Dakota “Half-Breeds” Refuse to Pay Tax

From the issue of The New York Times:

Will Not Pay Taxes.

Church’s Ferry, Dakota, . — Considerable excitement exists regarding the half-breed situation at St. John. It seems that vigorous attempts are being made on the part of the Rollette County officials to collect taxes from such half-breeds as are alleged to be regularly taxable.

Sheriff Flynn and one assistant made a descent upon the settlement and succeeded in making a few collections. Later, however, the half-breeds assembled from all directions, and pressing about the Sheriff and his one man they forced him to surrender his well-earned pittance of taxes.

The Sheriff, realizing that he was no match for the increasing numbers of savages, retreated to St. John and called upon the local military organization for assistance. Major McKee immediately placed his command under arms.

The half-breeds are loud in their denunciations of this attempt to collect taxes or rob them, and say they will resist to the last man. Sheriff Flynn has been notified that he will be shot on sight if he again makes a similar attempt.

The Toronto Daily Mail published an expanded version of the same article. Excerpts:

Rumblings of a disturbance have been heard for some time, and yesterday the affair culminated in direct opposition to the policy of the county officials and assumes the appearance of an outbreak.

…[R]umour states that a message has been sent to Governor Church requesting him to give the soldiers at Fort Totten orders to march to St. John if needed.

The alarming part of the situation seems to be that a large number of the 4,000 half-breeds on the reservation are preparing to take a hand in the matter, and bloodshed is feared.

The militia company of St. John is marching to the scene.

The Vote

From the issue of The Vote:

Women’s Tax Resistance League

On Mrs. Kineton Parkes spoke at a meeting at Clacton-on-Sea under the auspices of the Women’s Social and Political Union. Mrs. Arthur Sykes presided, and a resolution was passed unanimously demanding a Government measure for Woman Suffrage and urging women to resist taxation by every means in their power as a protest against the continued denial of justice. On the League took its part in the Suffrage Exhibition held at Eastbourne. A stall for the sale of tax-resistance literature was in the able hands of Miss Edith Hulme, of St. Leonards-on-Sea, and Mrs. [Margaret] Kineton Parkes spoke on the principles and practice of tax resistance. The following new pamphlets are now on sale at the offices of the League at 10, Talbot House, 98, St. Martin’s-lane, W.:— “The A.B.C. of Tax Resistance,” price 1d.; “The Third Annual Report,” price 1d.; “Married Women and Taxation,” price 3d.