The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-01-16

Can boy or girl grow up pure III u-nc-
ments like these we have here in this
greed smitten city? And the one social
institution that comes forward to min
lister to the social instincts is the sa-
loon! 1t says to the tired workingman
who has no place worthy to be called
a home, 'tCome, enjoy social glass in
a handsome, well lighted, cheerful
roomw 1t says to the men whose appe-
tite is never satisfied with Ill prepared
food: Come, enjoy free lunch! Only
of course you will want beer or whisky
to wash it down" And without saying
this to the man, only to itself, the sa-
loon, with devilish foresight, reckons
on getting back by means of the free
lunch 100 per cent in the actual sale of
drinks Truly Officer Roberts is right
when he says, "It's free, but it's expen-
sive."
It says to the young man who has
no healthy outlet for physical life be-
cause he is born without Fairgrounds
and without home pleasures: Come!
In the vaudeville l will amuse you.
The songs and the dances will be sug-
gestive, and the young women who
furnish the amusement are fallen, but
vice is necessity to civilization. and
we stand ready to furnish what the
church and other religious organiza-
lions Will never give your
Surely" John Gordon meditated,
ssfbo colon,, IN, &c 1ou onl ronara tion
is wiser than the children of light.
The devil must dance in glee over the
sight of the tenement and slum dis
tricts In the city as he sees his finest
agents occupying the field Of social
panderers to human necessity, while
the solemn, empty stone edifices called
churches stand stately and still up on
the grand boulevards and open their
doors once or twice week to receive
proud men and women, clothed In pur-
pie and fine linen, who fare sumptu-
ously every day, who enjoy their reli-
gioI. but do not enjoy practicing it
among sinners = at ieas: not among
sinners like those who are born In ten
ements and get their nourishment in
saloon and vaudeville. Surely the sa-
loon is giving the churches pointers on
how to reach the masses. VIII the
churches take the broad hint and act
on it, or will they still allow the sa-
loon to pre-empt the corner lots and
under the hypocritical guise of cater
ing to social craving damn with phys
ical and moral damnation lives that
have never known any other gospel
but the gospel of beer and free lunches
as long as they are able to pay for
themi
His meditation was going deeper,
and he was beginning to philosophize
not bitterly, but with genuine sadness,
when he saw Mr. Marsh suddenly
arise and clutch his arm hard.
81 can't bear any more of this" he
said as Gordon glanced up at him.
I'm going out. It's too revolving.
I've seen all | care to"
"And when you've seen one of 'em
you've seen all of 'em," said Officer
Roberts with a shrug. Gordon looked
toward the stage A dance that was
simply revolving in its indecency was
being performed. A roar of brutal
laughter rose from the audience. 1t
was like picture taken from some
scene of the Inferno" Gordon's spirit
famed up in holy wrath at the sight
of it, but he got up and went out with
Marsh and the officer.
Once outside, even in the tainted,
beer poisoned air that fioated out of
the saloon, all three of the men breathed
easier. Officer Roberts looked toward
Gordon with an air of resignation.
docs your friend wish to continue?
may be allowed to say the show is
the same one place as another same
songs, same dances
mo more for me-" Mr.. Marsh inter
rupted quickly. Gordon, I'm simply
sick of it all. Let us go back to Hope
House. should like to meet Miss An
drews before going home. You thought
she would be back after SUPERB
Eyes, but | want you to see Bowen
street by night; just two or three
blocks, and I'll not ask any more"
Every we'll" Mr.. Marsh reluctantly
consented He was evidently laboring
under great stress of feeling. His SEN
sitive nature had suffered in ways that
were very unusual.
''It won't be necessary for you to go
along, Roberts" Gordon said as the
officer stood waiting.
'Much obliged, sir" Roberts an
swered with look of relief. I'm at
your service of course. Miss Andrews
gave special orders to me to be OF any
help to you that can"
1T will isct De necessary, Roberts,
Much obliged Well simply walk
through the street and not attempt any
inside work tonight"
"All right, sir" The officer turned
back to Hope House playground, which
he had overseen ever since it had be-
come an important institution, and
Gordon, taking Mr.. Marsh's arm
walked down Bowen street for three
blocks, then turned and came back on
the opposite sidewalk.
If the street had been full during the
day, it was running over at night.
The stoops We're literally packed with
people The child of the tenements,
with her little sister in her arms, was
there, bending over the armful, sitting
on the steps in various degrees of dis
comfort and unconscious misery, but
cheerful, resigned and apparently born
to her task.
The. night was breathless, and yet
out on the wide boulevard it was not
sitting. Down here, however, not a
single sigh of fresh air came. The
garbage boxes rotted yisibly. On the
covers Of those few boxes that still re-