Willmar tribune., 1900-03-07

6lI EOlLou Dy the Ch8trmAn n OF the ENFORCE. Iii
4 ment Commit tee 81 the A. s. League. 4 /
!l-:-:-::-: =: ::=:::::::3:e 81
Three weeks remain before village elec-
tion is at hand when the voters will again
be called upon to choose council and ad-
ministrative officers for the ensuing year.
Village politics have been very quiet thus
far. but will probably warm somewhat dur
ing the remaining period before election.
z@@S. @=.z *s....s
Whether the granting of saloon licenses |
will be an issue or not depends upon whether |
there are ten men or more in the village !
who are willing to place themselves on rec
ord as favoring saloons by fling the neces-
sary petition with the recorder. The settled
policy of the village is no license and it will
remain so until changed at the polls. The
petitioners may attempt to excuse them
selves by saying that they merely wanted to
give the people chance to vote on the ques-
tion but their real reason will be plainly ap-
parent. We will IN the next publication Of
this column give the names of the signers OF
the petition whenlit is fled. It is going to
be exceedingly difficult for anyone taking an
active part In the village campaign to dodge
this question of license this year. This ap-
plies to parties as we'll as individuals.
*x*
The majority of the people in the village
that is in favor of the maintenance OF law
and order, however, will welcome the op-
portunity to re-affirm the decision rendered
| a year ago. In spite of all the difficulties
they have had to contend with. they have
demonstrated that the liquor evil can be
reduced to minimum, and an insignificant
minimum at that. The whiskey gang has
been forced to admit that all open blind
pigs can easily be closed up when public
sentiment demands it
*x*
The only hope of the saloon gang now is
| to obtain license next year. They never for
| a minute accepted the will of the people as
expressed last spring as law. They openly
defed the law as long as they dared to, rent
ing their places to the ptggers until these
we're convicted In village court, after which
they laid themselves open to prosecution
had they persisted. Since that time the
places have not been changed at ALL being
kept as they are for the re-openlng as sa
looms should their fond hopes of again be-
ing allowed to prey upon the public be rea-
| lized.
*x*
| IT is reported that some Of them have
made arrangements by which to become si-
| lent partners in new firms, fearing that
licenses would not be granted to them per-
sonally. They might have spared them
selves the trouble. The people are not go
ing to allow any licenses to be issued
whether only persons of alleged good moral
character want them or 7 not.
There is no business or moral reason why
permission should be sold to this gentry to
collect in the neighborhood of s75.O00 from
the people Of Willmar and vicinity by tempt
ing their appetites and debauching their
persons. Morally it is wrong aud in a busi-
ness way the saloon keeper charges too
much commission for collecting taxes and
usually collects most from those least
able to pay their store bills.
~
There is no good reason why licenses
should be granted except that a small mi
nority of our citizens desire chance to
drink Intoxicating liquors. The "blind-pig
excuse has been disposed of and the increase
in taxes is such puerile argument tina,
none but the confirmed believers in the sa-
loon traffic would advance it, We will en-
deavor in the next column to show just wha1
these tax talks amount to, so that the friends
of law and order can silence anyone who ar
CUES in that way. Our friends probably
have noticed that those who pay the least
taxes do the most talking about the saloon
revenue.
~
We have faith that the decision of veal
ago will stand. The whisky gang is working
on the quiet. as the nature of their case will
not bear the light of publicity: Now let the
moral forces of the village unite and make
determi ned effort and roll up such an in
} creased vote against saloons that will pu1
the enemies of law and order in to hopeles!
rOut,