Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-05-05
Sunday Prohibition in Missouri.

Contrary to the general impression
the legal authorities are having much
difficulty in enforcing the Sunday law
in 81. Louis and throughout the State.
Very little reference has been made to
the determined opposition and open
resistance that has been made to en-
forcement Of the law, by the press out
side the city, but the 81. Louis papers
have been expected, of course, to give
the facts.
The Hepnbhc, the leading paper,
says that Gov. Folk, the Excise Com
missioner and the Board of Police
Commissioners, were openly deiied by
the proprietors of a saloon and beer
garden, in the heart of Forest Park,
and the efforts of the mounted police
to close up the place have been unsuc-
cessful. The resort is known as
kicker's Park" and is located near
! the site Of the Government building,
within what was the Worlds Fair
grounds. The proprietors of the resort
claimed that they had right to vend
liquors under warrant from the U. S.
government officials, who are still in
control OF the tract, which was placed
in their possession to promote the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition and
has not yet been released. 1t gave
them permission to erect and maintain
places for the sale Of liquor which was
renewed primarially to provide places
for the workmen engaged in wrecking
the Worlds Fair buildings to procure
liquid refreshments. This presentation
of argument was claimed to be suf1i.
cient for them to keep "open house"
Sundays. including that hallowed sea.
son OF yesterday, but the City Coun-
Gil contends that the simple permit OF
U. S. government officials to operate
the bar did not give the proprietors of
the resort the privilege to defy the
city's police regulations.
While St. Louis proper has observed
the law by closing the dram-shops,
East st. Louis has been" wetter" than
ever before, and it is estimated that
$4,000 citizens crossed over the Fades
bridge, on Easter Sunday, not so much
to quench thirst, probably, as to crafty
that innate trait of human nature to
oppose restrictions on personal habit,
when it is possibly safe to do SO.
st. Louis county made no pretense
OF closing in accord with the order of
Gov. Folk to Sheriff Herpel. All sub
urban towns kept open for dry st.
Louis. No arrests were made, as there
were no extra deputy sheriffs on duty
in the suburbs. In East st. Louis
two saloon-men were pulled" to test
certain points OF the law.
In Chillicothe, Mo-, no notice was
served to maintain the State law, from
the fact that under its charter, the
city alone can say when its drinking
places shall be closed, and that provi.
sion has been tested in court and held
to be valid. The decision was rem
dered, however, before the late law was
enacted, and probably another hearing
will be necessary before the matter is
definitely settled. The city of Louisi-
ana has q like provision in her charter.
1t is said, later, that President Fran.
els, of the Worlds Fair management,
will take summary action in the mat.
ter OF liquor.selling in the park, and
the State will not much longer have
that difficulty in enforcement of the
law to contend with. Gov. Folk de-
clares that the law shall be respected,
even though it take the. military power
OF the State to enforce it.
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