The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-24
WHAT NERVE CAN Do.
Roosevelt Enforces the Law in
New York City
DESPITE LOCAL PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

What Mr. ,. W. GIeed says Abeut the
Situation There
sThe most interesting thing in New
York at present." says BIZ. J. W. Gleed
who has Just returned from that city, sis
RooseveIt's war on the saloons.
"However it be treated. the gin-m Is
a sore. Whatever the law, the grog-shop
breeds Iawlessness. However mild the
regulations prescribed for the saloon
keeper. his natural disposition is to dis
obey them The liquor traffic holds no
law. no custom. sacred; it submits will
ingIy to no restriction. however reason
able; it is essentially anarchistic. No
where in this country IS any law on the
subject of liquor selling strictly obeyed;
sales are made; they are made to enid
rem. they are made to habitual drunk ards;
they are made after midnight and on
Sundays; moonshiners abound, and llq-
uors are adulterated. There never can
be peace between decent people and the
saloon.
"Tbe law Of New York prescribes that
saloons shall be closed on Sundays, and,
I believe, at midnight To the ordinary
citizen. 40 much of regulation does not
seem wholly unreasonable. New York
is crowded There is a saloon on every
corner. People must sleep; they must
occasionally have day Of rest In this
country, Sunday is universally set aside
as a day Of repose. The saloon begeIs
enough violent crime, from murder
down. on week DAYS, with the great body
of the people at work. It is worse on
Sundays. Sunday, to be the day of rest.
ought to see an abatement of noise, OF
violence. of excitement. Even as mere
measure of humanity toward the bar
keeper, such restrictions would seem en-
tirely lustitia BILE.
"Bus for many years, under the rule OF
Tammany, these laws have been en-
forced only against anti Tammany "a
loon keepers; against those without
"puIl;" against those too poor to bride
the officers
Now all this is changed Theodore
Roosevelt having become president Of
the board of police commissioners, and
having sworn to enforce all law is doing
it to the best of his ability, regardless Of
local sentiment, and with success. He
ought to have the warm and universal
support of the press and of all responsi-
Bile citizens, but he has not. Many OF
the papers, most of them, perhaps, de-
nounce and ridicule him. Some give
him half hearted support in enforcing
the law, but spend most of their time in
apoIogizing for it and advocating the re-
peal of the law. Very few, if any. seem
TO be squarely behind him.
The decent element is for the most
part too busy making money or enjoying
its summer outing to give the young
commissioner any active support or sym
pathv; but the indecent element, headed
bySeuatOrHII ammany. with all It's heel
ers and bummers; the saloons and disorder
" houses, the sports and toughs and men
about town, the thugs aud criminals and
anarchists, the mendicant and the MERGE
nary, and vast and nOndescript rIH-raH
that goes hither and yon with the tide,
joins in the great discordant chorus of
excel alton. But the saloons are smut on
Sundays.
"Mr. Roosevelt takes abuse good ma
turedly. Occasionally he takes an hour
of to thump some leader of the lawless
mob that bowls around him. but Tor the
most part he smiles and smiles and shuts
up the saloons on Sunday. What l want
to call attention to, is the fact that he en-
forces the law; and this is what Senator
Hill and the abusive and sneering news
papers and the whole hooting chorus are
calling attention to-he is enforcing the
law Local sentiment in the Tender
loin district and Mulberry street is dead
against him. but he is enforcing the law.
The majority of the citizens of New
Y ork are foreign born, but the saloons
are closed on Sundays.
Carl Schurz and the Germans are sup
porting Roosevelt l an not surprised.
They may not, probably do not, believe
in this law; but they believe in law l
attended a meeting of Good Govern
ment club composed almost entirely of
Germans the other night The house
was jammed. Roosevelt who was to
make speech was late and we listened
to several speeches in German. Finally
a German doctor was called upon. He
like the others, was heartily IN favor OF
enforcing the law until it could be
changed. But he took exception to some
remarks about foreigners reported to
have been made by Commissioner Park
er. He thought it ought to be made
lawful to sell beer on Sunday, and ne
said that many Americans, intel
Hgent Americans, Americans as in
telligent as any German thought SO
too He was proceeding to critieise
Commissioner Parker with great severity
for some of his alleged remarks, as we'll
as Roosevelt for some Of his alleged
methods when Roosevelt and Parker
came in. The doctor repeated his criti-
cism for their benefit and sat down.
Then Roosevelt shook hands with him
warmly, and, beckOning to Mr.. Parker
and smiling his justly celebrated smile.
said in a voice audible throughout the
house: DR. , this is your friend,
MIR. Parker Then the audience let 90
for five minutes. Mr.. Roosevelt made
every body ashamed of Senator Hill in
that speech
1T is said that the police all know the
president of the board by his smile, and
indeed, think that smile has not its
equal anywhere. When Roosevelt
smiles his under lip drops down and dis
plays row of fine, white, even teeth,
that are obviously accustomed
TO shut firmly and squarely against a
similar row in the upper Jaw. There is
something very attractive about Mr..
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