Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1905-05-01
Must Obey the Law
So says Governor Folk TO Missouri Sa-
lOOnists. Saloon Crimes in Min
neSOta and Elsewhere.

u Tic IdW are ulSpOS0u " hSOp CuCl1
oaths of office rather than devote
their energies to the protection of sa-
loonists and other anarchists.
In his inaugural address Gov. Folk
told the Legislature that he proposed
to enforce the laws, and declared that
if there were any Objectionable laws,
they should be repealed. On the 18th
ult. he wired the sheriff of St. Louis
county, calling his attention to the
wholesale violation of the Sunday
closing liquor law on the preceding
Sunday. He reminded him that it
was their duty to uphold the majesty
of the law and authorized him to call
upon the Governor for such aid as he
might need. The Chief of Police of
st. Louis has also been in frequent
conference or communication with
Gov. folk.
AS a result st. Louis, Kansas City
and st. Joseph have had several of the
dryest Sundays in their history. Of
course some of the newspapers are
making a great howl at the attempt at
Sunday closing and st. Louis brewers
are reported to have raised million
dollar fund to fight it. But Governor
Folk stands pat. He says:
"If there is one thing I hope to ac-
complish more than another, it is to in
law because it is law. This is not a ques-.
tion of partisanship. 1t is a question of
law AGAINST lawlessness. The day de-
monstrates what many other cities have
found, that the closing of the saloons on
SUNDAY lessons crime 4 large per cent m
OF sanday aae and o he aor Is part o tSe
Sunday crime can be directly traced to
saloons open in violation, of law. They
say this law is blue law Any law
seems blue to the Individual who has
selfish motive in breaking it; If they
continue to violate it they will find this
forcement of this law means brighter
homes for those who labor and fewer
cases in the police courts Monday morn
ing"
No one can tell whereunto this thing
will grow The avalanche which will
overwhelm the saloon must start
somewhere. Who knows but it may
be in Missouri? Suppose the saloon
Folk should keep his nerve. And
suppose the militia should be called
out and blood should flow. What
then?
At any rate the local conflict is
likely to furnish the nation much food
for thought. If the saloon is bad on
other day of the week. If it can be
closed on Sunday, it can be suppressed
from Monday to Saturday. If anarchy
should be stamped out, why not sa-
loon anarchy? If the anarchy should
be squeezed out of the saloon, how
much would be left?
Hemstead, Texas, Apr. 25.-(Special
Correspondence)-A to the long
list of Prohibition martyrs the names
of Congressman John M. Pinckney and
Thos. Pinckney, brothers who we're
active in the prohibition cause in this
state. They were killed at prohibi-
Ntion meeting here last night This
county went dry April 20 and the pro-
hibitionists were called to meet to
wind up the organization. There was
a hot debate over a resolution to ask
the governor for troops to help en-
force the prohibition law. Some of
the liquor men were present and tried
to interfere with the meeting. Capt.
J. N. Brown who led the liquor forces
was also killed. John E. Mills was
! struck by a stray bullet and died in a
few minutes. There is strong feel
ing that the liquor men should be
punished This sad affair will only
make thousands of enemies of the
liquor traffic in this and other states.
Later: Hemstead is now under the
control of the Texas Rangers.
1t will cause no surprise that it was a
saloon keeper who so Savagely assaulted
Father Schell, Catholic priest, who has
been making war on abuSerS of the Indi-
ans in Nebraska.