The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-09
RE|NS ARE LOOSE AGAIN
CHIEF GETCHELL'S SALOON POLICY
OUGHT TO BE DRIVEN WITH
CURB BITS
MIDNIGHT CLOSING FARCE
1t Seems to Have Been All In
tended to Keep the Seventh
Ward From Open Sc
cesSfOn.

Go into the saloon and jerk out the
bartender, the proprietor, CT whoever else
Is in the place, If 1t is open a minute aft
81. II O'Clock, = is the bluff that Chief OF
Police GetchelI is making In regard to
closing the saloons at midnight, but it be-
gins to look as though the temporary
head Of the police department. Is simply
talking, for all along since he issued the
order those people whose thirst seems to
Increase with the lateness of the hour
have been able to get drinks at all hours
and since the Republican convention tile
saloons are again running all night AS
every policeman on the force has already
come to have wholesome dread of the
new chief, it is scarcely to be understood
that any subordinates are taking the lib
erty of extending privileges" so the gen
eral impression is that the radical chief
has been influenced to back wafer O. trife
In fact it is we'll known that Chief Get
chell succeeded IN arraying the solid sa-
loon element against the adminiStre ton
before he had been posing as the head of
the police department a week For this
he has been taken to task several times,
but his attitude of AS long as l am chief
il it is only for five minutes, 1 am to be
the whole works" remained the same TN
til Mayor Kiefer, to whom he looked to
hold him in his position, was thrown IN
the convention. Then lofty reforms fell
victim to personal ends. Naturally Mr.
Getchell wants to draw the salary of chief
Of police as long as possible. SO when he
was properly laid down upon by some OF
the politicians who hOpe-to run things for
Chester Smith, If this young man beCo mes
mayor, he was forced to come TO terms. it
is reported. One saloon, in particular has
been open almost every night since Chief
Getchell's first closing order. Thi,; VIOLA
ton was several times reported 10 the
chief, but the saloon kept open after
hours just the same. in fact the proprietor
sent word to the chief that he would not
close up, and If the chief desired to go
into court with the case he might proceed
as soon as he desired. When his bluff
was called in this instance. Chief Getchell
appears to have laid down his hand. Since
this time other saloons have opened up
until Saturday night saw the city revel-
ing in wide OPEN enjoyment. The
streets were filed with noisy crowd UNI
til daylight and policemen chatted at the
side doors with the saloon propretors and
once more enjoyed their might caps"
gratis, as in the pre-GetchelI days. How
long the respite is to last is a matter of
conjecture To plaeate the saloon men It
has been intimated that having made a
good strong front" for the benefit Of The
church element. Chief Getchell is now
willing to allow a wide open policy until
after election. This is done of course to
create the impression that the saloon
keepers will enjoy some privilege if their
animosity toward the Republican admin
istration can be diverted, in case of Re-
publican victory in May. But the job will
probably fail, as Mayor Kiefer furnished
an excellent example OF MY policy" fer
the saloon men. 1t was keep open" one
night. "close up the next, and then lis
pensation of special privileges until the
saloonkeepers became disguised with
such methods and decided that their bust
ness interests demanded change of ad-
ministration. Chief Getchell, under or
ders. is reported to be trying to head off
this sentiment, but the ICON" so the sa-
loon men claim, will not go.