The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-07-07

ed that municipal action was to b,
much more preferred.
/ Mr.. Baker said that he asked for ne
more than what the protection of the
law afforded, and that if the municip
ality would enforce the Sunday clos
ing law the committee would not mo.
! lest the saloon keepers bondsmen fol
past violations of the Sunday closing
law. In event no action was taken,
and the committee was forced to en-
ploy outside legal talent to enforce the
law, the forfeiture of the bonds would
be required.
Committeeman J. M. Hays was ask
ed by the mayor if he had anything to
say, and replied negatively.
Mayor Taylor then called Council
man Barrett to the chair, and took up
the proposition from his standpoint as
mayor. He cited the fact of his NOM
ination to the third term as mayor of
the city + Athena being made in open
convention with the full knowledge
of what his policy had been and would
continue to be. In view of this fact,
he declared that he would not change
his policy and that if he was to be i'm
peached, he was prepared to meet the
proceedings then or any other time.
He said it looked to him as though he
was the special mark aimed at: that
he had been bounded for six months
and that he was getting tired of it.
He was elected to office by the legal
voters of Athena, all of whom knew
what his policy would be; and not by
people living outside the city, includ-
ing the state of Washington. He had
strictly lived up to his policy, and if
he did say it himself, there was no
better regulated city or town in the
state OF Oregon; he had stopped gam
bling in every form; minors and wo-
men did not frequent saloons, and the
city's financial condition was better
than it had been for years; a new
water system was being put in and the
council was in harmony with the work
under way.
The mayor further stated that he
was not turn coat" that he be-
lieved in treating all alike and if the
saloons closed, other business houses
would close, too. He did not consider
people living outside the corporate
limits of Athena had any right to die
tate his policy, when they had no voice
in his election, and the only pressure
that would make him change his pol
icy, was for majority of the legal
voters of the city of Athena to petition
him to change it. He asked Mr..
Baker if he knew of any better reg
ulated towns than Athena, to which
the pastor answered that there is more
drunkenness and fighting in Athena
than in either Goldendale, Wash,
Dufur, and Prineville, Ore, towns in
which he had formerly resided.
Mayor Taylor asked why the re-
formers did not bring evidence before
the recorder where conviction could be
secured. To this Mr. Baker replied
that this manner of proceeding would
be out of pocket and unsatisfactory.
He thought the municipality could
handle the matter with less friction.
Councilman Gross asked why Athena
was selected to close up when other
towns were not molested. Mr.. Baker
remarked that there must necessarily
be starting place; that there was a
county organization which had for its
purpose the enforcement of the Sunday
closing law; that he was member of
it, and when Athena was closed atten-
tion would be given other towns. Mr..
Gross stated he did not believe in clos
ing one town and leaving others open.
Councilman Gillis called for the
reading of the liquor ordinance. After
the reading of the ordinance by the
recorder Mr.. Gillis stated that he did
not approve of the question of closing
coming up at this time; but thought
it bis duty to act, and while agreeing
with the mayor, thought the matter
should be referred to the mayor and
marshal.
Councilman Jarman, personally,
would be satisfied to close bis place Of
business if business houses of other
towns would close.
Councilman Barrett believed that
the council had about all that it could
attend to, and at this particular time
would suggest that the league furnish
evidence to the city recorder before
whom convictions could be brought
about. Mr.. Barrett stated that he
did not want to be understood as being
opposed to law and order, but for the
present, he favored the matter being
referred for further consideration and
made motion to that effect, which
carried.