St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-11

of God and love of men. Could this be
| the fact? ALI the many and grave
troubles which vex the clergy and per-
| pick mayors would vanish in trice.
But alas! for the fact. Men are selfish
| greedy, impure, untrue, do drink and
will fight and cause no end Of trouble
| All this it is which makes the Office OF
ruler and executor of the law hard
one. And, to make it yet harder, the
moment any official does his very best,
having regard to the public opinion, be
| for what he does, in that he does SO
| much, and as fiercely assailed by sec
ond part because he does not do more,
while little praise and less support is
given by any considerable part Of the
public.
1t is we'll to bear in mind this fact:
A law is worth just what moral senti-
ment is in the public mind at the back
of it, and no more. and that it is infin-
itely better that we have no law than
law which the people despise, break
and set at naught. 1t has been too
much the fashion to abuse the saloon
keeper, in terms | will not use. as if he
is the cause of all our woe. But, the
truth to tell, there is standing alongside
of him very large part of the people
of business, and who are in active moral
sympathy with him, and who post their
cash on his trade. This is the fact, or
all saloon law would settle itself in an
hour. And the blame ought not all
to be visited on the saloonkeeper, but
upon those who support the system ;
upon that large, influential, wealthy
and powerful constituency who support
it, as we'll as the men who conduct it.
Nothing less than this is demanded by
justice. | am a tee-totaler, but as an
honest man am bound to say, the law,
as the expression Of the public will,
gives to saloons rights L am bound to
respect. Yes, and as long as the law
is what it is to defend if need be. Now
this is foundation position which
neither logic, sentiment, nor self
interest in any man or number of men
can resist with success. But the men
who keep saloons, to whom so much is
given, must please remember that the
law which gives rights also demands
obedience. A man who buys six
horses, and demands seven. or
takes that number, is not all honest
man. A man, who, from the public,
buys the right to sell any kind of mer-
chandise six days, and sells seven. will
excuse me if l say to him l do not look
upon that as just or fair, or loyal to law
and public duty; and that if trouble
arise about it, it is not the man who
calls the attention of the people to it,
but the blame rests in the man who
breaks the law. Let us all respect the
law, honor it, and see that others do the
like.
Now about the Sunday theater. The
men who manage, and the men who
take part in the comic or in the dra-
matte entertainment are bright,
clever, active and alert class of men;
men who are not below their fellows
in ability or shrewdness, or in power
to make money. Many of them
have done noble service in the
Interpretation of the best works of the
clearest minds of all the ages. They
have given their meaning to many
phases of life, and have chased from
weary hearts and tired minds dull care,
and thus blessed the world. If the the
ater had been absolutely bad it would
not have received the support it has had
at the hands of so many of the best peo-
pie in this and ali lands. There is no
sign of its losing its hold upon the pop
ular mind. In day when as never be-
fore the ablest men in Europe anu on
this continent are asking how shall we
purify and thus better public amuse-
ments. How shall we lift the drama up
to high place of service? How shall
we eliminate the impure and enthrone
the pure, and raise in every way the
public taste, and thus make more
valuable the art and skill of the
men who are interested in all these
things. 1t is a matter of sad, deep re-
gret that the day God has given for rest,
peace. family life, worship and quiet
should be invaded by the theater. l
say to these men who plan thus, Breth-
rem, why do you so vex us? The Sun
day is the best heritage of the laboring
man. 1t is sanctified by holy memor
les. 1t has present promise of good.
We will do our best to give it to our
children in all its advantage and glory.
Let not the flattering view be taken
that only theater managers are to
blame. Every person who goes to a
Sunday theater is just as guilty. In
conclusion let us remember that the
work of ruling this city is not easy.
l place on record my conviction
that the men now in power de-
sire, in an honest, earnest way,
to do the best which is possible to be
done. They cannot realize the ideal.
No other men could in our present state.
We are mixed people, with varying
views, interests and powers. We have
had in office all kinds of men-very
devout, and men who did not pretend to
be religious overmuch. Vice has never
been obliterated. We are not worse,
we are better than many cities; quiet
is everywhere. We do not see men
drunk at MONDAY, as l have seen hun
dreds at different times in other cities.
Evil is at least kept in the background.
And in the evolution of things we are
improving. Let us be thankful for
what we have, and not be led away by
wild statements about vice which can
not be shown to be true. Let the whole
church set itself about increasing a
public sentiment which shall find eX-
preston in virtuous law, and in its full
fruition made this city one to be looked
upon with gratitude. No material
growth, no increase Of wealth, no en-
largement of numbers can take the
place Of this. 1t is in rightly applied
knowledge, i'll true goodness, which
KNOWS that religion does not mean
gloom, but joy, which takes note of the
fact that every part of man needs culti-
walton, which will make US power and
an abiding glory, and give US place
among the most mighty forces which
shall give this republic high place of
true power among the nations. True
glory comes of true goodness. EXalta-
ton is the reward of virtue.