The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-06-07

THE meetings held at the gospel tent
| in the north side park have been disturb
ed nightly. 1t started out with boys of
whom there is very lawless element in
4 some portions OF the north side. Bricks
were thrown on the roof of the tent, I'M
/ til in some places 1t was broken through.
! The flap of the tent would be lifted up
and sand thrown in the faces of attend
ants. Those who sat near the edge of the
! tent would be kicked by persons from
outside. and in one case woman was
I'quite severely injured by being kicked on
/ the hlp.
/ On Monday night some men took part
in the disturbance though they did not
assault the tent. 4 fiddler was engaged
and the party proceeded with an i'm
/ promptu dance II the Park. One of the
clergymen went out TO demonstrate and
received rather djscourteous treatment.
Perhaps there was a mistake made in
allowing this tent to be pitched in the city
park, but it is no greater mistake than IL
allowing picnlcs to be held there. The
Pilot has no sympathy for camp meetings
but 1t has far less for those who would
disturb religious meeting of any kind
These clergymen believe they are doing
their duty and believe they are doing
good. No one is under any compulsion
to attend their meetings, and 1t casts dis
credit upon the city that disturbances
OF this kind should occur and be the
work of our own people. 1t is a bad ex-
ample for the rising generation who are
quick enough to engage in lawlessness |
without having the example set them by |
their elders. Mr. Burrows, the evange |
list. says he has never been treated so |
badly anywhere, and strangers who have
attended the camp meeting from curios- |
ity have said that the annoyances to
which these meetings have been subject |
ed were dIsgraceful to the city.
Mr.. Dueker Is not without blame him
self in this matter. 4 few years expert
ence will teach him that he cannot reform
the world. His arrest of saloOnkeeper
for selling quart of beer to a boy who
had been ordered to get it by his employer,
was an act of lndiscretion approaching
folly. Sentiment here is wholly opposed
to any such a prosecution. His threat to
arrest those who attended the horse races
on Sunday was still more unwise. Peo
pie who see nothing wrong in horse
races have just as much moral right to be
present at them undisturbed. as those
have who attend the gospel meetings. To
be thus officious, lessons his ability to do
good on lines in which effort might be
effective 1t is partly due to his interfer-
ence IN these matters that the meetings
have been disturbed. This does not make
it any less discreditabIe to those who
have taken a most reprehenslble method
of getting even with him.
Those who attend these meetings, feel
ing that thereby they are performing a
religious duty, are entitled to respectful
treatment A trespass on their rights is
not justified ty any feeling Of enmity
against Il HlelLD6E OIL lu0 meeting. Inc
bad example is by no means the least
evil growing out of such proceedings. |
The boys who frequent the Park, tear up |
seats, glrdle shade trees and make war
upon singing birds, should not be en-
couraged in their evil ways. We should |
always have respect for the rights OF |
others, even though they, in mistaken |
sense Of duty,should forget the obligation
they owe others.
Another disturbance took place on |
Tuesday night of still more aggravated |
form after the police had left, and only |
a comparatively few people left in the |
tent. The ropes were cut and portion
OF the tent collapsed. Stones were hurled |
at it and sand was thrown in the faces Of
those present. The Mayor was appealed |
to for protection the next day, and spent
until II o'clock last night on the grounds
and thus prevented the use of rotten eggs
gathered for the occasion.