The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-01-08
Sermon Last Evening at the Week
Of Prayer Meeting Was About
the Saloons Of
the City.
ARE FORTY SIX
Ministers Says That They Are All
vIoIators Of the Law and
Should be Closed up
50 at Once.

What shall be done with Keokuk's
saloons, was the subject Of the ser
mon delivered last evening by Rev.
[R. w. Lilley at the week of prayer
service which was held at the United
Presbyterian church. There was
large sized congregation present and
the sermon was very interesting one.
The week of prayer services will
close this evening with the meeting
at the Westminster Presbyterian
church,
Rev. Lilley's sermon of last evening
was rs folio 3:
What Shall be Done With keokuk's
saIoons7-R. w. LilIey.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: The subject assigned me by
| the committee is very definite and
personal. What Shall be Done
with Keokuk's Saloons?" I am in.
formed that there are 46 of them.
Supposing the population Of our city
to be $4,000 we have one saloon to
every 327 persons. But why ask such
question? Why not ask what shall
We do with our stores, factories, hotels,
meat markets, ETC.? But the question
Is what Shall We do with the
Saloons?" | answer the question for
myself alone Close them.
When? At the. earliest date pos
sible. How long? AS long as the
old Mississippi river runs into the
Gulf of Mexico
Why Close Them?
Because they are law breakers
There is no law human or Divine but
what they have and will violate if it
interiors with their business There
is no state, county or city where they
are located but what they are known
as violators of law. | say it cody and
deliberately. | know of but one word
in the language that comes any ways
near describing the saloon business
and that is anarchist
The word means opposed to gov.
eminent or law. Law is rule of civic
conduct prescribed by the supreme
power OF the state. To defy that law
and trample it underfoot is the spirit
OF anarchy. II / am to believe what
reliable men and women tell me the
saloons of Keokuk do not obey the
law. The law says that the place of
sale shall be single room having but
one entrance or exit and that opening
upon public business street. The
par where liquors are furnished shall
be in plain view of the street unob-
structed by screens, blinds, painted
windows or any other devise"
Ihe place shall not be open nor any
sales be made earlier than 5 O'Clock
a. M. nor later than 10 p. m. on any
day 1t shall not be open at all. nor
shali any sales be made, on the first
oay OF the week. commonly called
sunday, nor ON any election day or
legal holiday, nor on the evening of
such days.
And yet | am informed that on
LABOR Day, while a certain saloon
closed 1t was almost filed with
men me parties who saw and heard
lhla phoned certain officers. One
sag ne was alone and could not
come Another said he had something
use 10 do, that it was not business
eio mat the saloon keeper was run
mug great risk. They seemed too
y much excited from the noise they
wye making inside. One Sunday af-
.eihoon funeral was held in GER
.aih part of the city and while that
'unefal was being conducted men
we're seen going in and out at the
raeh uoor OF saloon. Zone near the
'ihlty NJ 3, church and Public Lib.
aisl. Ii these men and women can
oe oeileved We have an institution in
oa ~. iiiidst that is violating the laws
o"r city. For quarter of cen.
!, Jury me saloons have openly, brazen,
"iiiully and boastfully violated the
n,aich law of Iowa And when citi.
ens ana sworn officers made an at.
!, p' 70 enforce the law they were
- FUSED, threatened and shot down
49,, ~ me streets. You know these state.
W. bn.s are true. Its motto is gain at
ra,; ayeser cost 1t (saloon) has no
na .s'on out money and no God but
fonnl Don. It has violated every law
c,o snea 10 regulate it, Hence say
,a use the saloon of our city for the
sake of the law.
s,ans say close them from business
standpoint y, A saloon is a narasite on
community financially. The 46