The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-04-22
THE WIDE-OPEN POLICY.
To The Editor Of the Labor World:


When detective Curry deliberately
shot and killed actor Porter. i'm Texas
few years ago, the episode was wide
w discussed. Since then the shooting
of citizens by detectives has grown
more common, and the people seem to
be getting accustomed to it. In a
daily paper of recent date is printed Il
report OF he shooting Of one citizen
fatally and the wounding OF
two others by detective James
Doyle, in New York City. Doyle
had been drinking in a sa-
loon with 4 woman, and refused to
leave when it came time to close up.
This occurrence brings two evils
prominently into notice, namely, the
detective evil and the social evil.
Both enjoy unusual privileges in Du-
luth under the Truelsen administra-
ton. The wide-open policy is very
elastic. 1t gives detectives eNtraordi-
nary opportunities and powers, and
it allows crooked women to drink in
saloons, to perambulate the streets in
q drunken condition, and to make eN-
ilibitions of themselves in ways shock
ing to the common sense of decency.
! have heard the saloonlSeepers them
selves complain of these things. They
are the greatest sufferers because of
the custom of blaming everything
upon the rumseller In Chicago the
rules regulating street walkers are SO
strict that, in his zeal to enforce them,
Il policeman arrested Il travelling man
II IL n,,1, l.
the street walkers have been given an
inch, and they have taken mile. They
no longer confine their perambula
tons to the hours when good men
Sleep but now make both night and
day hideous. They are not regulated.
Like rats, their numbers have been
increased until they crowd one an
other, and to obtain IL living they must
venture forth from their dens in
broad daylight. The saloonleepers do
not ike it; the people generally feel
disgraced by it.
At the last meeting Of the Humane
Society, in High School Hall, Mayor
TrueIsen told with tiresome reitera-
tion) how he had needed his grand
mothers good advice and had prayed
all his days that he might not end his
life on the ''gallus." He should not
take too selfish a view of the gallows.
While at his devotions he should re-
member that there are others. And
that his wide-open policy is a great
crime-breetler. One Of the crimes being
Matched by the mayors wide-open
policy is the crime of murder, which
is punishable with death on the gal
lows. The shocking death Of Kane
from a dose taken at Pauline Blair's
popular resort the other night may
not have been murder. but it reflects
no credit upon Truelsen's wide-open
policy. which is dangerous to the pub
lie peace.
The testimony being taken by the
New York City investigating Commit
tee shows what the wide-open policy
is doing and has done to beget crime
in the metropolis. and suggests what
we may expect. though on a smaller
scale in Duluth. Wide-open policies
are the same the world over. They
are invitations to the criminals to
come from all quarters and whoop
up, tiitt IihtNS ouS1hCSS SOOl
When the costs Of investiga ting COM
mttees and criminal prosecutions are
figured up against the benefits which
the business men reap from a wide
open policy. it is always found that
the luxury doesn't pay for itself. The
increase of crime in ST. Louis county
is a particular hardship, since this
county is already nearly crushed by Il
privileged gang of tax dodgers who
ought to be classed as criminals. To
put it mildly they are great "sports'
and the wide-open policy. it is under
stood suits them nicely.
1t was Il revelation to several people
in the audience when Mayor Truelsen
publicly confessed to being addicted
to the habit of secret prayer. Among
the women and children. who were
largely in evidence, the confession
may have operated as vote-getter.
But the men. who We're acquainted
with the reform mayors political
tactics and the results Of his moral
administration. We're moderately skep-
teal Mayor Truelsen's piety as man.
irested by his policy, is painful.
HUGH A. WETMORE.