4,000 a year. Is the
statement of Leslie Ogden. assistant
county attorney. who has been COM
piling the figures. He says that the
breweries W nan valuable down.
town corners: that money is advanced
by breweries to the saloonkeepers.
who repay it in monthly installments.