The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1917-10-10


Dunning, it gave utterance 70 the fol-
lowing paragraph:
"The prosecution was con-
Quoted solely by Mr.. Torrance
from it's inception. He person.
ally conducted the investi-
CATION which resulted in secur-
ing the evidence upon which
conviction was secured, and the
result plainly indicates that the
people of Beltrami county have
forever placed their stamp of
disapproval upon the teachings
of destructive principle which
would tend to paralyze the ef-
forts of the government In
carrying on the war to certain
victory"
In thus writing the simple account
of the trial of the erstwhile secretary
of the Bemidji branch of the Indus
trial Workers of the World, who
was charged with advocating sabo-
tage and selling Literature advocat-
ing the same, the Pioneer intended
to commend Beltrami county's states
attorney, the incumbent being Gra-
ham M. Torrance, intended to show
to the people of Beltrami county that
it's county attorney was alert in safe
guarding thier interests, the states
interests and the nations interests,
that it was Beltrami county who Sc
cured the first conviction under the
sabotage act termed the II. w. w.
Bill' recently passed by the state
legislature, intended, again, to show
that Beltrami county was making
good, and that it's county attorney
possessed the ability to cope with the
situation and one of the best law
yers in the state and a member of the
state legislature.
Absolutely No Animus.
There was not the slightest anlmus
in that entire article nor in the FORE
going paragraph toward any living
soul. The Pioneer defies any one to
point out one single instance. Yet
from the day the article was pub
lished the Pioneer has been per-
sonally abused, criticised, and In
truth and veracity questioned by in
sinuation from certain sources and
persons, even to the time hOnOred
custom of certain persons in Bemidji
getting a Minneapolis newspaper to
print distorted account without re-
gard to the real facts, such as were
stated in the Pioneer.
Imputation Resented.
This is no concern of the county
attorney, but it is the concern of the
Pioneer which resents the imputation
that what it said was untrue, not
only insinuated but uttered audibly.
And it is for that reason that this
newspaper is forced to defend ITSELF
fo ifc 1nrc tho ont n
ticity of the article. 1t seems that
for well known reasons the Pioneer
is the object of attacks and its col
umns subject matter for certain
stripe in Bemidji, who have we'll
set plan to injure it and those whom
they personally dislike. The paper
knows them and so does every one
else in Bemidji This is one of their
dirty attempts and in doing so has
/ forced the Pioneer to it's own defense
and it is perfectly able to do so.
Regret of Pioneer"
The paper regrets that in defend
| ing the malicious attacks upon it, 1t
is obliged to mention the names of
Chief of Police F. B. Ripple, Officer
Jack Essler and County Attorney
| Torrance The records of the dis
trict court, when Dunning was tried
before Judge c. w. Stanton will bear
out the assertions of this newpaper
and substantiate the statement of
| maliciousness on the part of the
petty chameleon political bootlickers.
| The whole matter would not be
worthy of even passing notice were II
| not for the intention Of the shor
horns to belittle the veracity of tn
Pioneer which will not back one inc
for the biggest mouthpiece in t.
| layout.
Not Personal Matter.
From the first meeting of CT
of Police Frank B. Ripple and
editor of the Pioneer there has
nothing to mar that friendship
we are aware of. Chief Ripp'
heartily co-operated with the Ee
of the Pioneer in every way I le
and he has in turn given Chie' ~
credit for his good work and N
in no small degree, as the fiji uo'
paper will substantiate. ~ u
questions Chief Ripple in NO
tion with the Dunning c: con
so happened that in this il Ase' o'
| county attorney was the lslahce
| r,vnr~ nm r-r~ ~~>