The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-09

CldIlOn, was the postmaster. AL the
conclusion of the repast, which was
enlivened by the musical accompani-
ment of Knaack's Mandolin orchestra,
the association listened to a number
of entertaining speeches, notwithstand-
ing the absence of some of the speak
ers invited to attend, among them
Mayor Doran POSTMASTER Wolfram
first called upon John H. Ives, Of this
city, for a few remarks appropriate to
the occasion. Mr.. Ives responded with
a speech which a Prohibitionist would
not have relished, but which was fire.
quently punctuated with applause. 1t
remained for Robert N. Hare, of the
board of public works, to subsequently
inform the retail liquor dealers that
the Prohibitionist was not their great
est enemy. After hearing both speech
es, the auditors were in doubt which
one would cause the greater offense to
the Prohibitionists. Said Mr.. Ives:
Il am the recipient of an invitation
to dine with you and I am duly thank
full e1efore, considering the acces-
series that go with the dinner. While
the dealers in dry goods are making
the best of the present favorable OPP
portunity to advance their interests,
it seems to me highly appropriate that
dealers in wet goods should assemble
and pay a little attention to their
business Your business, like others,
renders an organization necessary to
protect your interests. AS you we'll
know, your interests are being con-
stabtly assailed by the prohibition
lists. Now, these fellows are the bust
est critters on earth. They can make
more noise to the square inch than any
other class of people on earth. They
remind me of the old conundrum
which propounds the inquiry, What
makes more noise than a pig under a
gate?' Two pigs 1 believe is the
approved answer. By analogy it fol-
lows that nothing can intensity the
noise made by one prohibitionist ex-
cept two prohibitionists." Naughter.)
Mr.. Ives referred to some of his
experiences with prohibitionists while
a member of the state legislature, as
evidence of his opportunities to ac-
quire a knowledge of the species
Some of the bills that they had en-
deavored to secure the passage of dem
notably the bill to prohibit saloonkeep-
ers from hanging curtains or screens
in front of their windows. Mr. Ives
pointed out the fact that where So
called prohibition existed, the vice of
drunkenness furnished in it's mast ag-
gravated form. He likened the prohi-
zionist to the ostrich, which buries its
head in the sand and become oblivl-
Gus of his surroundings. The sincere
prohibitionist, who never drinks and
never goes around, failed to see that
the effort to enforce the theory causes
more drunkenness.
In conclusion Mr.. IvtN dwelt upon
the necessity of the retail liquor deal
ers organizing to protect themselves
against the attacks of the Prohibition
lists. whom he characterized as ''1ot
OF little fellows" There were 5000 or
1000 of them who voted the ticket in
Minnesota, but in the Fifth ward, Mr..
Ives had noticed that they polled as
much as seven or eight votes.
DR.. J. H. Steward, of st. Paul, in re-
Spouse to a request for a speech, said
he had listened to the remarks of Mr.
Ives, and that he fully appreciated
them. as he had lived in the state OF
Kansas for twelve years and
knew something about Prohibitionists.
Naughter) They were suffering from
a disease, for which no absolute rem
edy had as yet been discovered. All
external lotions had failed to heal them
and all internal medicine had proven
inadequate to eradicate the disease,
and the latest consensus of opinion
was that q dose of physic was the only
treatment that could be administered
with any ameliorating effects.
Louis Nash, when. called upon for an
address, changed the subject and ad-
dressed the association upon the mat
ter of affording protection for home in
dustries. Mrs. Nash thought it was the
duty of ST. Paul retail liquor dealers
to sell st. Paul beer and st. Paul
cigars Mr. Nash declared that the
only way to educate any class of So
ciety was by organizat ton He realized
he said, that the interests of every
honest American We're identical, from
the digger in the ditch to the bank
president Mr. Nash declared that the
st. Paul association owed it to the city
and its people to sell home made
cigars when they were called for. They
would certainly do sc if they could See
how cigars were manufactured in the
sweat shops of New York and San
Francisco, where children are en-
ployed to do the work at starvation
wages.
After a few remarks by Fred Bolts, who
disclaimed the Endorsement on his part of
the uocIrlne Oh OF the cOHCIdc-
ton of any of the symptoms of a believer
in that platform, Robert N. Hare was invit-
ed to address the assemblage. Mr.. Hare re-
sponded, and prefaced his speech with an
announcement that gained him the closest
attention.
Gentlemen of the Retail Liquor Dealers
association began Mr.. Hare you may not
like what l am going to say, but you have
invited me to say something, and when | am
asked to speak, l always speak the truth
Mr.. Hare thereupon informed his hearers
that it was mistake to suppose that the
Prohibitionsts were their most dangerous
enemies. The excessive drinkers, the con-
firmed drunkards. were the class that were
hurting the liquor dealers. The saloonkeep-
ers were held responsible for the excessive
drinking. They had to stand all the abuse
for every man who became drunkard,
whereas the drunkard himself was himself
to blame Mr.. Hare did not believe that the
liquor dealers wanted the trade of drunk
ards OF all people. he despised the pro-
fessed Prohihitionists who were not Prohi-
bitionists 1t was the confirmed drunkard
who damaged the saloonkeepers
Mr. Hare in conclusion, said that making
a speech to retail liquor dealers was a lit
tie out of his line of business. He belonged
to the church. But he believed that the
saloon business could be made respecta-
bic business. 1t was so in Germany. All
that was needed to make it respectable was to
take the politics out of it. In this connec-
ton, Mr. Hare scored the Republican party
for its hypocrisy in protesting to condemn
the saloon business and yet raising the retail
license to an excessive figure in the interest
of monopolies.
After a few short addresses by Theodore
Hamm and others, the association adjourned
until 10 a. m. today, when business ses-
sion will be held In the afternoon the men,