The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-01-01
NO LAwLEss SALOONS.
Handled without Gloves by Rev.
James NJ. Cleary.

james NJ. Cleary.
Last Sunday evening at st. Charles
church, FIR. Cleary took for his sub
ject The Duty of Honest Men Against
the Lawless Saloons" and in the course
Of his address dashed the place con-
Quoted by Stockholm Olson, within
close proximity Of the church. The
following passages are taken from the
address Of the eloquent Temperance ad-
vocate who is president of the Catholic
Total Abstinence Union of America:
The saloon when conducted accord
ing to the requirements of our state
and municipal laws is a constant dam
ger to the best interests of the coul-
munity. Its business is to minister to
an appetite, that too often dethrones
reason and inflames the vilest passions
of half-crazed men. The saloon invar-
iably develops the worst, not the best,
traits in human nature. The influence
of the saloon always has tendency to
blind mems judgment, and under tho
dark shadows produced by saloon en-
vironment, men who, under different
influences would abhcr and denounce
vulgarity. profanity, lewdness and all
the coarseness bred under the degrad-
ing spell Of Intoxicating drink, seem
to become hopelessly blind and fail to
see anything in their debasing en-
vironment to condemn
ITO my mind one Of the most severe
indictments that can be brought against
our American saloon is the fact that
the saloon as an institution is alwys
found ready and willing to protect and
defend the most vile, shameless and de-
fiant conduct of every unsavory sink
hole Of iniquity provided only it is en-
gagged In the sale of strong drink. If
the decent men who are engaged in
the liquor trade, in business which
every decent man will admit is not all
elevating or refining business, mean
what they say, why is it that they,
for the protection of their own bust
ness, are not the most ,ncompromising
opponents of the lawless and openly
dlsreputable saloon? But the whole
sale liquor dealer, the naughty lager
Deer brewer, will continue to supply the
vilest den of iniquity with their wares,
and to pay for the gilded haunts Of
vice their liquor licenses, as long as
they can succeed in sustaining them in
existence. and in manipulating license
boards and municipal authorities to al
low them immunityHfrom well-deserved
prosecution. The daw- abiding saloon
is a menace to the peace and the morals
of every community. The lawless sa-
loon is an unmitigatcd curse. n vile
plague spot, that nor honest man is JUS
titled in permitting to exist if he can
prevent 1t. ,,ll
Short-sighted men, marrow selfish
men, who do not grasp the meaning of
Christian civilization, who do not seem
to be able to understand the profound
Significance Of the brotherhood of man,
try to make themselvesI and others he
lieve that If the lawless saloon does
not directly injure Them or those under
their care, 1t is not their business to
interfere, or to invoke the Intervention
OF the officers Of the law. No man
stands alone. No honest man can be
| indifferent to the welfare of his fellow
men. The man who does not interest
himself in his fellow mans welfare
fails Of his duty as civilized human
being.
THE municipal ordinances OF this
| city are, as far as l have been able TO
learn, among the very best known in
any city Of this country. They seem
to make proper provision for the pro-
lection of the young, the weak, the
habitually Incorporate. and against the
cunning designs of the professional
| criminal class.
II don't believe we need any more
or any better municipal legislation. But
all honest men will conccde that we
are sadly in need of more efficient en-
1ofcement OF existing laws. All honest
men will admit that our city might be
vastly benefited by a more Intelligent
public conscience, and by more gen
eral interest being taken in the en-
| 1orcement OF law. The excuse mos.
commonly offered for the failure to en-
forco the Sunday closing law, for in
stance, is that the people Of this city
do not wish to see this law enforced.
1t would appear that this is true. Can
1t be also true that the people of this
city do not want to see the laws en-
forced against notorious dens of vice,
| That have fourished in defiance of law.
| in defiance Of repeated public protect,
and In the full knowledge OF the Of
ficcrs of the law? | cannot believe 1t.
/ or course, I refer in particular to the
now Well-known Institution that has
done most iniquituous business in the
vicinity of this church, and that is
being supported and encouraged to con-
tinuG it's diabolical hwork in the future
by the sworn servants of the people.
| do not speak tonight Of the "Stock-
holm Olson saloon and dance hall.
wine rooms and restaurant, for the
sake of making nj scnaation mr. from