The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-26
(WHICH SHALL RULER" THE CUES
TON PROPOUNDED BY THE
CHRISTIAN CITIZENS.
DECLARED TO BE INiMlcAL.
ONE DIRECTLY ANTAGONISTIC TO
THE LIFE OF THE OTHER,
IT'S SAID.
SOME ELOQUENT ADDRESSES
DehVered Last Evening at the Plat
form Meeting at the Central
Park Church.

An audience of not more than 100 per-
sons, including thirty men, attended the
Central Methodist church last even
ing. The occasion was the second Of a
series Of meetings held under the au-
spices OF the Christian Citizenship
league. Addresses were made by Rev.
Watson B. Millard, Rev. John Gmeiner,
L. 6. Walther and H. J. Palmer
Mr.. Palmer, who was introduced as a
member Of the league and also inter
ested in the Epworth league, urged the
young people to take hold of the work
and labor for the welfare of thousands
OF young men who were going to de-
struct1on. 1t was a question of envi-
ronment he said, which the Citizenship
league had to contend with The league
could not change the characters of the
emissarfes of darkness that were
abroad, but it could change the sur
roundings of the young men by lessen
ing the number Of bad places. The
laws were trampled on and hundreds
Of men were found willing to use their
powers without shame to bring souls
to destruction. The league had for it's
purpose, as far as able, to remove these
evil influences. Numbers counted and
for this reason the young men and
women were wanted to use their in
ffuence. He suggested an organization
as the best means to accomplish the
ends sought for. Back of the evils was
strong organization. and for this
reason a stronger organization was
needed to fight them.
Theodore n VUoI4Ioo,. 49,
Citizenship league, held that any or
ganization which tended to benefit the
people was good thing. The league
believed that laws ignored were worse
than no laws at all. Laws must either
be enforced or repealed If the keeping
open of saloons on Sundays and all
night could not be prevented at least
certain Objectionable features of the sa-
loon business should be removed He
insisted that pastors of churches should
not bear all the burden of the work,
but that the citizens should join with
them. 1t would, he said, be a benefit
to the cause, as citizens could get a
hearing with city officials when min
listers could not. The league was not
confined to race, creed, or sex; any
would or could assist in the work were
welcome
Rev. John Gmeiner thought too much
attention was paid by the citizens to
the question of personal liberty, which
was always raised when reforms were
suggested. It was Unfortunate that this
principle was put forward by thou
sands in this city. The Citizenship
league was not a party in politics. Not
only the Democratic, but the Republi-
can party leaned to the question of per
sonal liberty. He believed in calling
things by their right name. If man
was hypocrite, call him one. The last
legislature had put on the committee
oil temperance either men engaged in
the liquor business or friends of those
who were engaged or interested in the
business. Brewers, saloonkeepers and
liquor dealers, the speaker said, seemed
and did have a great influence over par
ty leaders and law officers. The number
of Christians in the city Outnumbered
the men engaged in the liquor business,
but they took no active part in the
work of the league and for this reason
the officials turned their backs on the
league. 1t was the duty of Christians
to do their part and the pres
ent state of affairs was owing
to the Indifference of the good people
and the activity OF the bad people.
There had been something of an i'm
prOVement in the morals of the city
in the past two years, but there was
still room for further Improvement, and
this could be brought about only by or
ganizatiOn and work.
Rev. Watson 3. Millard spoke on the
subject of the Rights Of the Home
and Saloon" The home was ordained
of God, and the saloon ordained of
Satan. He was willing to stand up
for the rights of any one but failed
to see where the rights of the saloon
came in. The saloon had just as much
rights as the state and city gave it,
but that did not satisfy the saloon
keeper. A careful inspection of the
statutes and city ordinances showed
that the law did not give the saloon
keepers the right to do as they pleased.
The law restricted the saloon, and the
law should be enforced and the saloon
given just the rights given it under
the law and no more. There was
conflict between the home and the sa-
loon. What was needed was to stir up
the people, and with the home. the
state and the church against them the
saloons would have to go. The league
believed that it had a right to claim
| their rights under the law, and that
men and women should be given the
right to protect their homes and chill
dren against the saloon. The great
trouble was that every Christian did
not claim these rights. The members
of the league were not cranks, and
man who claimed his rights was not
crank The claim had been advanced.
and he was sorry to say in one of the
newspapers of the city. that 1t would
help business and make a lively city
to have the wide-open policy. The
time had passed, the speaker said,
when success and commercial pros
perity could be secured in any city by
the wide-open policy. If the current of
money could be turned from the sa-
1oonkeeper's till to the pocketbook Of
the wife there would be better clothes,
better food and true prosperity. Give
the saloon the right 1t was entitled to
under the law and no more, and stand
up for the home and good citizenship.
The speaker called attention to the or
dinance now before the council prohib
iting the employment of females in sa-
looms and concert halls, and requested
all members Of the league to write or
call on their alderman and assembly
man and insist onrthes passage of the
measure. 81 q
az
Hoo zahfaLv,s Wight In