St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-27
TABLES ARE TURNED.
The Famous Grand Jury Report
on Sunday Saloons.

The Famous Grand Jury Report
on Sunday Saloons.
In January, 1891. the reform" grand
Jury held months session, and the re-
port they submitted roasted the city
administration to turn regarding
the Sunday saloons and the way
the liquor laws were enforced.
The august body included such
lOud-mOuthed ''refOrmerS" as ). Gllpih
Pyle, J. j. MeCardy, A. Il. klefer. Ilm-
othy Reardon, f. W. Peet, {. T. Moves,
Robert \. Kirk and several others. The
city was under a Democratic admins
course il was awful tine way
the authorities acted in not enforcing
the laws. Now the city is under Re
publican administration. and the men
who worked for thirty DAYS IN prepar-
ing q report recommending the lndlct-
mznt OF the city officials are practically
i'm power SCme of the jurors are
holding Office, and nearly all OF
them are very close 10 the head OF the
city government. Do they say anything
about the enforcement Of all the laws
relating 20 the liquor traffic? Not
much: its very different now. oa-
looms. wine rooms. concert sa-
looms and billiard halls can run
on Sunday. and no kick" IS made by
these refOrmtrS. No talk IS heard about
indictiug the mayor Tor not closing the
saloons. and the pulpit orators are as
silent as the grave regarding the VIOLA
tionS of the liquor law.
In order that the public may appre-
ciate the hypocrisy OF the retormerS,
portion of the reform grand jury'S r1-
port is republished:
There is, in the opinion of this body, no
series Of laws which 1hOuld te more un-
fiinChingly enforced Ihe state law
provides that no license shall be granted TO
anv person who within the preceding twelve
months has been convicted Of any oifense
against any ordinance OF the city OF any law
OF the stale regulating the sale OF lntoX-
icating liquors This provision IS
openly violated. and among those
regularly licensed for the year lS9)
appear the names Of several persons
who, by the court record, were convicted and
fined in the municipal court during 1889 Tor
saloons on the sabbath day is a dead letter.
Although equally valid with all other sec
lions. this clause is violated Deliberately and
universally. The authorities can enforce this
and every other provision If they please; they
wiliTuIly neglect or refuse 10 do SO.
in the eyes of the executors Of the law on the
same basis as other kinds of business. Every
law relating TO il can be enforced whenever
the authorities so desire The following Is 4
part Of the state law now in force:
If any county commissioner or
member of the council or other
governing body Of any city. village Or other
municipal corporation in this state, or any
mayor of any city, any judge, sheriff, con-
stable or other officer neglectS or refuses TO
perform any dutv required Of him by the
laws regulating the liquor traffic he shall be
deemed guilty of malfeasance in Office and
shall thereafter be disqualified from holding
the same for and during the remainder of
the term for which he was elected or ap-
pointed, and shall be liable on his bond in an
amount of not more than $50 nor less than
Sl0O. recoverable in any court having juris-
dicton." 1t seems clear under this section
and upon the evidence before this body every
official. with the probable exception of the
CITY treasurer. who las any part in the issue
of liquor licenses and the enforcement of the
laws governing the business of selling in
toxicating liquors. could be indicted. This
body believes Il reform should be made.