The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-26
CASE STREET LIQUOR LINZ
LARGE MEETING IN FIRST WARD
IN FAVOR OF PROHIBITING
SALOONS THERE
PURITY WANTED IN POLITICS
Men Who stood for Decency Against
MisruIe in Saturdays COnVen-
tiOR Are Praised by
the Speakers.

citizens mass meeting held In the Swed-
ish Baptist church. corner Sims and
Payne avenue, yesterday afternoon. The
different churches on Arlington hills have
united on the question Of making a tenn
perance district out of residence portion
of the First ward north of Case street
and east of Mississippi street. The pas
tors of the different churches on Arling-
ton hills laid the matter before their con-
gregations last night, and altogether 1,500
people signihed their willingness to help
drive the saloons out of that portion of
the First ward. Rev. Homer C. Ashcraft,
of the Grace M. E. church. some time ago
presented a petition to the city council
asking their support in the matter, and
it came up for hearing last Monday, but
was tabled. The mass meeting held yes
terday was for the purpose Of getting the
people interested, and to urge upon them
the necessity of electing an alderman that
would work for the peoples interest and
do what was right.
Rev. O. P. Peterson, Of the Swedish
Baptist church, called the meeting to or
der, and, after the singing Of a hymn,
Rev. H. c. Ashcraft, of the Grace NJ E.
lures, after which he offered a short
prayer. The superintendent of the Anti
Saloon league for this district was then
introduced as the speaker Of the occa-
sion. He spoke in part as follows:
Last Monday afternoon in the commit
tee room adjoining the council chamber
were two classes Of men. One class rep
resented the saloon element of this city,
and the others were there to try and get
the councils help to suppress the evil that
has come upon the very threshold of
their homes. The only argument the sa-
loon element could give was that when
the eight saloonlleepers who have sa-
looms in that portion of the ward that we
proposed to make a temperance district
out of last applied for licenses there
was no objection raised, and that now
we propose to drive them out of business
and cOnfiscate their fixtures. Why can't
they move few blocks nearer town, so
they would not be in this district? The
people of that district do not want these
saloons there, the schools and the
churches don't want them, and eight men
and four brewers want to continue In an
unlawful business to make money while
over 1900 people don't want them there
Those twelve men were just as certain
last Monday that they would have their
own way in the council that they never
worried about the result at all.
''Now the question is, shall these men
be permitted to continue in this business
or shall they be forced to engage in some
other business? l understand that there
is whisky sold without a license in the
vile houses of this city, and that sa-
loon men say they cannot get along with
out these places, and these places say
they cannot get along without the sa-
looms.
But suppose that a man in this city
should go down here on Payne avenue
and put up place next to some saloon
and sell whisky without a license why,
the saloonkeeper next door would be one
of the first to try and get evidence to
convict his opponent, not because they
think 1t is right. but because they don't
want the other fellow to get any of their
business. The saloon element is also
conspirlng to control the government Of
the city. 1 do not want to say anything
that is partial to any political party.
ut IS of interest 70 the saloon element
and the machine to have the control Of
the offices, and also to see that where
there are one or more candidates rum
ming for place that has something to
do with the saloon, that they are favor
able to them
you people have work before you that
that the ward alderman that is to be
nominated is a man that will stand up
for what Is right, whether he be nomin-
ated by the Democrats, the Republicans
or the Populists. But in order to do
this you must stand united on this ques-
ton. You may say that one alderman
can't do this for us, but you will find out
that when the people in the other parts
of the city find out that you are in
earnest, they will say, the people in that
district want home rule and we will help
them get 1t. The saloons in this neighbor-
hood have been running wide open on
Sundays for the last number of years
and you have not raised an objection You
can make them keep within the limits Of
the law, and if you are in earnest, then
by the help Of God you will push this
battle on. May God help you in this
work.
Mr. Ashcraft was called upon to make
a few remarks, and said: ''I feel very
much interested in this movement Now,
If we are going to accomplish anything.
we must keep at 1t. The saloon element
is thoroughly organized, and when they
go before the council and ask for any
thing they know how many members they
have and how much they can do You
say we do not want to go into politics
because they are too corrupt but we
must go in and clean them up. You have
all heard Of the disgraceful scenes that
took place in the convention yesterday,
and, If any of the Democrats are here
who were In that convention and helped
to make 1t better, may God bless them
We do not intend to stick up for any
party. but to vote for the cleanest man"