The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-24
CHRISTIAN CITIZENS LOSE
HOPE IN SECURING ANY REFORM
UNDER THE PRESENT CITY
ADMINISTRATION.
DIR. BEACH AND REV. MORGAN
Urge the Persistent Following of
the Crusade for the Extinc-
ton of the Place.

AioAIA, " 1uItner the crusade OF the
Christian Citizenship league, against the
continuance OF the Olympic theater, and
other questionable resorts Of like nature,
was held last evening under the auspices
Of the Christian Citizenship league, in
the Dayton Avenue Presbyterian
| church.
The league is just commencing an &C
tive, aggressive campaign against the
running Of the dens Of inquity through
out the city, wide open.
The Dayton Avenue Presbyterian
church was well-f1lled last evening with
citizens residing on the hill, who show
ed their interest in the movement in
hand by the league, by their attendance,
and who also demonstrated their SYM
pathy and approval Of the efforts of the
league after David B. Morgan had fin
ished his address by warm applause
Mr.. Morgan gave a brief outline Of the
work Of the league. He said:
Il present to you a few facts about
our organization, Of what we are doing
and what we propose to do. Two years
ago there were wine rooms all over the
city, running all night. and many Of the
saloons were also open during all hours
| Of the night. There were several
variety shows running full blast. We
began an active campaign to close up
the wine rooms We had twenty-seven
arrested, and secured twenty-five con-
victions, two Of the number arrested
ran away and forfeited their bail. We
then commenced to investigate the Ii
cerses granted to saloons in the city
I 10
passed upon any Of them and that they
were rushed through, and signed by the
| chairman, and that the committee had
never had meeting. It also developed
| that many saloons had been running
without license, for the first few
months Of the year, and that the city
had been robbed of thousands Of dol
lars. The bondsmen on many Of the
licenses ware worthless, and in some
| cases we found that the bondsmen had
| been dead for some time. Teamsters
were also on the bonds Of many Of the
saloon men. which showed UP the state
Of affairs the license system was in at
the time and the latitude with which
the saloon carried on their traffic. We
went before the committee and after
| SOilSA0S1 S1OIS WOIh On Lie part OI the
league, the license list was revised and
the saloons which had been operating
in opposition to the law, were COM
PEELED to comply with it's provisions.
| Before Mayor Smith went out Of Of
| flee the wine rooms and variety the
alter were closed up, and were not
opened until Mayor Doran had been
in Office for some little time. The ap-
| plfcation was made by this moral lep-
er. Sodini, for a license to run the
| Olympic theater during the first Of
Mayor Doran's administration. When
Mayor Doran was first elected we look
ed for better things, and for a time
there was a slight improvement in the
moral condition OF, the city. In spite
| Of all protest, the committee granted
the application. and Sodini again
opened up his den Of sin and debauch-
cry during the first Of Mayor Doran's
administration. The place was closed
up again, and two weeks after Sodini
license. We made our complaint to
the committee and fully informed
them Of the nature Of the resort, and
they refused to- listen to our protests.
We hired legal talent, and the courts
compelled them to give us a hearing,
and the license was refused. Sodini
secured a license last December, and
O6C
our committee. It was the under
standing between the committee and
the league that in case anything was
done in the matter, they would let us
know, but they did not, and have it
from good authority that the clerk was
informed to keep it from us. This man
Sodini made the application through
another Minneapolis, man, and is at
present also running similar place In
Minneapolis, and I say to you that
there is not a viler place in all this
world than Is run by Sodini in Mime
apolis. He is this very night carrying
on his nefarious trade both in st. Paul
and Minneapolis.
Now, what we want, my friends, is
to have every Christian man in this
city do his duty at the polls. If we
are a Christian city let us join the
legion of the city Of Cambridge. If
the effect Of our work Is to be felt at
the next city election, we must show
the same wonderful strength and per-
sistence in advocating the obliteration
Of these vile places in our city as have
been evident in the attempts of the
saloon men to break the law. In cities
where they have a prohibition law
they have no tramps. If you want to
drive the tramp out, drive liquor out.
We have had passed through the au-
dience membership slips which we
| nope every one Will sign, anu IL 1t IS
not possible for you to pay the men,
bership fee tonight. just sign one Of
the cards. The officers of the league
work without salary, and our only eA-
pense is the employment Of legal tau
ent to try these cases for us, and for
printing, as we expect to have printed
shortly some matter bearing on the
subject which will be distributed
among our members" Quite good
many were enrolled as members.
Preceding the talk of Mr.. Morgan,
Rev. D. N. Beach.-of the Plymouth
Congregational church, Minneapolis,
delivered an address upon IAN Object
Lesson in City Government" In open
ing DR.. Beach congratulated the
league upon the excellent work they
had been able to carry out. He told
in an interesting manner of the strus-
gle for the temperance cause made in
Cambridge, Mass, during the year
1887, and the struggle at the polls
every year following, and the close
ness of the contest and the elements
which had entered in, and which had
affected the conditions at the time of
their first struggle at the polls.