The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-16
The first gun has been fired.

The first gun has been fired.
The war against winerooms, waged
by the Home Protective league. has
begun.
Nine saloonkeepers were in police
court this morning charged with yio-
All pleaded not guilty, and their cases
were continued until Aug. "a.
Altho the charge against the saloon
men is that of keeping their places
open on Sunday, the selection made
by the league in naming the victims
of the raid shows that the wineroom
evil is the real target aimed at.
The representatives of the league
have been busily collecting evidence
against several downtown saloonkeep-
ers who are said to conduct winerooms
in connection with their places. OF
the saloonmen asserted, practically all
operate Winerooms Of doubtful legal
ity.
Just what is the definite plan Of
tatively stated, but it is understood that
the crusaders, has not been authori-
the ultimate plan is to secure the re-
vocation of the licenses of all saloon
men who violate the Wineroom ordi-
nance. If that is impossible, the league
will make all the trouble it can for
those saloonmen who violate the ordi-
nance.
LOOhllss 10 hcVOKal.
The prosecutions begun this morn
ing were brought under the city ordi-
nance which provides that the court
may revoke the license Of the saloon
keepers convicted. 1t is rumored that
such a prosecution was brought under
| the ordinance in order to give the
court an opportunity to exercise the
power; but if it fails to do so, the
next prosecutions will probably be
brought under the state law, which is
self-operating and requires a revoca-
ton Of the license with a forfeiture
of the fee when the second conviction
for violating the Sunday-closing ordi-
| nance obtains.
Charles w. Purple, attorney for the
Home Protective league, says that il
| is not primarily the intention of the
| league, to close all saloons in the city
on Sunday. He says that the wineroon
evil is the object aimed at and ever!
effort will be made to stamp it out
Several times we have gone before
the license committee of the city coun
Gil to protest against the issuing O.
! certain licenses said Mr.. Purple, ''bu
| in every instance nothing has resulted
The licenses were held up for a few
days, but ultimately they were ISSUED
and the places continued business a!
tho no protests had been made. Nov
we purpose 70 lake 1lldClGIS LII Oul
own hands and force these men to re.
move illegal features Of their places
| With the saloons conducted on the
legitimate plan, We have no lega
quarrel, but those conducted on the
Wineroom plan must cease. Prosecu
ton in these cases is under the Sun.
day closing ordinance because a con.
viction is more easily obtained thar
under the wineroom ordnance"
It is said that evidence has been Sc.
cured against these saloon men anC
thirty others, and that other arrests
are likely to follow.
| Defendants Apprenensive.
The saloon men seem mystified anc
greatly worried. They maintain tina
| these prosecutions are not fair.
they are being prosecuted for violat
| ing the wineroom ordinance, they say
they should be arrested under tina
] ordinance, and if the main object o:
| the reformers is to close the saloons
on Sunday, they contend that all sa
! loonkeepers should be dealt with il
/ the same way. One Of them, more
hasty than his fellows, said that if hi
is not allowed to keep his saloon oper
on Sunday, he will see that. Minneap
oils becomes a dry town. and thu
! Sunday saloon trade driven to st
! Paul.
Police Superintendent Conroy pait
! no attention to the crusade and say
/ that he has no objection to thu
| leagues having all the saloon men il
the city arrested. He says that hi
| department has nothing to do will
the movement.