The Seattle Republican., 1910-10-07


Dance Hail. Colonel Blethen? Ifyou answer no, then,
why are you trying to prevent investigation OF the
alleged condition of affairs in the restricted district!
Did you agree to support Hi Gill for the mayoraty
nomination. if he would agree to appoint Charles w.
Wappenstein chief of the police in case he was nomn-
ated and elected? If you yes then how could
you take somuch interest in the prospects of another
man without having some hope of financial reward?
Are you trying to shield the Gill administration? If
YOU answer no. then why does the Times pronounce
Gill and Wappenstein innocent before they have even
been tried? We know it is the presumption of the law
that every is innocent until proven guilty. but is 1t
not the duty of great metropolitan papers to carefully
weigh both sides of all sdisputes and contentious and
then give their readers the unbiased findings of the
editorial and reportoral Investigations? Have you,
in this case done that, Colonel Blethen?
Is it not exceedingly remarkable that you would put
yourself and your paper in questionable light IN the
eyes of the citizens of this community by trying to
hold up the hands of the men, who seem to be loaded
down with dark and forebodng suspicious? Is it not
perfectly natural for of worldly experience to say
you are doing it because you being hit in the pock
ct book?
When it was first whispered about the streets that
YOU owned third interest in the Arcade Dance Hall,
some Of the men you have assalled so unmerctuly IN
your paper would not believe it, and denounced it as
baseless fabric of vision, but like Banquo's ghost,
the rumor will not down, and it is more common talk
there is so much smoke there is bound to be fire,
and if that be true it is repeated Colonel Blethe,
Have YOU any financial interest in the Arcade Dance
Hall? Remember Colonel Blethen you are on your
oath now and must tell the truth the whole truth and
nothing but the truth or the reading public will be-
leve what THE SEATTLE REPUBLICAN has often
printed "Saw it in the Times? Damn lie.'
We know that and women have broken the
moral law ever since they have been created but do
you think great metropolitan newspaper is doing it's
duty to the community, in which it is published, by
encouraging vice in holding up the hands of those who
are endeavoring to force notorious dance halls the
community for the sake of the dirty dollars they make
out of it? If the pulpit and the press are to condone
crime then how long will it be before anarchy will
take the place of partial law and order? You, Colonel
Bethen may be guilty of wrong doing, but it looks
like you have been caught with the goods on you.
''Wpe out the saloons of a community and dance
halls will fall of their weight" declared DIR.
Leonard in his last Sunday sermon Il think make
mistake in saying that than seventy five per
cent of all criminals that have before
sistently place the saloons the of their down.
fall' declared distinguished jurst. Il am by no
means Prohibitionist but am thoroughly convinced
that the open saloon which encourages the treat habit
the key note to the most of the crimes committed in
the United State" " the conclusion of another not
ed criminal iurist II am thoroughly convinced if the
saloons closed at SIX o'clock as are other places
of business three-ffths of the crimes of large cities
would not be committed is the opinion of one of the
judges of Seattle We do not look to Prohibition
in this state and city and do not think we want to
see it, because believe it would be interfering with
the personal rights of the individual, but we do want
to see the saloon be made not only obey the law but
the business conducted in decent and respectable
1t is its gilded saloon with it's open doors day
and night that gives the human family the worry and
trouble that and ures have been called upon to
ferret out and to punish the perpetrators Through
4Ie @ ee G wnoe % county 40 more qce pfooem met
instance for person to become drunkard unless
place be found where number of persons can be-
come 'joly good fellows"