Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-12
CITIZEN SPEAKS.
The Mission of the Citizens League
n tIic Propositions of Cuisines
Man in Beh:.lf OF Peace and Coos


and tIic Propositions of Cuisines
Man in Beh:.if OF Peace and Coos
win.
TO the Press and Dakotdsan.
The article in your issue OF MAY
10Th, signed Business Man" and pub
lished under the heading "a Sensible
Suggestion, " calls for d word Of reply
/ We agree with the writer of that ar.
ticle as to the advisability OF calm and
dispassionate consideration Of grave
question, the elimination of personal
prejudice, and the Importance to the
city of harmonious action upon matters
Of public concern. Our first departure
from him is when he speaks Of the an
tagonism as between radical elements
applying as he seems to do, the term
radical" to those whose only contention
is for the observance Of law. Reference
to the published constitution of the
citizens league, Sec, 2, will show
that the only object of the league is "the
enforcement by all proper means, of all
the restrictive features Of existing laws,
both municipal and territorial. which af-
feet the liquor traffic. Also to execute
as far as possible all laws against gamb-
ling, or any other practice that is harm
full to good morals or good order" Note
that tho object is the enforcement Of
existing laws. Who made these laws ?
Not the citizens league surely.
Had they made o body of stringent
laws against the liquor traffic
perhaps "business men" could with pro-
pristy have spoken of them as radical"
Inasmuoh then as they deal with exist.
ing laws the only conclusion left 10, that
if to insist on the enforcement Of law
constitutes radicalism in one direction,
radioalism in the other direction must
be to insist on breaking the existing
laws. Where then does the gsntleman's
pet theory of arbitration find room to
work. Arbitration implies concession.
Indeed he says: "Both sides would
need to concede something" But what
is there to ooncede? What concession
would the gentleman suggest on the
part of those whose sole object is main
tenance Of law? II he insists upon con.
csssions he insists upon placing himself
squarely on the ground that some exist
ing laws may be broken. The only con-
cession possible is that the laws be OBJ.
served and enforced in their entirety.
Ii the gentleman will apply his ex
perience in arbitration to the securing
of such q concession, q grateful COM
munity will rise up and call him blessed.
Now q word as to the ~"pugnacity'
spoken of. Every step on the part OF
the citizens league to which
"a term could possibly apply
has been in strict conformity to Law.
-Four cases have. been brought to the
attention of the community. Two
women pleaded guilty to keeping houses
of i'll fame without a trial. One man in
the same way plead guilty to keeping q
gambling resort. One man on the
f1imsiest sort of a dodge. escaped con-
yiction on the charge of selling liquor to
minors, man by e remarkable YER
dict escaped conviction on charge of
assault with intent to kill upon an Off
Ger duly appointed by the city council.
in accordance with an ordinance author
izing such an appointment. Where is
the "pugnaolty" Would the gentleman
ask for a greater degree of mildness ?
We can conceive of none unless it be to
abandon the field altogether. We admit
shat on the other side there has been
what the gentlemen would probably call
by the mild term "p%ugnaoity." Again
we say that if he will secure the arbisfa-
ment of that form of "~pugnacity" a
grateful community will rise up and call
him blessed.
I make these remarks in justice to an
effort which seems to be persistently
misunderstood, but which ono fairly
considered cannot but command the
hearty support of every one wishing
well to the community. A CITIZEN.
Gall at Shaw,s Rastanranf