The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-02-05
.FlF|EI,T PUBLIC PULSE.

Mass Meeting
Night.
"
lance Bemidji had over ,OO(
children, 700 of whom were 81
school age, the future hope OF the
city and nation. Their culture,
education and righteous training
was subject of the utmost i,n-
portance. 1t well became the
w. G. T. U. to inaugurate this
effort to beat back the cancer
planters Of the Twentieth cen
fury. He appealed to the fathers
and mothers against the enviorn-
ment in which their children
we're being reared. Myriad
social foes were secretly taking
advantage Of their children. The
flash lights Of hell, the gilded
dens and dives, with polished
mirrors and cut glass in spark
ling array invited them to hell.
A full grown army OF men and
women pandered to the baser
passions oil the town. Bemidji
had the name of being hell on
earth. Respectable capital re-
fused to invest in the town. He
believed that the mayor and al
| dermen, the city and county Off
Gals stood ready to enforce the
laws, if the people of the city
demonstrated to them that they
wanted them enforced. He APP
pealed to the fathers and moth
ers to put their trust in God,
keep their powder dry and not
cease in their efforts toward re-
form until every bling house
land den of prostitution was
driven from the city.
A FELONY.
j. Trask said he counted it
an honor to be privileged to ad
dress the meeting He read the
state statute defining prostitu-
ton as a felony. He knew it to
bea fact that it was absolutely
unsafe for youngmen and women
to be upon the streets of Bemidji
at certain !. times. He believed
the business man should place
his God above all other interests
and hoped for the Fastening of
the dav when gambling and
prostitution would be a thing Of
the past in Bemidji.
EVERYBODY CARRY COAL.
Rev. Allan Clark, pastor of the
Nymore Congregational church,
was the next speaker. He told
Chauncey Depew's story Of the
Chicago man who died and was
admitted at the gates of what he
believed was heaven. He was
surprised to find that it was the
other extreme. He thought that
Bemidji people might be in dan.
ger of getting their wires crossed
in the same way. He did not be
|lieve the better classes wanted
the present conditions. The
time had arrived when there
should be a change. The gamb-
ling houses and bells of vice alb
sorbed three. fourths fthe money
that came to Bemidj in the peck
cts Of the harvester and woods
man. He believed the present
meeting was the blowing of the
whistle that marked the starting
of the train. He closed by asking
everybody to help stir up the fire
and carry coal.
HISTORY BY HIGGINS.
Rev. Higgins who had been
sitting with the boys in the rear
| of the hall then elbowed his way
| to the front amid a visible muir
muir Of approval from every
corner Of the house. He said the
audience had heard from the
ministers but he was here as a
Ilumberjack to talk this thing over.
HE believed the people would get
Just what they wanted. He was
acquainted with local conditions
The said. Then he harked back
to the time when the houses were
moved to their present location
and he and Father Murphy had
4 opposed the move. He had
washed his hands Of the whole
affair at that time. Time and
again he had tried to do some.
, thing and to get the council to dc
something. He had been told
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