St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-09
FAR TOO MANY SALOONS.
Such was the Opinion of Large Au-
dience at Plymouth Church
Last Evening.
The Legislature to be Asked to In
crease the License to Five Hun
bred Dollars.

| ment to the present license law of the state,
which has been drafted and presented to the
present legislature for passage.
| REV. DR. DANA
said the object of the meeting was to secure
u pronounced sentiment on the part of the
law and order loving citizens OF st. Paul in
| behalf of raising the licenses in this city
and the state from 500 to $780, Minueap-
oils had done this by an ordinance which
had blotted out 276 Of its low dives and
saloons, and freed its residence streets from
this curse. St. Paul was with its 576 saloons
thickley sown all over its limits worse off
than any city in the state, and the time had
come for its Christian and moral citizens to
invoke legislative action for its protection,
which had been denied by the municipal au-
thorities. Should the brewers attempt to de-
feat this just measure, he predicted that by
concentration of the temperance forces Of
the state in 1887 protection law would re-
| suit.
! THOMAS COCHRAN, JR..
said he was in pulpit and if he were to take
text il would be the words of Saul of Tar
sus, who in the fall of the Roman mob COM
PEELED the protection of the Roman captain
| by exclaiming 81 am a citizen OF no IN can
city," 1t was the duty OF the Christian and
intelligent citizenship of st. Paul to pre-
serve that which it had builded and Of which
it was justly proud against those evils which
were undermining it morally and socially.
| We were living rapid life OF
business and gain to the extent
| OF RELOCATING to the rear the vital
questions of life and present aud future
moral development and growth. The ques-
ton of the regulation OF the liquor traffic in
our city was a ghost which would not down,
and was rising up constantly in our politi-
cal, social and church life; and it must be
| faced and settled. 1t was 4 critical period
now, IN which the prohibitionist and the high
license man should join forces to secure re-
striction as first step towards ultimate state
and government constitutional prohibition.
| We must, to save the fair fame of our city,
of which we are all so proud, turn square
about for its rescue, for if We neglect
its moral status for material and commercial
wealth, and forget the evils which demoral-
ize and vitiate our children. our homes and
| our citizenship. our pride will be turned to
| st0ne-we shall be great in business, COM
merce and in population, but we shall also be
| great in evil
W. NJ. BUSHNELL
said he felt it his duty to advocate a high
license amendment as recompense for the
| privileges he enjoyed and the great moral duty
he owed st. Paul for such. This bill would
be the entering wedge in a movement which
would secure blessings, safety and
security to this metropolis in the future.
| High license was needed as a tax to pay for
| the injurious consequences OF even limited
| sale of drink and to protect youths of our
own, and coming here for homes. In ten
| years saloons had increased in this city ten
| fold, and they cid not pay a proportiOnate
| tax with other business There was the same
state of things here as at Cincinn natl in 1888,
whose 1000 saloons paid a tax of $500,
while one business firm in that city paid
tax of $16, 600, and nineteen firms 1929, 900.
We have the elements IN this city to drive out
the dives and slums here which cannot be
watched By the police, and we must combine
our forces and do this quickly for mutual
veal.
REV. DR.. THOMAS
was in full sympathy with this movement to
increase license fees in the cities aud all
over the state. He was recent convert to
this belief, having long thought that the
power OF Christ or moral snasiou must rcgu-
! late this vice. Bat his eyes had been opened
10 the fact that the sale OF intOXicauts must
be restricted by law. The argument Of pro-
! hibitionists that II was a sin 10 license
wrong was an error when urged as refusal
TO Join in the effort TO secure high license, for
| high license was Of itself moderate
| prohibition. No new law was asked for in
| the state, but a rise Of 500 to $500 for
| license. This was asked not as a final, but
an experimental action to reduce a too large
number of saloons in this city and state. It
was the duty OF all good citizens TO elevate
general temperance sentiment in our state,
and II every man and woman would come up
to the support and stand brhind such a move
ment this fearful and threatening vice could
! be controlled.
! REV. DIR. DANA
concluded the exercises with most eloquent
aud forcible remarks on the subject under
consideration. What we wan I'd was protec-
ton for st. Paul. Minneapolis and Saltwater
both had high license, and the towns In the
| state had local option, while ST. Paul was the
botany bay OF Minnesota in the rum traffic.
| II We don't want all the liquor sellers Of the
state who have been driven out elsewhere 10
settle and sell in st. Paul, We
must have this year from the
legislature what our city council
| has denied us-the protection OF the strong
arm Of the commonwealth. New York city
is preserved from becoming Sodom and
| Gomorrah by the mem oers Of the state legs
lature from the rural districts, and we ask
these members In our legislature to defend
US from the enemy which Is eating out the
vitals of our city and flooding US with sor-
! row, poverty aud sin.
We ought to have the Nebraska license
law in Minnesota, the model law
| in this Union for the suppression
| of this curse-sl 900 for a city and $500 for
\ 4 county liceuse: the sale as open as other
| business without blinds or screens; heavy
/ bonds making the seller responsible IN
damages for injury inflicted on persons or
| property by the person he has made drunk,
and penal discipline added for violation Of
law. But the Father Matthew society thought
| this would be asking too much Of our legisla-
ture this year and with them our demands
are modest aud we now ask hut little. We
ask not TO be given over 10 two years more Of
desolatioD. distress aud degradation In
| this city by our legislature
| for rescue al down the line. and must not
| divide on questions and methods, buI strike
| Tor what Is practicable and possible The
/ responsibility Of success or failure in the
/ securing of the legislation desired is on our
( Christian and temperance people. Rouse
/ N from your apathy and recognize that
there is something else besides your over
whelming business, great blocks and sue
/ cCssiul Ommerce-sBorals to be preserved,
/ names 20 be saved aud vice 70 he
thrUttled, which Is sucking the
/ life blood out Of your metropolis
| Rciierate to the legislature the decision made
at the temperance mass meeting al Market
I bali on one Of the coolest eveBiugs last jan
/ usry, for high license in this municipality,