Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-05-17


The devil is ever ready to turn pa
triotism and other demonstrations of
noble motives to good account for
himself And his allies are numerous
among the high IS we'll as the lowly:
A prominent clergyman draws the fol-
lowing dark picture of the liquor evil
at Camp Ramsey, for the Minneapolis
Journal:
"During the last week various re-
ports have been atloat as to the liquor
curse in Camp Ramsey. On Sunday
afternoon four Christian men of this
city, three of them business men and
one minister, visited the grounds to
se:, whether these reports were SO, and
found that the tales told touching the
sale of liquor in the headquarters of
the highest officials had been modestly
related. The headquarters of these Of
ticers is in what is known on the
grounds as the club house, the base
,nent of this is saloon run by one
named Reiber OF st. Paul.
ION yesterday afternoon-theL Lord s
day afternoon-when, whether it be Ii
censed or not it should have been
closed, it was more than wide open,
and half dozen barkeepers were the
busiest men in the whole vicinity, hav-
ing enough to do to keep them on the
jump.
''Some of the sights witnessed by
these four gentlemen we're these: Three
rooms filled with men, part Of whom
we're drinking over the bar, and others
round the tables. Among those who
came to drink was one of the three
highest officials, and it was noted that
he paid nothing for his drinks. A
mounted policeman dismounted long
| enough to wet his whistle. A his APP
pearance the bar keeper passed out
not beer, but whiskey, and he turned
it down and departed without pay or
| any insiuuati that such was expect
ed from him, mounted his horse and
rode away. But many men were not
in such fortunate condition when they
found their way< from the saloon.
Boys in uniform were drinking as we'll.
KS they left the door of the saloon,
half dozen in one company, part, not
in uniform, but giving evidence Of be-
longing to the volunteers, they were
reeling and jeering at passing women.
"About thirty steps from the head
quarters, on the green sward, in plain
view of this same chief officer who had
sought to satisfy his Unsuitable thirst
1--WE say Unsuitable, judging by his
face) were two young men, one Of
whom was too drunk to rise; the other
was sober enough to sit up by the as
sistance of a loud-mouthed young
woman who was holding him in he,
arms, while a similar lady (?) was
tickling the ear Of the unconscious one
At a later time, these women started
to walk away and the young men at.
tempted to follow, but the sober one
had all he could do to pull the drunk
en- one to his feet, and they went reel
ing across the ground full before the
highest officials and easily discover
able by the police, and all unmolested
"There is absolutely no restriction
upon the sale in this accursed place
The officers pay nothing for theil
privileges there. It is commonly be
lieved by very many of the men wht
have good chance to see into things
that the place is run to their consider
able profit.
"The governor of the state was a
the headquarters on Saturday and Sc
of course, is not ignorant of the con
dition of things. Without any refer
ence to what the government of tn
United States does not permit in tn
matter, as to whether this saloon ha
a license or not, as to whether tn
state law against the sale of liquor OF
Sunday obtains in this instance, it i
believed by large number of citizen
who are now organizing to make
1 movement in this matter, that the goo
d eople of ST.. Paul and Minneapoli
wi Il only. consent to this condition Q
thi ngs when they have discovered tina
it il impossible to save these youn
men from the sure destruction tina
herel ~ associates itself with thei
camp life.'' Z :. >="@s-s -. r
. Wao ons, Buggies and Carriages =
stanxh rry & Spieet's: