The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-15
C0UNCILMEN IGNORE THEM
ALLEGATIONS 6F rMMoRALIrIns IN
 NEW HAVEN AND .AT YALE.

tation Indefinitely Postponed-Captaiu
 Dove Says the Attacks Are Not Worthy
 of Notioe-Resolution for Issuapce of
 S29O,oOO Worth of Bridge Bonds.
 At the regular meeting of the board of councilmen, held last night, Coun- cilman Gruener of the Second ward in- troduced resolution providing for a refutation of the recently published ar- ticles in a New York paper alleging the existence of unparalleled immoral ity in New Haven and deprecating tho action taken thereon by the w. c. T. U. at it's recent convention in New York. The resolution was debated Ut some length and action upon 1t was finally indefinitely postponed by a vote of 2O-4.
 The resolution in full is as followss
 Whereas, On or about the morning of February 6, 1898, the w. c. T. U. at their ninth annual convention in New York caused to be spread over all this land by means of an Associated Press despatch, a report derogatory to our city, our homes, and our people; they asserting that an unhealthy moral att mosphere and more temptations than elsewhere prevailed in New Haven, which report is entirely unwarranted
 and exceedingly pernicious, but which report has so far been believed by many worthy people from Maine to California, who are not cognizant of the real state of affairs.
 And whereas, This report has been followed by a pernicious, Systematic campaign of islander by an organ or organs in sympathy with the said union either in direct or indirect touch With the same and as they will cause permanent injury to the reputation of
 our beloved city these reports are in dignantly resented by the fair minded and intelligent residents of our city:-- Be it resolved by the court of com
 mon council, that a committee of three be appointed to consist of His Honor, the mayor, the president of the board of aldermen and the president of the l board of councilmen, with power to act, which committee shall prepare re- port to be furnished to the Associated Press for publication refuting the false and grossly exaggerated reports of the w. c. T. U., and to cause the refu- tation to be spread over the country as l may be necessary or expedient. | After MT. Gruener had offered thH
 resolution unanimous consent for it's
 consideration was given and Mr.. Gruener in speaking for the resolution said: T present this resolution be-
 
 | main idle and say nothing about such l gross exaggeration as that referred to in my resolution. The appeal of the W. c. T. U. to prevent young men conn 1 ing to Yale on account of the alleged immortality existing here has aroused | the anger of our most prominent citi-j
 zens, many of our merchants and busi~ l ness men. An official denial is in or-s der, not defending anyone but defend- 1 ing our own rights and defending the | city against slander."
 Councilman Wrinn seconded the res olution, saying that he heartily agreed with the substance of the resolution
 and thought that the unjust and un-S l warranted allegations referred to, sent | broadcast through the country, were
 an injustice to the university and to l the city. Councilman Stewart, the 1 caterer, also seconded 1t, saying that he thought that the university had l wisely ignored the allegations, but he | believed that the city should take the
 matter up. He said: My place of | business being opposite the college, I | have good opportunity to size up the
 university and I think that the moral atmosphere around Yale college, if not l the best, is very near the top notch. I know that the students through their 1 Y. M. c. A. and missions are doing g. | great mission work on East and Oak 1 streets. They are doing a great work | in lifting young men from the mud and
 mire''
 | Councilman Dove was the first to
 start opposition to the passage of the resolution. Previous to his speaking
 on the matter, the majority of the
 members seemed to favor the passage
 of the resolution. Captain Dove said: 1 I am heartily in sympathy with the l sentiment which prompts this resolu- ton, but do not think that this mat l ter is one worth our consideration. If New Haven were 8 young city, if Yale university was recently established | institution, or if these charges were brought by some conservative paper, then they might be worth refutation.
 Professor Huxley said that he did not
 know which was the greater fool, the
 man who tried to prove that there was
 a God or the man who tried to prove
 that there was no God. I do not know
 who is the greater fool the man who 1 tries to prove that there are no moral
 men in New Haven or the one who
 tries to prove that all men in New
 Haven are moral" Councilman Love-
 land agreed with Captain Dove. Coun-'
 cilman Riggs favored the resolution. Councilman Shepard said: q believe that this is outside our jurisdiction. I
 believe that Yale college is capable of l attending to her own affairs, and I | question if she would thank us for talk ing action here. The more you stir up l such things, the more the eff1uvia-" l Councilman Burgess moved that ac- | tion on the resolution be indefinitely
 postponed; 1t was so voted
 The two resolutions concerning the
 construction of the bridge over Mill riv-
 CT at Chapel street, the bridge over Mill
 river at Willow street, and the bridge
 over West river at Derby avenue. were
 next considered. One of the resolutions | was the one offered by Alderman Petrie I