The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-15
CHANCE FOR A LEXOW INQUIRY
FATHER CLEARLY THINKS SOME
SURPRISING THINGS WOULD
BE UNEARTHED.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Resolutions Adopted Calling Atten-
ton of Officials to Glaring Evils
in City Government.

In an effulgent manner yesterday af-
ternoon at the Lyceum theater. The
subject, as pertaining to Minneapolis,
was Invested of anything which might
lead to a misunderstanding, and the
naked truth laid before an audience
that more than filled the lower floor
and balcony of the theater. Statements
were vouched for as truths, and deplor-
| able facts were presented by ministers
of the city and came as a thunder clap
| from clear sky to such of those pres
ent as supposed that everything gov
erned by ordinances was run on
perfect basis.
The meeting was the result of an
agitation that has been going on for
some time. At a meeting recently held
at the Y. M. c. A. by parties interested
in the matter facts that were brought
forth warranted further action in the
matter. 1t was then decided that a
mass meeting be called and facts pre-
scented.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was
called to order by David c. Bell, who
introduced Dean Pattee, Of the state
university, as chairman of the meeting.
Mr.. Pattee upon being introduced spoke
work Of securing thorough enforce
ment Of laws.
P. B. Winston, president of the Mu-
nicipal league, was introduced as the
| first speaker.
Mr.. Winston considered 1t as the first
duty on the part of citizens to see to it
that there is just enforcement of the
laws Of the municipality in which they
!
while the general laws of the country
were respected and lived up to.
there was a tendency to overlook those
of a municipality. Every large city of
the country can testify to this. To
Minneapolis, as a seat Of learning, it
was Of the greatest Importance that
parents sending their children here had
perfect confidence in it's government
and felt secure that opportunities for
evil be kept from them. The speaker
urged the necessity of doing something
not only in the matter Of saloons, but
a general enforcement of all laws.
Rev. J. NJ. Cleary was most vigorous
in his denunciation of the manner in
which certain things were allowed to
run. Particular attention was given his
remarks, as he to some extent spoke
from experience.
This meeting is one of the most i'm
| pcrtant held in Minneapolis for years."
! he said. Minneapolis has I think, the
! best government of any municipality
in the United States. Still, I believe
! that the Investigations of a LeXow
committee here would find things as
! bad as in New York l don't like to
| say things like this, but if we are in
! earnest for good government we must
! face the truth. We must lay the blame
! where it belongs. It's rectification must
| not rest with the servants of the people
! but with the people. The people can
| have any kind Of a government they
i want. If they want good government
they can have it; if they want a lax
government they can have it. 1 am
not here to abuse any one, although
can state that 1 am in a first-class ugly
mood when 1 consider the subject be-
| fore us in it, and the open violation Of
the laws covering the liquor traffic.
| We have only to look back to the ira
| gedy Of last Sunday evening to find a
! terrible result of it's non-enforcement -
! The speaker then mentioned the open
way in which a certain saloon in the
! vicinity of ST. Charles church was run
The speaker stated that it was a ref
| uge Of debaucherS and PROGRESSES.
These things are being run with the
| knowledge of the officials. These things
are taking place in New York or Chi
CagO, but in the fair home city of Min
reapolis. do not think that the high
est sign Of civilization is the enforce
ment Of laws, but the highest sign Of
| civilization is the observance Of laws %
Mr.. Cleary then at length went into
the subject Of large manufacturing in
stitutions that have their places Of
manufacturing run on Sunday This
! the speaker considered as very bad
| The speaker very eloQuently expound-
ed the rights Of the workingnan In
! being allowed the full privileges of the
day of rest, which had been given to
him by God at the dawn of creation
The speaker considered it as an in
| fringement of personal liberty. The
system of working on Sunday had a
| t6Edency to tempt tC the saloon. The
| Sunday saloon should not only be
closed on this account, but the saloon
| keeper would thereby also be given an
| opportunity to attend divine worship
! occasionally himself.
| Rev. Pleasant Hunter, in opening his
| address, referred to the work done by
the Municipal league during the late
campaign, and the active part it had
| taken in bringing about the recent in
| Vestigation of the municipal irregulari-
ties.
1.-The best life Of the city," he said,
demands that the league continue it's
work until we have a general good and
economic city government. We are
| now trying to right some Of the things
that had to do with the making Of
these conditions. Let us resolve that
| there be a house-cleaning from top to
| bottom. We are not here to abuse off,
| Gals, but, as citizens, to inquire into
| our rights, and what our duties are,
| and pledge ourselves to do them. The
| people can always get what they want
| when they let it be known that they
want it. The whole question of law
enforcement is in the hands of the peO-
| pie. If the present laws on the statute
| books are unjust. why should they not,
then, be repealed? It would, however,
be a very degrading step to allow any
| class Of citizens to have all they want
| by law. 1t would be more so to allow
| the saloons to have what they want, not
by the making OF laws, but by the
! breaking of them. 1t would be bad to
| allow the lawless element to make bad
| laws, but it would be worse to let
| them do things that we know are
! wrong. The subject before us this
| afternoon is Of the greatest Importance
to the taxpayer and law-abiding citi-
zen. Nothing SO brings trouble into the
| home as to allow the child to do what
it wants after being told not TO do it,
| We have been told Of minors visiting
saloons, and carousals, contrary to
| law No man was ever allowed to Vio-
late the Law without losing a regard
for it and this will result in the loss of
regard for all laws. These saloons should
not be allowed to keep open one min
ute after the time set by law, and
they should not be allowed to sell on
Sunday or to miners.