Willmar tribune., 1900-03-21

!
The Willmar Argus contends that our
promise to print the names of the signers to
J the petition asking for Il chance to vote was
"a defiant challenge" Perhaps it might be
| regarded so by the whiskey gang, but why
need 1t be taken SO by the Argus, unless
that paper Is defending the gang, is not ap-
parent Further the A. says that we are the
| expOnents of the "most unreasonable, un-
American system of temperance reform we
ever heard Of" In reply to this we sug-
gest that the Argus give US sample of
reasonable, American temperance reform
The contrast would then perhaps convict
us.
| Further the Argus says we "advocate our
doctrine in defiance of law Please quote
the law. Mr.. Wharton. which we have de-
fed.
The Argus continues. saying that ':men of
pronounced temperance standing have been
| forced aside and their influence lost'
through our '.pernicious tactics" Our
methods have been simply to try to force
people to show their colors. This would IT.
course be regarded as 'pernicious" by part
les who wish to 'stand I'M with both sides,
but no one who wishes to see fair fight
| ought to complain.
| This has been unfortunate for the cause
OF temperance in Willmar." Thenswhy does
the saloon gang feel bad about it? Why do
not the members of the gang look with favor
upon us?
1.-The questions Of high license and no H.
| cense are questions people may differ upon"
Then why are the license men ashamed to
be known and why do they do their work in
the dark? Why does not the Argus show up
| f1,6ao .fo l~x1
Why do not the saloon men have public
meetings for discussion and agitation? Is it
not because they know their cause is moral
ly wrong and will not stand the searchlight
| Of truth?
of no license is regarded by the Tribune as
whisskey man, Influenced by the saloon
| gAug."
| We hold that the man who grants permis-
sion tc sell whiskey is as bad US the man who
sells it. The latter may be of coarser
makeup and of a more vicious nature but
morally they are equally responsible. That
being true, how, pray. can we otherwise
consistently designate them?
! The A. 8. League takes the stand that its
nominees for village offices must pledge
themselves to support the league and its
laws"
No such pledge is required. No candidate
is bound to the league. But they are bound
to the people who will elect them to oppose
the liquor evil at every opportunity.
Wharton should inform himself OF the truth
before he writes and avoid such misrepre-
| sentations.
1T is not the cause of temperance we are
mtthods employed by the Tribune.' '0''
In other words. you were trying to
stNddle the question. but the attitude Of
the TRIBUNE against license compelled you
| to defend the other side.
| When that paper threatened to publish
| the names OF those signing the petltiOn and
brand them as the saloon gang it resorted to-
| (Which cause?) despise. And we have heard
| strong temperance men condemn the TRI-
BUNE and its threat as the meanest piece of
| business that has in fected our village affairs
| for years." ~Ec.E-."= [~f = - b."
II the petition is3proper and morally con-
sistent why be so alarmed about its publica-
tion? And If publishing the list of names
after giving notice that we would do so was
mean business, how would the Argus defend
its publication Of the list without any notice
whatever? Why does the Argus publish the
list, ifit is not right to do so? = -
i "Then the TRIBUNE did not publish the
/ llst-only part Of it,. Such names as T..
r.. Karwand were. Inadvertently omitted.
i ~ ~ was 1ASsA WAAN AouAO OA4a OoCN ~ oAO
list printed by the TR 1BUNE? Let the Tai
| BUNE answer or stand convicted of favOrit-
Il ism and cOwardlce" 2.
/ karwand's name and the names of @.
i Wennerlund, B. Moe and H. Il. Ward were
overlooked by A. o. Forsberg who copied
the list for us at the recorders office and he
iswilling to make an affidavit that he be-
i lievad that he had all the names. What
/ does the Argus mean by its insinuation? If
my personal conside eratons would have
sWayed rs in publishing the list. we certain
1 " should have omitted them all. Now here
is question for the Argus to answer. Why
] isit that Ole Barnstad's s name does not ap-
| pear on the petition, although he had
charge Of the petition and secured some
i signatures to the same? Whatinterest could
an anex-saloonkeeper5ha have in passing around
! . petition which he himself would not sign7s
Ifyou want to know what proportion OF
your taxes saloons nj ght pay diyide then By
5llzz.
u
Il anyone igned the Round Robin sa-5
loon petition" upon misrep representatio tions or
Is nnt snndarnfa u M thr M tier vn wi NJ Ia