Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-05-29
OFFICE IN TRIBUNE BUILDING.
20S Fourth Street.
Entered at the postoffice at Wi1lmar, Mimi,
as second class mail matter.l
WEDNESDAY. M A Y 90, 1901
THE LIQUOR EVIL At wILLMAR.

THE LIQUOR EVIL At wILLMAR.
The legalized saloons have been
running several weeks and the citizens
have had chance to compare condi-
tions existing during that time with
the period of indifferently enforced
prohibition. Any fairminded observ.
er will be forced to admit that even
with the liquor fraternity and their
friends doing their utmost to make the
prohibition period odious, there was
by far less drunkenness and riotous be-
havior on our streets then than since
the traffic has been legalized. Let us
mention some things which have come
to our knowledge:
The number of arrests for drunken
ness and disorderly behavior has in
creased.
The police force has been increased
and is busy watching the saloons for
victims when before it had little or
nothing to do.
The number of cases of drunkenness
on the streets has vastly increased;
indeed there were more DRINKS on our
streets the first day and night that the
saloons were open than during the
whole period of two years during pro-
hibition, poorly enforced as it was.
Profanity and the disagreeable con-
duct of partly intoxicated persons
around public places has increased
tenfold.
Citizens addicted to the drink habit,
who, to the JOY of their families, have
kept sober for two years, have begun
drinking again, causing their dear
ones fear and sorrow.
Mechanics who have been reliable
workmen for two years have begun
going on periodical sprees, losing val
liable time.
Railroad men who have held respon-
sible positions have succumbed to the
respectable" saloons and have lost
their places.
Drunken farmers haye begun max
ing night hideous along the roads
leading from town.
Young men who are the only sup
port and help of aged and feeble par
ents have been taken home paralyzed
drunk and thrown into the woodshed
to sober up, leaving the feeble ones
without help and with added sorrow
Farmers that have come to town and
never failed to leave for home early
after their business was transacted now
linger in town and sometimes do not
get started home at all on the day
they came in. We have heard of one
case where little boy was obliged to
stay over night waiting for his drink
ing sire to go home.
Intoxicated farmers have driven
their frightened horses into run-a-
ways and have sustained broken bones
and other injuries.
Would-be respectable citizens, who
would never be seen going into a
"blind pig' go into the saloons for
an occasional drink, setting bad ex-
ample for their own and the boys OF
others.
Young men have begun to drink.
Cases of drunkenness have been re-
ported even among the young boys at
tending our schools.
All this and much more, we dare
say, that we have not heard from, has
taken place during few weeks. Does
it not make one sick at heart? May a
merciful God spare US from anything
worse than that above enumerated in
the record to be written during the
rest OF the year.
"Oh, we'll, ''some will say, "don't pay
any attention to what the TRIBUNE
says. Its editor is crazy" That is
easily said, but it does not disprove
the cold facts that it publishes.
Inside of year, however, we will
become more accustomed to the evil.
The public conscience will be scared
and calloused, and the saloons will
have a better hold. Ten saloons, fur
nishing ten political headquarters,
with lobbyists working for their cause,
constitute force that must now be
reckoned with. The ten churches of
course must not NEEDLE with politics.
The saloon men will see that the off,
cial plums are correctly distributed
among the different denominations so
as to leave no cause for complaint on
that score. They are willing that good
church men hold the Offices if the sa-
loon interests can control the policies.
It is time that the good people Of the
village awaken to the gravity Of the
situation. It is time for q heart
searching among the Christian men
and women OF the village.
Since the above was written q gem
tleman, who is resident OF Willmar,
called at the TRIBUNE office and Of
fered proof that his fourteen year-old.
boy together with . small company Of.
boys Of like age had been given sam
PIE bottles q beer Ct the request q