Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-06-12

Attorney general E. T. Young
has won the St. Cloud cid" case
in the supreme court. A decision
by Justice Brown was filed today
affirming the lower court in the quo
warranto action against J. E. C.
Robinson, former mayor Of St.
Cloud.
The decision holds that any mayor
is under obligation to see that the
state laws are enforced. If he
fails, the encouragement may sue
for civil damages, and may also
bring proceedings to have the
mayor ousted from office.
This is regarded as a sweeping
decision of great Importance in the
efforts for law enforcement. 1t
puts a powerful weapon in the
hands of the temperance forces.
The Robinson case was appealed
on demurrer and will now go
back to the lower court for trial.
Only the civil case will be tried, as
Robinson's term as mayor has ex-
pired. He is now member of the
state senate.
The law makes it the specific duty
of the attorney general to bring
proceedings for the removal of an
officer who is neglecting his duty.
The revised statutes, in the chapter
on Intoxicating liquors, specify the
duty of mayors and other officials,
in the following:
Every sheriff, constable, mar
shall and policeman shall summarily
arrest any person found commit
ing any act forbidden by this chap
ter and make complaint against
him. Every county attorney shall
prosecute all cases under this chap
ter arising in his county. The
president or mayor Of every mu-
nicipality shall make complaint of
any known violation of the provi-
sions of this chapter, and the chief
Of police and all policemen shall
make arrests and complaints as in
this section provided, anything in
the ordinances or bylaws of such
municipality to the contrary not
withstanding.
Any county commissioner, mem
Der of a municipal council, sheriff
or other officer who wilfully re-
fuses or neglects to perform any
official duty imposed by this chapter
shall be guilty Of malfeasance in
office and shall be removed there
from and be disqualified from hold
ing the same for and during the
remainder of the term for which he
was elected or appointed, and shall
forfeit not less han $500 nor more
than $500, which amount may be
recovered in an action against him
personally or on his official bond. -
Minneapolis Journal, June Z, '07.
The above decision is one of the
most important victories ever won
by the temperance people Of this
state. No mayor or city authority
will dare openly disregard this de-
cision if they do not care to take
chances of being removed from
office. St. Paul, the largest wide.
open city in the state, promptly
shut down, and not a drop of liq-
uor was to be had there last Sun.
day. The saloonkeepers estimate
that from $3.50 to $500 was lost to
their respective bank accounts, but
their patrons are just so much
ahead. The police court business
on Monday was about one quarter
of the usual Monday grind. Were
it simply the loss Of one days bust
ness during the week the average
liquor dealer might accept his
l - <Hf,.-i.k 1 l..
forced holiday philosophically, but
the shutting down and rigid en-
forcement during Sunday is an OBJ
ject lesson which skaters the chief
argument against prohibition on
other days Of the week. If the law
against Illegal sale Of liquor can be
enforced on Sundays it can also be
enforced on other days. If closing
saloons on Sunday promotes the
peace, happiness and prosperity Of
1.-THE people during part Of the week,
| no furth her proof is needed that
CLOSING on all days " III improve
, condi tions during the whole week.