The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-29

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The city of New York, the most cosmo-
politan municipality in the world is be-
ing governed to-day under the so-called
"Eustis policy" first, enforced In Mime
apolis just ten years ago.
Upon Mr. Eustis' accession to office he
announced that the excise laws would be
enforced "as far as practicable In New
York, Mr., Low has said that he will
enforce the excise laws cup to the very
limit of what is practicable, with the
means at command.
In neither case was any attempt made
to enforce the Sunday closing law, both
Mayor Eustis and Mayor Low having de-
cided to hold it's enforcement in allegiance,
as club with which to compel co-opera
ton on the part of saloon men towards
the better regulation of the saloon prob
lem in general
In New York the administration poll
Cyl has scarcely passed the experimental
stage. In Minneapolis the "Eustis poll
cy'' obtained for two years; and statistics
prove that it resulted in fewer arrests for
drunkenness, and in fewer crimes COM
mitted in saloons.
Mayor Eustis and Mayor. Low alike were
subjected to much criticism and even
abuse from strict constructionists. Both
! alike persisted in the course of faction
| they had marked out for themselves; and
! both sought to set themselves right be-
fore the people by publicly stating their
position, and their reasons for assuming
| it. 4
] Indefinitely. In short, the "administra-
tion policy in New York, is simply the
"Eustis policy in Minneapolis, masquer-
aiding under another name; and it's adop-
! tion by Seth Low, a brilliant political
economist and close student Of sociolog-
! ical conditions, must be regarded as high
compliment to Minneapolis former
mayor.
The Eustis Policy.
| Mr.. SEustis' views upon the enforcement
/ of excise laws may be briefly summarized
as follows:
| Enforce the liquor law with the same
purpose and the same int ent as you en-
|
problem Here in minneapolis we have
! a law against fast driving. It is violated
every hour of the twenty-four in many
parts of the city. It was never designed
to be enforced literally, but only as
! preventive of abuses. There is law
/ against selling bread or in fact, any com
modify, on Sunday. Would the reformerrs
| cry out for the arrest of a man who had
! sold his neighbOr a loaf of bread on the
Lords day? There is law against work
ing on Sunday. Yet street cars are oper-s
ated and ministers and reformers patron
ize them. .A
This problem of Sunday selling Is only
one phase of the liquor question and not
the most important one. Is it not better
TO prevent the sale of liquor to minors
and the drunkards and to put a stop to
robberies in saloons, than to try to en-
force law against Sunday selling? In
my opinion if you stop those things-and
! they were stopped under the sEustis
policy'-you will have accomplished more
Tor society than II you simply try to pre-
vent the sale of liquor on Sunday, some
thing which you can't do, and which ex-
Perlence mas proven you can't do.
The Law as a "CIub."
The evils that arise from their being
open are responsible for this demand that
saloons be, closed on Sunday That being
SO, j consider it a wiser plan to correct
these evils than to attempt ito close the
saloons. Nor would I have the law pro
Viding for Sunday closing repealed With
such q law upon the statute books the [
honest mayor is equipped with club
he can compel saloon men to col
operate with him to stamp out other and
more objectionable features Of the bust
ness. With this law at his back MAYOR
can discipline the proprietor Of disor
derby saloon and compel him to mend his |
ways. f75FzSz.-el
q you close the saloon on Sunday YOU
simply induce men to turn their homes
or their lodgings into drinking rooms, and
believe it's better to have them in the
saloons than carousing in their rooms.
where they are temporarily beyond police +
control. The man who drinks on six DAYS /:
of the week will drink on the seventh. and
you can't step him.
But suppose you attempted to enforce
the laws literally, and arrested every
saloonkeeper who opened his doors to Gus
toners on Sunday. Could you secure con 81
victfons in court? doubt it. " gu
couldn't find juries to convict. There are
limitations to- the enforcement of Iaw|
when 1t is contrary to the desires Of hui
man nature Law is a servant OF the
community, and not Its master
One unfortunate result will follow