The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-22
NEW MEMORIAL DAY SALOON
CLOSING WOULD AFFECT THE
BUSINESS DISTRICT.
AUDITORIUM is USED
FIVE HOURS CLOSING FROM SEVEN
CORNERS TO OLIVE
STREET.
WHICH DAY WOULD 1T EFFECTS
Saturday, Sunday or Monday, Is the
Question to BE Determined by
the Authorities.

In connection with the coming OBJ
servance Of Memorial day. an interest
ing question has arisen as to the new
law prohibiting certain forms OF disof-
derly conduct between certain hours
particularly designated Of May 30, each
year. The new law Is explicit as to
the date, being as follows:
Be 1t enacted by the Legislature OF the State
of Minnesota:
Section l. That the desecration of "Decora-
ton day" the 30th day of May OF each year,
by the keeping open Of saloons. the playing
of games Of ball, cricket, foot ball and other
like games, or by horse racing, bicycle racing,
or any other sports calculated to attract atten-
tion to such games or sports and away from
the memorial character Of said day, within
one-haf mile Of the place where memorial
exercises are In progress is hereby pron1D1ted
and made unlawful during the hours from 10
o'clock In the forenoon to in the afternoon
of said day.
Sec. 2. Any person. corporation or assocfa-
tion Of persons guilty of a violation of sec
tion of this act shall be deemed guilty Of
misdemeanor, and punishable accordingly.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be In
force from and after Its passage.
Approved April 21, 1897.
The intent Of the legislature. however.
was plainly to prevent interference
with the services by such forms Of
amusement or sport. These services
this year will all be held on May 20.
which is not mentioned in the law at
all. Indeed, chapter 81, Of the general
laws Of 1897, relating to bills of ex-
change falling due on legal holiday.
expressly provides for notes falling due
on May 81 when May 80 falls on Sun
day, the evident Inference being that
the legislature assumed that where
May 80 was Sunday the following day
would be observed.
Inquiry at the attorney generals Of
flee yesterday ELECTED the statement.
semi-of1 f1cially, to the reportorial in
quiry, that the law should be taken for
its face and that Sunday should be
the day on which saloons and other
places shall be closed. However. there
are no especial memorial services plan
ned for Sunday, so that Interpretation
would exclude the saloons from the
operation of the law this year entirely.
On the other hand, during the serv-
ices, which are to be held, probably in
the Auditorium, Saturday, determine
ton that the law should be construed
to apply to the day which is to be
generally observed as Memorial day,
and that view seems to be clearly
within the scope Of the legislative in
tent. would close entirely from 10
O'Clock next Saturday to 3 o'clock In
the afternoon Of the same day every
saloon within a radius Of one-half mile
OF the auditorium, or practically the
entire general business district. The
prohibited limit would extend to Olive
street omdhe east, to the river: on the
south, and would include all north of
Third street as far west as Franklin,
where the circle would cut across just
east Of Seven Corners. It would in
clude as far up Wabasha as Tilton
street, thus including practically the
entire business district of the city. It
is probable that some legal authority,
either the county attorney or attorney
general, will be asked to designate
which day the new law applies to, Sun
day. Monday or Saturday, in order that
the saloonists may govern themselves
in accordance Herewith
The new law Is the result Of several
years agitation Of the subject by some
Of the Grand Army men of the state.
The law was introduced and champion
ed by Senator French, of Redwood
Falls; is entitled "An act to prohibit
the desecration Of Decoration day and
provide for punishment thereof"
It was designed primarily to suit the
conditions in some Of the country dis
tricts. Memorial day exercises had fire.
quently been interrupted by proceed
ings in the adjacent lots quite at vari-
ance with the veterans idea of the
proper thing on that day. In one in
stance it was horse race with all
the noisy accessories; in another ball
game, with vociferous accompaniment
Of shout and cheer. A number Of the
posts of the state have had such ex-
periences as those and took them to
heart so greatly that they were moved
to bring up the matter at the state
encampment, and then to get this law.
Bills covering about the same ground
as the one that became a law this year
were introduced in 1893 and 1895, and
each time they were defeated, chiefly
through divisions in the ranks of the
Grand Army men. All did not think
alike in the matter, and for that mat
ter do not now. Representative Tom
Downs, Of Minneapolis, himself a men,
ber of the Grand Army, led in the
fight against the measure in the ses-
sions Of those two years. and he was
supported by some Of the influential
veterans. Of the state.
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