St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-06
Tennernnca-

we. as pastors and representatives OF
the Methodist Episcopal church in st.
Panl, desire again to remind our people
and all good people of their obligations
to the cause of temperance. The
liquor traffic is hostile to every interest
OF society. 1t is the grand source Of
pauperism and crime. 1t intensifes
every social evil. 1t is the source of
waste and woe incalculable. 1t is the
direct and powerful promoter of gam
Ding, llcentiouSneSs and murder. It's
chief function is to unfit men for do.
niestic, social and civic responsibilities,
Ihe saloon is school of vice. In the
vices which it fosters and in the degra.
datIon which it entails the most of our
municipal iIlquities are firmly rooted.
Today the misgovernment of our cities
is the scandal and the peril of the re-
public. But there is no other source of
municipal corruption so prolific as the
saloon. The destruction Of the saloon
is absolutely necessary to that civic
righteousness which Christianity pro-
poses.
We, therefore, exhort all good people
to abate nothing of their efforts to de-
stroy the rum power, but all insist upon
the duty and eXemplify the virtue of
total abstinence. Let them see to it
that the temperance instruction which
the law requires is given in the public
schools. Let the total abstinence pledge
be circulated in all our Sunday schools,
and let the quarterly Bible temperance
lesson be carefully studied. Through
l,1it Iot
the conscience of the people their
solemn Christian obligation to destroy
the saloon.
We commend to all friends of temper
ance reform aud gospel service the
growing work inaugurated by the W.
G. T. q. at the Peoples theater. We
trust the churches will not be slow to
recognize the possibilities of good in
this enterprise, and that. through their
prayers and labors, their possibilities
may be fully realized.
We desire also to record our profound
regret that the saloons of st. Paul ara
kept open on the Sabbath, in violation
OF law. We know that this habitual
and unpunished violation of law has
been brought TO the attention of the city
government. We know that commit.
tee, backed by mass meeting of order
loving citizens and mammoth petition,
could not obtain from the administra.
ton promise that the enforcement of
the law would even be attempted We
know that public Office IS public trust,
and the oath of Office pledge of
fidelity to public trust. This adj
fra nOf1 Il
OF its obligation to enforce law, because
the enforcement of law was promi-
nent issue in the last campaign, and
this administration went into power or
wave of reform sentiment. Now,
when we compare official apathy with
the official oath, and remember the as
surances which won our votes for this
administration, we are compelled to ac-
knowledge the fact that we have been
betrayed. We do not think it our d uty
to disguise this fact or keep silent about
it. When public men violate public
trust the indignation of honest men
ought to utter itself. We confess, there
fore, with deep chagrin thai an admin
lStration which was inaugurated upon
reform issues, through the efforts of an
aroused Christian public, should not
put forth its hand to check the lawless-
ness of the Sunday saloon. We want
city government which has the courage
to do its duty, and the honesty to regard
not only the oath of Office, but the clear
understanding and definite purpose
which Christian public had with it
when it lifted it into power.
The cORtenti OF this admin.
iStratiOn now that it never
placed itself under amy o bliga-
tiOla to suppress tlIe OpcEa law
Icssness OF the Suntay salOom.
and the laDOred defense of adj
mimistrativc lsnfiiitlaf,riuesS by
a prominent daily paper, are
Instances OF official and Journal
iStIc SlaameleSsneSS which We
never expected to bcliOido