Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-07-23
Rev. Barker Denies Mayors Charge

Rev. Barker Denies Mayors Charge
EDITOR NEWS BUDGET:
Our City Council has started out
to make a record. The first move
was to repeal the 'tCurfew'' ordi-
nance. The local w. C. Z. u. pre-
sented a petition signed by large
number of our citizens as a remon-
STRANGE. The petition was tabled.
The next move was to repeal the or
dinance closing saloons at the hour
of II D. M. Another remonstrance
was either presented or on the way.
However, the Council, with an eX-
saloon keeper at the head, forced the
ordinance through repeating The
former ordinance. Now we are to
have saloons open all night. Tha,
sounds better for the city. Thai
will attract gamblers and buns OF all
descriptions. What else can We eX
pect? Our honorable Mayor has a
state reputation along this line him
self. The reason given for repeating
the Il %. m. closing ordinance were
three in number.
LIST. The GOOD people" ran a
mo License" campaign and got
beat.
End. Threats had been made that
all the saloons would be put out of
business in six months.
3rd. Some one had been hired to
buy whiskey at MONEYS drug store
when the druggist was not present.
AS to the first reason, let me say
in reply, that No License campaign
was run, but not pushed vigorously.
The Good" people simply wanted
to know how the sentiment of the
people stood on this line. There is
abundant evidence that If the cam
paign had been pushed vigorously,
the Good" people would have won
out.
AS to the other two reasons /
want to offer this challenge. | will
challenge our Honorable Mayor to
prove the last two statements.
venture to say that he cannot dem
Onstrate satisfactorily to the public.
| think am in a position to know.
No such threat has been made and
no man has been hired to do any
such work. If the threat has been
made, it has been by parties who
are in no way connected with the
Law Enforcement League of Lady
smith. If the League had desired to
do anything along this line there has
been ample opportunity. But the
League is not in that sort of bust
ness, at least, not at present. All
that the league contends for is com.
mon decency.
The fact of the matter is, our Hon
Orable Mayor wanted to offer an ex-
cuse for repeating the ordinance in
question, and the excuse offered is
a fabrication OF his own brain. He
and his lackeys were determined to
strike a blow at the moral welfare
of the city. They have accomplished
what they started out to do and
there is absolutely not a single YES
tige of q Justification.
/ am writing this so that the pub
lie may be informed. The City Coun.
ell did the whole thing and at the
bar of public conscience they stand
condemned.
have been informed that our Hon
Orable Mayor is a member of some
saloon Reform Association. People
OF Rusk county will have a great
deal of confidence in this new move
ment when they learn of the action
Of the City Council. When the brew
ers wipe off few Ladysmith saloon
keepers from the slate then, and
only then, will the people have con
fidence in the New Movement"
Now for the challenge. Produce
your evidence, or forever hold your
peace. THOMAS BARKER.