The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-09-22
"A CITY'S SHAME"
This Was Rev. Works Sunday
Night Topic.
He Reviews the Unpleasant Events Of
Street Fair Week and Draws
Conclusions Therefr0m.

The Congregational CHuhoh o
with the Baptist church Sunday
and listended to sermon by Rev. >.
d. Works on "a City's Shame" after
which Rev. T. M Edmands spoke upon
s'What Next9' Rev Works took the
occasion to refer to the events OF stree6
fair week, and his sermon was vigor-
GUS one. He took as his text Ezekiel
5:15, and the greater part OF his sermon
was devoted to the gambling and tent
shows allowed to run during the street
fair. He did not lay the blame Tor
this condition of affairs upon the falr
ASSOCIATION nor upon the municipal OF
ficials, but rather to public sentiment.
Rev. Works said that the claims that
we have made to be law abiding peo-
pie, have sbeen contradicted by the
shameless carnival of crime of last
week. which has made US shame and
a butt for taunts from all around. The
reason for this condition is not that our
city officials are towards or that they
have any sympathy with those things.
They made mistake, and the mistake
has been acknowledged. Mr.. Works
proceeded to give the causes for the
condition.
First, he said it is due to lack OF
true public spirit. 1t was claimed that
it was done in the name of enterprise,
but it turned a number of criminals
and hungry wolves on our streets to
prey upon the citY's visitors. 1t was
not the kind of enterprise that erects
libraries, schools for feeble minded and
hospitals.
Second, it was due to the magnifying
of dollar. Possibly the licenses re-
ceived from these objectional features
by the fair association amounted to
, $780, but that they took out of the city
$4,000 at low estimate. At the con-
ference in the mayors office last
Wednesday, eloquent pleas were made
on a ,cash basis, that $25 additional
license was received for the privilege of
allowing shameless woman to parade
herself before the public.
Third, it was due to the aggressive
ness of forces of evil. Of the number
of floats in the industrial parade not
over half represented industrial insti-
buttons of Mankato. When the mayor
was away on recent Sunday, a large
part of the saloons opened their doors
for business. Evil influences came and
the authorities are placed on the defen-
sive.
Fourth, it was due to the fact that
the average good citizen is cowardly.
Mr.. Works related the instance of a
gentleman who approached clergy
man last week and proposed that a
number of citizens get together and
drive the gamblers out of the city. The
clergyman fell in with the idea and
urged that the work be commenced at
once. The gentleman's ardor cooled
viSibly and he made the excuse that he
had to go and feed his horse. There is
an excuse for this, as man in business
will be injured if he takes stand
against these evils. A prominent To-
cal professional man stated that boy
colt would probably be started against
anyone who stood up for the right
against these things. The good citi-
zen who does not dare to come out
boldly is different kind of coward
from the man who urges thugs to do
up and put to sleep" man who in
vokes the aid of the law to purge the
city.
Fifth, the public is slow to express
appreciation of good moves. 1t is more
willing to give man flowers after he
is dead than while he is living. Mr..
Works said that he doubted if man
in Mankato expressed appreciation for
the summary closing of saloons at mid
night and on Sundays, but if the gam
blers and immoral shows during the
street fair had been forbidden, a great
cry would have gone up that they
were harmless and should have been al.
lowed.
Sixth, the public is quick to condemn
righteousness if it fails.
In conclusion. Mr.. Works made a
personal explanation. He said that it
had been talked around that in swear
ing out warrant for the arrest of a
gambling outfit he had acted as cats
paw to pull chestnuts out of the fire for
Rev. Mr.. Beattie, and that he had done
what Mr.. Beattie dared not do Mr..
Works denied this, and said that he
had acted without consulting with Mr..
Beattie and without Mr. Beattie's
knowledge up to the time of swearing
out the complaint. In this connection,
Mr.. Works paid Mr. Beattie compli-
ment for the interest which he has
taken toward enforcement of law.
Mr.. Works said that some people
were talking around that he had with
drawn the complaint against the gam
blers for money consideration, This
he denied emphatically, and related the
whole story of the case, as it has been