The Minneapolis journal., 1902-03-21
CRY ALOUD-sPARE NOT
City Pastors Condemn the Order and
\. Favor Public Agitation. ,

-. FavOr fuDl1C AG1tat1On.T
Representatives of the organized moral
forces of the community, the churches,
believe that the citizens Of Minneapolis
should take a determined stand against
Mayor Ames' latest regulation designed
ostensibly as a safeguard of public health,
but, at the same time calculated to in
crease the 'srake- Off of certain city off,
cials at rate considerably in excess Of
81, 100 a month. Pastors and priests of
eight leading churches, representing
seven different denominations, were seen
this morning. OF this number all agreed
that the mayors regulation Is an outrage
against the morals of the community. All
but two favored an aggressive public pro-
test, and expressed the opinion that
Mayor Ames should be made to know that
he had gone too far. Rev. T. w. MacLean
of St. Marks Episcopal church and Rev.
John e. Bushnell of Westminster Presby-
terian church, declined to state whether,
in their opinion, public expression Of
disapproval would be advisable, although
DR.. Bushnell agreed that the measure was
meretricious, and seemingly the creature
of impure and venal motives All agreed
that the 81 inspection fee charged was
unwarranted; and one even went SO far
as to suggest that the mayor should be
impeached.
Said Rev. Father j. j. Keane of the
Church OF the Immaculate Conception:
I think this matter ought to be agitated
and that the mayor should be made to re-
scind his order Certainly no decent news
paper should abandon it's stand in favor NJ
good government, simply because the particu
lar violation Of decency to which obiectjon
is made proves to be an unpleasant subject
for public discussion. In matter of tbis
kind full publication Of the facts in ahund-
antly justified. firmly believe that the
inspection was designed for revenue only.
not for the benefit of the community.
Rev. w. B. Riley of the First Baptist Church
This latest outrage of the mayor should GER
tainly be discussed, and the facts made pub
lie. The only argument that could persuade
right thinking men to remain silent would
also prevent them from uncoyering any sin
that is vile. A thing that is 80 infamous as
to raise a doubt regarding the wisdom of its
public discussion, when done by the mayor
Of a city like Minneapolis, is certainly mat
ter that the public cannot afford to pass in
silence. The regulation, on the face of it.
looks like a graft and 1 do not hesitate
to employ that term. Its most wretched
feature is the tendency toward licensing this
vice and giving its such pseudo-respectabtl-
ity as is now enjoyed by the saloon It is a
new method Of making certain police patron
age; new method of raising police revenue
You see, sit works both ways. I believe that
whoever is responsible should be at once i'm
5peached.
y Rev. EDr. Marion D. Shutter, Of the Church
Of the Redeemer-I am simply speaking Of the
measure as matter of public policy have
nothing to say about the motives alleged to
be behind it. Why such discussion should
be necessarily regarded as immodest cam
not understand 1t is a question OF municipal
policy, and as such may be discussed as free
ly as a question Of street lighting or public
parks. The discussion ought to result In