The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-18
D0RAN'S ODD ORDER
POLICE SENT AROUND TO END THE
PROGRAMME OF CONCERT
HALLS.
THEY HAD TO QUIT AT ONCE.
PRESSURE OF SAIlOONKEEPERS
GIVEN AS THE CAUSE FOR
THE ORDER,
WHICH sTIRs A HORNETS NEST,
According to Statement Given Pa
pers. the Liquor Men Did What
c. C. League Couldn't.

With what is regarded as his charac-
teristic vacillation, Mayor Doran last
night made an effort to placate the
members of the Christian Citizenship
league by issuing a summary order
prohibiting the appearance of women
performers on the stage at any of the
local concert halls and likewise de-
barring women from the audiences.
Notwithstanding that his sympathies
are understood by them to be with the
so-called saloon element" after read
ing the letter Of Rev. w. B. Willard in
an evening paper and thinking the
matter over, Mayor DOran was shaken
by the possibility that he had probably
raised a hornets nest about his ears,
and determined at once to come around
to the leagues way Of looking at the
concert halls. How the effort was re-
ceived was easily apparent from the
immediate conclusions reached by those
learning of the order and the criticism
offered by the patrons of the halls who
claim the right to consideration as we'll
as the members of the league. The
effect on the prOprietors Of the places
was to put them in anything but an
amiable mood, though the order was
obeyed with more or less implicitness
in each resort.
The article referred to by Rev. w. B.
Willard which undoubtedly decided the
reform" mayor in his hasty action was
in part as follows:
Our special efforts Of late have been directed
towards preventing the sale of liquor to mi
nors and the vile practice of sc-called concert
saloons illustrated in the case of the old
Olympic. Other lines will be taken up in the
coming year-consistent with our general pur-
pose-chiefy indicated above.
But wish especially to deny that this is q
prohibition movement or that it is fighting
the administration.
Being a Republican myself have been
particularly anxious that this administration
should do, without our suggestion, what we
believe every administration ought to do in
a city like ours. And know many other Re-
ing.
Our prohibition members have worked with
us most efficiently and consistently in a cause
which knows no party. l have yet to hear a
Wcrd uttered which indicates primary oppo-
sition to the administration. But none of US
believe in Withholding all criticism from a
mayor because we belong to his party.
1t has been a severe strain upon our con-
ndence TO see such activity in pushing
through the Tankenoff license even the pO-
lice department. helping it along. and voiun-
teerlng to give the Eighth and Robert street
place a good character.
The action in this case on Thursday last is
piece or folly. No self-respecting and loyal
citizen can afford to indorse or uphold it.
With regard 20 your own editorial criticism
upon us, let me say that while we admit that
we cannot make men moral" yet we believe
we can. do something to protect the morals of
youth and that men who will debauch them
selves and others can and should at least be
driven to secret or obscure places. and not be
protected in their nefarious schemes.
We believe, also, that morality is the basis
OF al! true prosperity in city state, ard
especially within the province of admins
tlAtlnnE a viii ic
than the most active Sodom city
Watson B. Willard.
The order Of the mayor was commu-
nicated to the police department short
~ after o'clock last night. WHY he
should wait until the chief of police
had left his office and turn the enforce
ment of the mandate over to Cant
Rouleau and Lieut.. Babe was not ex-
planned. Neither did the astonished
proprietorS Of the concert halls receive
any satisfaction when they desired to
know why they had been given no no.
tice of the drastic measure to be en-
forced against them. They were sim
ply told the mayor had ordered the
women not to appear on the stage and
informed without any Wherefores or
why's that the mandate must be
obeyed. The fact that the concert halls
We're filled with the usual Saturday
night audiences assembled to witness
the advertised programme made no diff
ference.
The first place visited by Capt. Rou.
1eau and Lieut.. Babe was Straka' s
Tivoli, at Bridge square A number
OF women were in the audience, and
one woman performer had completed
her first song of the evening Mr.
Straka was informed of the order. but
his protestations that the business of
the best night of the week would be
ruined, were of no avail in even obtain
Ing an explanation, and he, perforce Of
circumstances, obeyed the command
The women were told they could moi
remain in the place, and the woman
performer was told to go home Mr.
Straka's daughters compose the orches-
ira at his garden, and these he con-
tinued to allow to occupy the stage
with their musical instruments, though
their selections were listened to by less
than half a dozen people.
At Oscar Tankenhoff's Palace garden
at Eighth and Robert streets, the Off
GERS found the place crowded. The
proprietor was nonplused at the order
of the mayor, and though willing t.
obey it on the representation Of the
police, at once jumped into a hack witt
E. A. Mcdonald, of the Sixth ward
and started out to find Mayor Doran
In the meantime the performance wen