"If It Becomes Necessary To Bear Arms To Protect Ourselves And Our Liberties"

CASS LAKE READY TO FIGHT WITH FIREARMS

Newspaper Makes Daring Plea for Defense of "Lives and Property" Against U. S. Agents.

APPEAL MADE TO GOVERNOR

Chief Executive Warned That Blood-shed Must be Expected if Present Conditions Longer Prevail.

   There are evidences that a reign of actual civil war impends at Cass Lake. Justice Frank Ives has appealed to Governor Eberhart to interfere with the Indian agents of the Department of the Interior, who he says, are persecuting the people of northern Minnesota in the enforcement of the liquor laws.

   Cass Lake newspapers have sounded the alarm and the Times issues a call to arms in the following language:

Ready and Willing to Fight.

   "Ever since the appearance among us of the special agents of the United States Indian Department our people, anxious to be law-abiding, have stood, almost awe-stricken in contemplating the atrocious acts of agents and most of us have been 'cowd' with fear when the name of the United States has been mentioned in connection with the acts of a few marauders who have assumed control without any warrant of law.

"That period of inactivity and fear has passed and our citizens have at last been aroused from the lethargic condition prevailing for many months and are now READY AND WILLING TO FIGHT FOR THEIR LIBERTY as they did when King George imposed
unbearable conditions upon them.

Will Bear Arms if Necessary.

   "Our people are now ready for the contest IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO BEAR ARMS TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LIBERTIES EVERY CITIZEN WILL EMBRACE THE PRIVILEGE the Constitution of the United States and that of our state vouchsafes us.

   "We are tired of being over-ridden by a gang of cowboy toughs at the direction of the sub department of the Interior we have rights and we know what they are and will maintain them EVEN IF WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEM.

Warns Governor of Bloodshed.

   Justice Ives in his call upon the governor for aid tells of the recent raids made by the Indian agents and states plainly that unless the governor interferes, bloodshed must result in northern Minnesota. He pleads with the governor to put the question up to the attorney general of the United States as to whether the state or the Department of the Interior is in
control of northern Minnesota.

   So serious has become the Cass Lake situation that Special Inspector Gentilly of Ashland, Wisconsin, is in Cass Lake, looking over the situation, particularly in regard to the recent trouble with Agents Sero and Davis, arrested on charges of assault brought by A.A. Oliver, of Walker, after his grip had been searched for contraband liquor. Mr. Gentilly comes under orders from William E. Johnson, chief special agent of the Indian department, with headquarters at Denver.

Approaching a Crisis.

   Mr. Gentilly will personally inspect conditions in all of the affected northern towns and make a report in person to Mr. Johnson. The present crisis is brought about by the governmental mandate prohibiting the sale of liquor, under an old treaty in certain places of the restricted territory.

   As the order now stands, several towns will have their saloons closed on October 15 and it is on this date that the climax of the present tense situation may be expected, unless the storm breaks before that time. Bemidji is taking no hand in the uprising as the saloons here have not been ordered to close.

[The Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Bemidji, Minnesota, Tuesday Evening,  September 27, 1910. Volume 8. Number 138. Pg. 1]