The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-11-10
Mans Own Family Is His Best
Club on Sabbath.
Over a Million Is Spent for
Liquor on That Day.
Money Is Wasted; Says Form
er United States Senator.

Minneapolis, Nov. 3.-Denomcing as
unjust statements pmportlng to have
been made by business men that trade
will suffer from Mayor Jones' edict
closing Sunday saloons in Minneapolis,
Senator W. ID. Washburn declared that,
on the contrary, the order will have, in
addition to its improvement in the NOR
ais of the city, the effect of diverting
from veritable waste to legitimate bust
ness $l,OOOyOOO annually. Basing his
estimate on figures secured from reliable
sources, Senator Washburn declares
that the mayor deserves the plaudits of
every reputable business man in the city
and the undivided support of all lovers
of decency if he is again a candidate for
mayor.
what is your opinion of Mayor
Jones' order" a Journal reporter asked
Senator Washburn.
Il approve of the course of the mayor
unequivocally, in his action, and to
the fullest extent" said the senator en-
phatically. 1T seems to me it should
have been done long ago, but | presume
the mayor may have been wise in in
vestigating the question fully to enable
him to act inteligently and effective
Iy."
What general effect do you think it
will have?"
Il think the general effect will be
good. 1t cannot be otherwise. i think
the effect of allowing Sunday saloons
heretofore has been most vicious, espe
cially in its effects upon those people
that we speak of as 'laboring men, Uu-
til recently, | have had no conception
of the extent to which saloons on Sun
day have been patronized. They seem
to have been the resorts for large num-
bers of laboring people, who, after a
hard days work, could spend their time
much more proftably with their fami-
lies, or going to church.
Eve hear the saloon spoken of as the
'workingman's club | do not see why
a laboring man, more than anyone else.
should need club on Sunday, where he
goes each week to fritter away and
waste the earnings of the week, that
should go to the support of his family
1t seems to me mans own family is
the best club that he can have. | am
told that there are a very large number
OF laboring men who, under this tempta-
ton, visit these saloons on Sunday and
spend nearly all, or all of the money
which they have earned during the
week.
''Do you think the mayor will be
able to enforce this ordinance, as it is
said that many of the business men
are against it,"
Il do not see how any legitimate bus
mess man or good citizen can be against
it. A man must be doing very low
down business to be benefited by the
degrading and debauching of the COM
munity. | cannot conceive of any bus
mess man, in the proper sense, who can
receive any benefits from the running
of the Sunday saloons. On the contrary,
it would seem to me, that great in
jury is done to large portion of the
business community. For instance, |
am told that there are 400 saloons in
this city. Upon inquiry, L find that it
is estimated that each saloon takes in on
an average, $50 Sunday. This for
400 saloons, would make $20,450, or for
the year, something over $l,00O,OO0.
"This million of dollars is not only
wasted, but worse than wasted. This
million of dollars, if there were no sa-
looms, would 60 to the legitimate mer-
chant for the purchase of bread and
meat and groceries and clothing and
boots and shoes, and all the necessaries
of life. Consequently, this legitimate
trade is deprived of a million of dollars
year on account of the money being
wasted in the saloons. When you con
slider these facts, it would seem as a
matter of self interest, if the business
man moved on no higher plane, would
be in favor of closing the saloon
One of the prominent saloonmen IL
Mankato has endorsed the order of May
or Jones closing the saloons of Mime
apolis ON the Sabbath. This saloonmar
made the statement that the saloons
ought to be able to do enough business
from five o'clock in the morning until
! twelve at night six days in the week
He would like to see the Jones order
Il become universal.