St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-19
MAYOR AND PREACHER.
Continued From First Page.

literature and the like cost money, and
politics cannot be conducted without
money. But it Is through the saloons
that the corrupting stream of bribery
flows. poisoning the life and morals of
our people. Let the saloon once have no
other interest In all election thanbelongs
to any citizen and all this ceases. Let
the issue be clear. This is not a
war upon the saloon. 1t Is cam.
paign against lawnessness. Did any
other business show so arrogant front
against society, my hand and voice
would be equally against it. Suppose
the retail grocers should say to oppos-
Ing candidates: Under which of you
will we have the best chance to use
false weights and measures. and to cor
rupt our merchandise? | would then
be against the grocers. Suppose man
were running for office and went round
munching apples and peanuts on corner
groceries and enawing bologna sausage
in butcher shops, would not the whole
community rebel at the spectacle of
BOLOGNA SAUSAGE CAMPAIGN.
In what respect is that more undigni-
fed or disgraceful than beer gnZZling
compaign? Our candidates for office
have some rights. Many man was
never drank until he ran for office.
Some of the most gifted sons of our re-
public have gone down to drunkard'S
graves because of habits formed in po-
litica campaigns. Well, if the saloon
business may be safely defied, can it be
practically controlled! We are told
that forty OF fifty policemen cannot
look after 500 saloons and see that they
obey the laws. No state in the Union
has such legal machinery TO secure the
Punishment of saloon lawlessnesS. Ev-
cry saloonkeeDer is compelled to give
bonds in the sum OF $4,000 that he will
not violate the laws. He is subject TO
tine and Imprisonment with the revok-
Ing of his license. If man has once
been convicted he cannot again secure
Il license. Three convictions under the
law and determined front by the au-
thoritieS, and the Saloonkeepers would
he meek as lambs.
There was never a better time than
now to subiugate the retail liquor traf-
tic. Fine hard times have fallen upon
every kind of business. including the
saloon. There have not been SO few
saloons here for generation, and they
never had so little money to spare. The
relation between vices and prosperity is
we'll understood. Now is the hour
when the decisive blow should be
struck. Nor must it be forgotten that
there is percentage of the saloon
keepers themselves who would prefer
to have the laws enforced. There are
some of them who do not wish to fatten
Oh the corruption of our youth, and
who desire to he law-aDiding citizens.
There are saloonkeeperS who are ready
for better social order, and who Will
join hands for the enforcement OF the
laws.
And | have word to say to those
who view law and order campaign
with darkened brow ana malignant
heart. Years ago you had chance III
Minnesota to have accepted high
license law, with the maximum at S5U0.
You saw fit to oppose that moderate
measure with all the machinery known
to the abhorrent forces of our politics.
The moderate measure was defeated.
Two years after the legislature passed
for you a law fixing the license at 81, 900.
and all your Vaccinations
COULD NOT DEFEAT 1T.
1t is we'll for the saloon interest to
learn its lesson in the school of adj
versity. The people Of Minnesota have
something to say about this city, for
it is their capital. The people OF this
state are more i'll earnest for clean
social order than some persons imagine.
Ii license OF 81, 900 leaves you money
enough and energy, enough to oppose
good government, they will try what
virtue there is in $1,000. We used to
have 700 saloons here. which paid $500
year license. Your numbers have been
reduced, your profits have been alb
soreed, and now beware lest even
worse thing come upon you.
Tins is an issue that cannot be put
down. nor shall it be obscured. The
people of st. Paul do not expect to
abolish the saloons. They do not wish
to war in any political way upon the
drinking habits of the people. They Go
not ask for sumptuary laws. They are
| not demanding any new legislation.
The thousands who stand upon this
platform are not narrow nor puritanical.
They array themselves against no na-
tionality or interest. They simply de-
mand that there shall be an equal, uni
form aud unfllnching enforcement of
the liquor laws.
The liquor traffic is a dangerous
traffic, This is recognized by the whole
body of legislation and by uniform ex-
perience in questions OF public order
and public safety. We cannot hope to
remove the evils which have weighed
down the world for generations by a
species of legal legerdemain. But If we
can protect the boys, SO that no saloon
| Keeper shall sell to your son or mine any
intoxicant before his majority, if we
can protect the weak so that no drunk
ard shall be seen reeling about our
streets, ii we can compel them to take
their corrupting clutches OF the ballot
box, we SHALL have reduced to their
lowest terms the evils of the present,
and may leave with hopeful hearts this
great problem to the future.