St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-17
NO END TO THE TALK.
Discussion Of the Liquor Ordi-
nance Still Rampant.

Discussion Of the Liquor Ordi-
nance Still Rampant.
There is no end in sight. The liquor
ordinance still claims all the attention
of the public. The city hall is the center
of the discussion. There the aldermen
meet in the halls and in the various
offices, and Immediately fall TO discuss
ing the amendment that was passed
last Friday night. There was loqua-
cious gathering in the city clerks Office
yesterday afternoon. Ed. A. Stevens
appeared first. He came down there to
explain to Clerk Haney how he came to
be quoted as saying that he supposed
the council records would be fixed up so
as to show that the action of the council
on the ordinance was regular. His little
conversation with Haney at an end,
Ed turned his attention to some of the
Republican aldermen who had fOated
in. Lowell and Gray were the most
prominent of the Republicans who
showed up and were the only ones that
seemed eager to discuss the liquor ques-
ton. Lackey, Kiichli and Rollins were
there as spectators, and occasionally
took hand in the conversation. Most
of the Sparring was between Lowell and
Stevens.
The discussion had veered around to
point where the relative purity of the
Babb and Winston administrations. with
direct reference TO saloons, was brought
into question. Aid. Lowell laid great
stress upon the fact that, during the adj
miniStratiOn of the idol of the puristS,
there had been something like $50 con-
victiOnS of saloOnkeeperS upon COM
plants filed by police officers. He
thought the scarcity of such actions
during the administration of Winston
proof positive that the present admins
tratiOn is in league with the saloon men.
Now I'll make you proposition on
that" SAID Ed. ''l'll bet on this propO-
sition. 1t is that in the majority of cases
where salOonkeepers were convicted
during the administration of Babb there
was fight of some kind back of it ALL"
Aid. Lowell was not inclined to bet.
He shifted his ground bit and the con-
versatiOn went on. 1t went on so long
and expressed such diversion of Opin-
ion between him and Stevens that Ed
finally advanced this:
''NOw. I'll make another proposition.
Taking into account only those saloons
that are running now and that were
running under the Babb administration,
I'll give you dollar for every one that
is open on Sunday now that was not
open then"
That proposition likewise SavOred too
much of gambling to suit Aid. Lowell.
Stevens might as we'll not have made 1t.
Ed then declared that while Babb was
mayor of the city the mayor was in sa-
looms repeatedly on Sunday, and those
saloons were not molested in their Sun
day business, while others were closed
up and the proprietorS arrested. When
ever the fire OF questions became lit
tie hot and the propositions from Stew
ems somewhat perpleXing, Mr.. Lowell
retreated behind the plea that he lives
SO far out of the center of the city that
he cannot be expected to know all that
goes OH down town on Sunday. For
that reason he was In no position to
affirm or deny the truth of the asser-
tions advanced by Stevens.
The gambling question was touche
upon. When it was stated as fact
that the gambling houses had been open
800 days in the year under the admins
tratiOn of Mayor Babb, Aid. Lowell was
indignant. He would not believe such
a statement-he knew it could not be
true Of the administration of pure and
holy Republican. Finally he came to
point where he was willing to admit the
truth of the assertion, if an allowance
were made for Sundays and the days
the graud jury was in session. He was
confident the gambling houses were
closed on those days.
During all the conversation here re-
ferred to, Aid. Lowell exhibited marvel
Gus deXterity at ''ducking" and getting
away" His opponent could pot land
Now, Aid. Lowell is possible candi-
70, ha
a GLOBE man to attempt to get a straight
expression of opinion from him on the
saloon question, in view of that pos
sbility. Stevens seemed determined to
get something of the same kind out of
the Fifth ward alderman. Gray, who
had been supporting Lowell in small
way, had gone out. Lowell was got into
corner and aSkSd:
"Do you think that, up to the time
this crusade began, and the saloons be-
gan to receive so much newspaper at
tention. they were handled more loosely
than they were under the administra-
ton of Mayor Babb ?''
"Well, the saloons must have been
open on Sunday. or the crusade would
probably not have been undertaken"
"You think, then, that this crusade
was rendered necessary by the laxity OF
the administration in dealing with the
| salOons?"
"Well, l think it is good thing to ar
rest few of those fellows once in
while. l have noticed that prosecution
is potent preventive of crime"
You would arrest few saIoonkeep-
ers once in while just to keep the
| other fellows in line-you would arrest
some of them occasionally on general
principles"
Yes, that is about the idea.''
'If you were mayor of Minneapolis,
you would wink at the opening of the
West hotel and the Nicollet house bars
on Sunday?"
"Well, 1 can't say just what I should
do"
eff you were mayor of Minneapolis,
would you close every saloon in the city
on Sundays"
81 do not know that could do It."
Would you try it?"
We'll, I can't say what I should
do"
1t will be noticed that, in evading
these questions, Aid. Lowell manifested
| greater ''shiftiness" than the cleverest
fighter that ever stepped into the prize
ring. He also advanced another rule of