St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-15
FOR SUNDAY SALOONS
PROMINENT GoTHAMITEs HOLD
MASS MEETING.
TWO CLERGYMEN ADVOCATE
Resolutions Demanding That the
Question Be Left to the Peo- s
pie.

NEW YORK, March 14.-ThoSe who
expected an expression of opinion on
the question of Sunday opening from
Mayor Strong at the mass meeting In
Cooper Union tonight were disap-
pointed. No such expression was
forthcoming. The mayor, on the com
trary, sent brief note to DR.. John
F'riedrichs, signed by Secretary Hedg-
es, in which he expressed his in
ability to be present at the meeting Or
to send a lengthy letter.
More than 1000 people were gathered
in the big hall in Cooper Union when
ex-senator John G. Boyd called the
meeting to order.
On the southern end of the hall was
a 1aring poster bearing the words,
1--WE demand a vote on the Sunday
question; let the majority rule"
The speakers of the evening were
DR.. w. S. Rainford, DR.. John Fried
richs and DR.. j. II. Rylance. Among
the prominent people who occupied
seats on the stage were Oswald OF
terndorffer, Louis Windmuller, Theo-
dore Sutro. Gen. Franz Siegel and
Judge Leonard A. Giegrich. Some of
the organizations represented in bod
les at the meeting were: Knights of
Labor, Central Labor Union 70, Fed
Grafton of Labor, Central Turnverein
and the Iron society.
Ex-senator John G. Boyd was the
first speaker. William Steinway, he
said, was unable to preside on ac-
count of illness. Otto Kempner was
made chairman, and made a speech
of some length against the Sunday
closing law. Rev. DR.. w. S. Rains
ford, of st. Georges church, said, in
part:
Il am opposed to the present excise
law which closes saloons on Sunday.
L am in favor Of opening saloons on
that day for certain hours, say from
u midday to 10. Let me give some
of my reasons" He said that he be-
lieved that the opening of saloons for
certain hours on Sunday would dimin-
ish law-breaking. The present law,
he thought, was impossible of enforce
ment, and it's disregard begot a disre-
spect for the law, which was I'M
healthy for the public morals AS to
it's evasion, he said: 81 need not say
that this is not true of Irish or Ger
mans alone. 1t is also true of a large
proportion of our American people"
Secondly, 1 am in favor of opening
the saloons on Sunday because I think
such action fair to the poor man and
to the working classes. Personally,
1 believe the vast majority of men in
every way are healthier and richer for
not touching any alcohol 1 have tried
both plans myself. I was once a mod
crate drinker. l am now a total alb
stainer. I may convince my neighbour
Of h xyafT 1T, 80,
it. The only club the working man
has is the saloon. He does not go
there simply to drink or to smoke He
goes there to meet his friends and he
has got to so there to meet his friends,
for he has no home in which they can
meet him. You have no right to close
up a workingman's club on Sunday.
If you do you must close up the gem
tlemen's clubs, too, for we don't need
clubs nearly as much as the working
people do. 1 wish there were other
clubs for the wage earners. 1 believe
in time there must be, but I deal with
facts. At present there are not
DR.. Rainsford said he believed Sum
day saloons would diminish drunken-
ness and would take the saloons out
Of politics. The present law, he said,
gave opportunity for blackmail.
DR.. Rainsford left the hall amid
cheers. A letter from Carl Schurz was
read, in which he pursued substan-
tally the same argument as had Dr.
Rainsford. DR.. John Frederick, ex-
Mayor Oakley Hall and Rev. j. H. Ry-
lance, rector of st. Marks church, also
spoke.
Resolutions were passed as follows:
Resolved, That we favor the passage
by the present legislature Of bill di-
rectly removing restrictions upon sa
loon closing, during the afternoon and
evening hours of Sunday, or of some
measure that will leave the question
of Sunday opening to vote of our cit
liens at the next election.
Resolved, That the chairman be au-
thorized to appoint a committee of
twenty-five to take such action as may
be deemed necessary to further the OBJ
ject of this mass meeting, and also to
formulate a plan of permanent organ
ization, whose sole purpose it shall he
to advance the cause of Sunday lib
erty.