Morris tribune., 1915-05-21
MUST FILE COSTS
WITH CO. AUDITOR
Corrupt Practices Law Will Con-
troll Special Election in Ste
vens County June FL

Il the breweries and allied liquor
interests in this state are to figure IN
the county option campaign and elec-
tion to be closed in Stevens county on
Monday. June FL. they must file an
expense account with County Auditor
Wollthan within thirty days after the
election. Special elections under the
new county option law are controlled
by the corrupt practices act.
This opinion was given bv Attorney
General Lyndon A. Smith last week
in the matter affecting the election in
Clay county. W. E. Rowe, head of
the citizens committee at Crookston
wanted to know and Attorney Smith
held that the corrupt practices act ap-
plies to such elections as well as to
general elections. This means. that
wherever committees are active in
efforts to pass or prevent the passage
of the county option proposition, they
must file statements the same as IN
general election. The statements
must be filed with the auditor.
There is persistent rumor that the
breweries are to spend considerable
money in Stevens county to prevent,
if possible, the passage Of the county
option measure. Speakers are to be
sent over the county t. tell the voters
what dire calamities will befall them
in saloonless county, and to explain
matters generally from "wet'
viewpoint. Other plans for spending
$1,000 or more are said to have been
perfected although nothing suspicious
has developed so far. The "drys'
give it out cold that they have no
m 3ney to spend but are depending on
lch voter to exercise thought and
judgment in the matter. While it
is generally conceded that Stevens
will be dry by handsome majority a
lively campaign seems to be looked
for Men in close touch with the
political situation in the county pro-
TESS little or no concern in the out
come. They say it is to be a
farmers - battle, and that nc
amount of persuasion either way will
change their vote. All the villages
in the county are "wet" but some OF
them are expected to reverse the scne'
dule on special election day. Fol
years a popular argument in all the
villages on election day has been tha
saloons are business getter and thai
farmers would refuse to trade in the
dry town. 1t has been vigorously
denied and now that the farmers
t .emselVes will have a chance to set.
tie the matter no more argument viii
be looked for on that point.
81 don know yet just how will
vcte,'' said prominent farmer the
other day. fa"I am not talking fol
publication but | would resent the i'm
putation that | am a boozer anC
wouldn't come to town unless | coulC
have the chance to get drunk at the
same time if so wished I think
the saloon men will not attempt The
, folly of corrupting the election by
spending any great amount of money
in Stevens county. 1t would be re-
sented by the farmers. ! would also
resent the offensive activity of any
"dry' worker. l respect the convic
tions of any man and would lister
with respect to sane argument frUn
both side. Since the farmers are the
heaviest taxpayers and must pay the
biggest burdens in maintaining tht
boarders at the countv Jail, Eost O.
whom coming over the whiskey route
believe they have a right to do thei
own thinking and voting. l thinl
the Tribune is pursuing the righ
course in leaving this matter to th
intelligence of the voters and promis
ing to print the views of both sides
! understand the Tribune favors tn
"drys" ard that won't hurt it any. 4
'And that is a pretty good expires
sion of how the farmer folk feel abou
the campaign that is on. So far on
would scarcely know that count
option election is to be held mex
month. The dry forces haven't gon
to work yet and the wet ones are onl