St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-17
DIDN'T GET A BASE.
Ministers Learn That Mayor
Smith FavorS Base Ball
on Sunday.
He Declines to Strain at a
Gnat and Swallow Sew
eral Camels.
Judge Cory Fines Police Cap
tain Bresett a Century
for Contempt. Z
Bridge Builder Beaudet Falls
Ninety Feet and Is In
stantly Killed.

stantly Killed.
Revs. A. Carnahan. of the First Pres
byterian church; III. G. Jennings, of
Oxford Methodist Episcopal church,
and George Husser. of st. PauPs Ger
man Evangelical church, composed a
committee of cergymen delegated to
wait on Mayor Smith regarding Sun
day ball playing, which the Minister'S
association, at its last meeting. decided
was vicious and against the teachings
of Christianity and public Sentl-
ment. The conference occurred
at 2 O'Clock yesterday in the
mayors office. The Rev. Mr.. Carna-
han was introduced as spokesman, and
laid the matter as viewed by the clergy
before Mayor Smith. He said that aside
from the fact that the practice of allow
ing ball games on Sunday was Often
sive to people religiOuSly inclined, and
who believed in keeping the Sabbath
holy, it was against the letter of the
law, and hence should be prohibited.
Rev. George Husser said that West st,
Paul was pandemonium on Sundays,
and the ribaldry of the crowds which
gathered there was shocking to the
people who wanted to keep the Sabbath
holy. Mayor Smith entertained widely
different views from those OF his visitors,
upon many points. He thought base ball
was healthful recreation. There are
great many people, said he. who do
not attend divine worship, and
there are great number OF young
men who go to see the games.
and while they were so employed
they were in better business than might
be the case were the games prohibited
and the youths compelled to seek other
m odes of recreation. There are no
spirits sold on the grounds, nor is there
any disorder Aside from this" said
the mayor, Il know of my own personal
experience that many hundreds of good
Christians artend the games on Sun
day." Rev. Mr.. Carnahan here init
mated that if a member OF his cOngrega-
ton committed SO grave crime against
church ethics, he would. metaphorically
speaking, Jump on the offenders neck
with both feet. Continuing, Mayor
Smith said: "There are thousands of
foreigners in this city who have been
taught to regard the Sabbath as day of
recre alton, and too strict definition Of
the law in matters of this kind is I'M
wise and would result in making this
class stubborn and disOrderly. The law
must be interpreted literally"
Rev. Mr.. Carnahan said that there ap-
peared to be in the mayors speech
decomposition that the games could be
Stopped if necessary. The mayor, re-
plying, said that they could be stopped
by getting the police force of the city
on the ground and ordering them
stopped. Rigid enforcement of the
Sabbath laws would work evil as we'll
as good. The livery stable would have
to be closed. the man who furnished
people. with bread and meat Sunday
would be equally liable to arrest. AS
to the disorder on the grounds and in
that vicinity, all precautions have been
taken to maintain order. No bands of
music are allowed to be present and
everything possible has been done to
secure comparative quiet at the park.
The mayor said that he had already re-
ceived large deputation from the
young business men of the city who
objected strongly to any such move as
that -proposed by the clergy.
City Attorney Murray agreed with the
surveyor. The trouble with the minis
merOuS fields in the city in which they
could do and had done world of good,
they were mistaken in the notion that
they could govern city. "There are
some things" said Mr.. Murray, that
the preachers should not attempt to
govern. Our city stands at the head
for cities of it's size in the United States
as regards morality, and the absence of
crime. There are evils, however, which
cannot be suppressed, and must be gov
erned with discretion"
You assume then that these evils
must exist?" inquired Mr.. Carnahan.
'They do exist" Mr.. Murray replied.
81 have been connected with the gov
eminent of this city for forty years. and
l know something about 1t. These
things do exist, and will exist as long
as the spirit of old Adam is in man.
"You would advise us then to go for
the evils of the Patagonian," asked Mr..
Jennings, ''instead of the yiciousness
here at home" iA
mo, / shouldn't do that" said the
city attorney, ''for the probability is
that you would never. get back. If
this were country town." continued
the attorney, ''yOu would have the SYM
pathy Of the people with yon. Here it
is different. The sentiment is the other
way" =, .,
Our position is clear then.'' said Mr..
Jennings. "We agree to differ Oh this
matter. We, of course, are -unalterably
opposed to the continuance of base ball
games on Sunday" H.
81 am sorry to differ with you, gentle
men," said Mayor Smith, ''but l think
the ball games are less of an evil than
the road houses and other resorts of the
kind, which would take the place of the
games"
This ended the conference, and the
mayor bowed the ministers out with the
air of a Chesterfield.