The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-05-27

. Axsve andAipata. til out door
work q the FusadeSs hSf8een deei-
5ded to an lbstrucGon o. The streets,
and e& Aeqaently ilheaL1he special
offense which was followed By the ar
rest and trial of the forty three ladies
rather than actual, for
the sidewalk was not materially block
ed By them, aAd no disturbance was
apparent or threatened Still. the let
ter Of the law demanded their eonvie-
= tion. The defendsnts we're dismissed
without psy ment Of costs, but admon-
-is hs3 ~ en- NJ more
The decision of the Police Judge
E has beem followed by an order from
5 tho Police Commissioners torhidding
the ladies to sing or pray ia any street,
: park, alley. or square, under penalty
+, of the rigorous enforcement of the
. Law.
If It were asked of our municipal
authorities Why they are so xealous in
! this direction. they would doubtless
: answer that the crusaders initiated
the feelings of large class OF the peo-
. pie, and, If their demonstrations con-
tinued, a mob would probably be
a, ou>ed. OF course, rioting Is to be
deprecated and prevented whenever
possible, but it may be doubted wheth-
er the prejudices of an element which
seeks to convince opponents by clubs
and stones are so specially sacred as
to be entitled to an extra amount of
consideration. 1t Is very offensive to
saloon keepers to be compelled to list
en- to prayers end hymns, but it is
equally so to Christians of many de-
nolAsna thus to have their Sunday
services interrupted by the noisy pro-
cessions which so uently pass their
church doors. These last sufferers
are not of the kind who attempt to
relieve themselves by violence, but
are their feelings any, the less worthy
of consideration on that account? Are
we to have prohibition of all obnox-
ious. street demonstrations? Ii the
ladies can not sing or pray out of
doors, shall brass bands disturb the
Sabbath stiffness SO highly priced t.y
many of our most respectable citizens?
Shall German mobs attack with inn
punity ladies on their way to social
gathering because they are suspected
Of being crusaders? Are prayers to
be put down and stones and black
guards to be tolerated? Again, often
sive as the women may have been,
those who are most disturbed by them
are open, constant, and fragrant viola
tors Of law and the fosterers of crime
aud pauperism but for the existence
of these enemies of the public veal,
the crusade would never been under
taken. Granting the impossibility of
compelling men to temperate habits,
or entirely abolishing the retailing of
spirits, it Is possible to compel the
dealers in intoxicating beverages to
keep within the bounds of decency
At all events, the city authorities have
sworn TO attempt to enforce the liquor
laws as we'll as all other State and n-u-
nicipal statutes. As yet they have
not made the first step in that direc-
ton. Violate of oaths private or
Off cial, is legally and morally perjury,
and the swift pursuers of the temper
ance women are bound by all that is
sacred to show equal zeal in regard to
their law breaking opponents.
But it is useless to argue poiut
that has often been discussed, and is
apparent to all. Cincinnati has been
sold by the dishonesty of political
managers and the apathy of good
citizens" to the lowest elements in its
population. The present situation
has been predicted from year to year,
yet men who had influence to insure a
better state of things have steadily
failed to use it. Officially, The roughs
have it all their own way The drunk
ards, the gamblers. and the hauntcrs
of brothels are fifty represented at the
City Building, and the hope of reform
lies in the future. This is peoples
government, and if decent men refuse
to vote, or allow scheming politicians
to dictate their votes, they must not
complain if they do not like their sur
roundings. Whether the supremacy
of rowdyism is to be permanent or is
eventually to be overcome depends
upon the peoples will. There is de-
cency enough in Cincinnati to triumph
If it will shake off its sloth and con-
centrate its strength Will it ever do
sO2-Cipeinnati Gazette.