The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-20
THE CHURCH
FEDERATION
TO CAMPAIGN
In An Effort to Unite the "doOd Gov
eminent" Forces, and It Is
Announced That
ORGANIZATIONS IN THEWARDS
WIN Be Formsd-Ths Federation
Comes Out in Another late
ment to the Public.


The weekly meeting Of the Federation
Of Churches was held yesterday after
noon In the Y. N. c. A. building The
report of the executive committee was
received and various matters Of inter
est in the work Of the Federation were
discussed at length. A leafet giving
the votes of the city council on the Wa
terhouse resolution is published and
win be distributed through the city. 1t
gives the whole matter, with the vote
and business Of each councilman.
The report Of the committee that
waited on the mayor In regard to Sum
day selling of intoxicating drinks was
read and ordered to be given to the city
papers for publication.
Speaking of the action taken at yes
terday's meeting OF the Federation,
Rev. Samuel schwarm said:
1.-THE Federation has taken measures
to unite the forces OF this city in favor
Of good government Heretofore no
special effort has been made along this
line. 1t was supposed that the present
city officials would enforce the laws IL
asked to do so by decent number of
petitioners. Now 1t is felt that all
those who favor better municipal gov-
eminent must be brought together on
some line Of action to secure this much
desired end. There win be no effort
made to bring all into the Federation,
for that body is already large enough
for It's specific purpose, but an effort
will be made to bring these forces to-
gether and to organize them in each
ward to wage continual warfare on
rlawlessnesss until the city shall be
freed from the curse of no rule, or
misrule."
The statement of the Federation re-
ferred to above. is as follows:
To the General Public.
&, II VIII be remembered that on Febru-
airy s, a committee from the Federation
Of Churches waited on the mayor Of the
city with a demand" that the saloons
be closed on Sunday. Said demand
was published in the daily papers OF
February Q. The mayor discussed the
situation with the committee for over
aniihour Though the papers sought to
Interview us as to the purport OF the
discussion, we refused to give out any
thing, preferring to let the mayor speak
for himself, II he chose to do so.
The committee, however, reported the
result OF their conference with the
mayor TO the Federation as body, and
after waiting in vain for some public
expression on his part, either in the
papers or In his published message, the
Federation of Churches herewith pre-
sent to public attention the substance
81 our interview. and the position
Mayor Sweeney takes in the matter;
First, he asserts that he is trying to
give the city a liberal" administration
that the Federation of Churches mas
made, and is st!ll making, n grent mis-
take in demanding the enforcement OF
the ordinances against the slot ma
chimes and the saloons: that we have
| hurt the reputation of our city; and
| that public sentiment Is against us
that IN all his conversation he has fall
| ed TO find any persons In our favor.
| Now, we would commend this declara-
| tIon to the consideration Of the LIE
/ citizens who signed our original petit
zion 10 the mayor and chief OF police
| and to the thousands OF church MEM
hers who are voters. Is It fact that
i've are without amy" supporters In
| o,ir efforts for better government In
Wheeling? What say the forty leading
citizens who signed our petition to
council? What say the majority In the
| first branch Of council, who voted with
| fine Federation, and the eleven or
twelve who stood with US In every test
| ~ the yeas" and mays" In the second
branch? Is not the mayors circle OF
| friends, with whom he is accustomed to
| consult, somewhat limited?
Second, he gave US TO understand that
| be, IA IN favor OF the open saloon on
| SUNDAYS. In fact, he took great pains
10 emphasize this point, going SO far as
| 10 claim that the cities Of any eonsid-
cradle size now permitted Sunday open
ing. that II was far better to have open
saloons than the "speak-easles,' which
would Inevitably follow Sunday closing.
| He cited pittsburgh as q case where
| they have Sunday closing, and claimed
that the situation there Is now much
worse than formerly; that there are
cover four hundred speak-easles there
and that drunkenness prevails to nm
even greater degree than under the
open saloon. - a.
The Federation of Churches wrote to
the mayor and chief Of police OF Puts
hurgh, setting forth these assertions
and declarations OF Mayor sweeney.
In answer to the arraignment he makes
we sImply submit the following letters,
received in answer to our letters:
Mayors Letter.