Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-11-15
CORRKSPONDENCE.

The Saloons of Minneapolis.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
A great deal has been said through the pa
pers about the growth and prosperity of Min.
neapolis and much more remains to be said.
But your readers may find few facts con-
cerning its saloons both interesting and sug-
gestive. In the spring of 1882 there were
252 licensed saloons here. During that year
the number increased to 371, and the next
year to 515. This hardly tells the whole
story, however, for there were scores of
smaller dives selling liquor without license
and everything seemed to be done to make
the business easy and comfortable for those
engaged in it. The license fee was only
$1OO and even then it was customary to make
communication so that man opening his sa-
loon in the middle of the year would only
have to pay half price. Low concert halls
and gambling dens fourished openly and
with the actual approval of the administra-
ton, police protection being furnished SO
that they need not be disturbed by intruders
This evil state of affairs finally aroused re-
spectacle people SO that they combined to
cleanse the city. The result was that Mayor
led under majority of 5000 votes given to
elect Mayor Pillsbury and a council was
chosen in thorough sympathy with reform.
That was in 1884. This new administra-
ton raised the license fee to $500. They
also confined the sale of liquors within ssac-
tive patrol limits" i. e., within an arbitrary
line beyond which it was not found necessary
to send patrol except on special call. The
existing law forbidding the sale of liquor
within a mile of the State university, and
other similar restrictions, were also revived
and enforced. The result was that not less
than fve-sixths of the territory covered by
the city was practically prohibition ground,
COLI ho lir,,ifc
being closed up, while inside the
line the high license plan closed
1876 more such establishments. The
515 saloons that had been previously recog-
nized by law were thus diminished at once to
278, while the scores of unlicensed places
were vigorously closed, with those few excep-
tions that always succeed in escaping the
most vigilant exercise of law. The concert
halls and gambling dens were rigidly sup
pressed. During the second year of Mayor
Pillsbury's administration the city enjoyed a
most remarkable growth; and at its close its
population was nearly twice great as when
he was inducted into Office. Yet the number
of saloons had increased only from 278 to
29S, which paid into the city treasury the
sum of $149, 600 tax, as over against the
sum of $451 900 previously received from
more than double the number of saloons.
Now why did not this admirable state of
things continued Why did not the reform SO
ments? One reason was that the Pillsburys
were capitalists; and altho ugh i was conced-
ed that they treated their employees kindly,
even to the extent Of sharing with them the
surplus gains of their great mills, yet the
prejudices of the foreign laborers especially
were excited and promises of the most ex-
travagant nature were made and believed in
by them; as, for instance, that every one of
then, should have a clear title gwen him to
the land his house stood on; that each labor
er should get $3.50 day; that the millers
and other capitalists would be compelled to
divide, etc. Meanwhile the third party
prohi bitionists, with well-meant but
kept up their organization, thus Withdrawing
portion of the vote that should have gone
to the support of a decent administrati IN but
some of them actually urged people who
would not vote their ticket to vote for Ames
on the theory that the worse matters became
the sooner would anti saloon Republicans be
compelled to come into the prohibition
ranks The result of all this was that last
spring Mayor Ames was re elected in room
of Mayor Pillsbury by majority running up
into the thousands.
The council, however, has held firmly to
the principles of high license and the patrol
limit, although the Mayor has done his best
to break down these restrictions. Concern
ing DR.. Ames, it should here be said that he
is an excellent surgeon, man of warm and
generous impulses and the very "prince of
good fellows" only he wants 'twide open
policy" reckless of good morals and the true
welfare of the public. The doctor, more
over, is ambitious and wanted to be chosen
Governor of this proud young common
wealth. He has, therefore, used every art
and influence that could be imagined to ac-
complish that aim; and while his claim was
repudiated by an overwhelming majority in
Minneapolis, he came very near succeeding
6hrnnOh the ananJoI nod nnf
the Republican majority for McGill only be-
ing about 2,600-a great falling off from the
majority of about Il 900 gi ZEN for Blaine as
President. Here again appeals to the labor
prejudices had force; and also the third party
boast of having diverted $4,000 votes. We
rejoice that good Governor is chosen; but
our city mourns that it must keep bad
Mayor another year, of whom it would have
been rid had the people placed him N the
gubernatorial chairl E. Y,