The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-06
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
Some "kittle PInts.'

To the Editor of The Journal. e
noticed with great pleasure the letter
in Mondays Jou rnal concerning the
work of the Home Protective League and
the editors response to the same. Your
correspondent Is not by any means the
only one of your readers who feels dis
appointed, not to say chagrined, at the
attitude of T h j o u n a | on this mat
tetr. More of us who have come to look
upon your paper as championing the right
side of moral issues are at a loss to ex-
plain your position now. #.
The real question at issue is entirely
overlooked in your editorial reply. 1t is
not primarily a question of whether the
Home Protective League is wise in all
its ways or not. altho its work has my
complete sympathy; it is not essentially
the question whether saloons in general
should be closed on Sunday or not altho
believe most heartily that they should
be; but the real question is whether the
law is to be enforced whether with a
statute already enacted calling for the
closing of the saloons on Sunday the
mayor may still use his option, closing
them or not.
You suggest that more will probably be
gained by following the mayor than by
following independent az, organizations
There are thousands Of citizens in Min
neapolis today who, rejoicing in the large
amount of good work he has already
done, eagerly hope that they may con-
tinue to follow the mayor, but do you
| mean to ask u.s. Mr.. Editor, to follow
| him in his refusal to enforce the statutes
When in the history of our civic life
did it become optional with our executive
| as to what laws he might enforce, and
| what laws leave unenforced? Americas
great question today, whether the will OF
| the people as expressed in Legislation
shall be put into execution by the mer
elected to office?
I admit that the question of how best
to handle the liquor evil is debatable. But
| the time for debate is when Legislation
| is being determined, not afterwards. The
will of the people once enacted into law
| leaves no option upon an executive. In.
dividually we may or may not like thu
law on the statute books. The remedy
| however, lies not in the laws abrogatio1
but in it's repeal, So long as 1t is law
and personally I hope that it will Away:
be, it is law calling for enforcement
with no place left for debate or bubble
With laws already on our statute books
and officers debating as to whether the.
are good laws and whether therefore it i
expedient to enforce them, is a situation
anomalous and startling. Jerome does no
like the excise laws In New York city
and while, on the stump, he attempts t
change them, he as an officer seeks t
enforce them. That. is what we ask Q
Mayor Jones. If the law Is wrong, chang
the law, make that the Issue, but S
long as 1T is law let us have 1t enforced
/, I shall not be surprised If the work o
the Home Protective League IS "embar
RAISING to the mayor" It would natur
ally be embarrassing. They are attempt
ing to do, suppose, what the mayo
Il under oath swore that he would do an
has not done. 1t is not at all strange tina
it Is embarrassing.
Mr.. Editor, can we not have done wit
this trif1ing with plain duty, and canno
:. all citizens who believe in the right, an
!, believe in the law, get together on s
simple a question as whether or not tn
saloons in this city shall close on Sun
day? .sz-s&
There is a law on the statute book
, saying they SHALL There is no room fc
debate. If we are to establish the prin
ciple that the mayor, being good mar
may choose what laws shall be enforced
we shall have no ground for complaint
in the future the mayor being a bad ma
T shall choose to allow the law agains
thieving and gambling and public hal
! lotry remain unenforced.
), Clement G. Clarke.