The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-05-20
From Thursdays Daily.

From thursdays Daily
joint meeting of the brotherhood.
of the various English speakin,
churches of the city was held in the
dining room of the Presbyterian
church last evening, and was attend
ed by hundred or more men. A boum
tiful supper was served by ladies oil
the church, the tables being decorated
with cut flowers, and Il geranium bios
som being placed at each plate.
After the conclusion of the repast
the meeting was called to order b,
+. Nj. Currier. who acted as chairman
The Temperance Movement was con.
sidered. and the evening was spent in
lively discussion, that proved of in
tercst to all. T.. +. Soaring read a
paper, giving a history of temperance
legislation in this country, and its
present status. DR.. X. NJ Dodds, who
was to have read a paper, was out
of the city, and the discussion was
therefore thrown open to the meeting
Professor c. p. Poscy threw out sug-
9estioDs as to what might take the
place of the saloon to fill some of its
present functions, among these being
billiard and pool parlors. places where
temperance drinks might be served,
cards played. etc.
Against the Soft Drink Parlor.
w. r. Geddes came out strongly
against the soft drink parlor and bill
lard and pool halls, sa ying that tney
were the stepping stone to the saloons
and were doing far more harm to
young men, who congregate, smoke
cigarettes aud listen to vile gossip.
He had noticed that at Sioux Falls,
). d., every saloon had clear view
from front to rear, with no screens
and no chairs or tables, or wine rooms
There were also signs up that treat
ing was prohibited by state law. No
women would visit saloons conducted
that way, whereas he mad seen women
enter Mankato saloons by the rear
doors. He would rather have five sa
looms i'll a town than one soft drink
parlor and pool hall, as far as the bad
effect on the young men was con-
cerned. He knew that while he was
speaking. every such place in town was
filed with cigarette smoking crowds,
and he was sorry to see another one
opening.
G. E. Keith thought that the saloons
filed want for the laboring men
that nothing else did, and advocated
their being owned and managed by the
community rather than by individuals.
Iaboring men did not like to stay
home evenings, but wanted places to
go to. to have companionship where
they could interchange ideas. A nun
CRY tramp given nckle exercised
the best business Judgment by going
straight to a saloon, as he got more
for his money there than elsewhere.
Judge Lorin Cray said that substi-
tutes for the saloons were needed, and
that the different church societies and
Y. NJ. G. A. were working to this end,
but not enough had been provided yet.
He thought that saloons could be got
ten along with better if they were
made to obey the laws, and that a
better public opinion was needed for
this. Saloons ought TO be abolished,
not only for the good of young men,
but for those who are SO confirmed
that they cannot leave liquor alone, as
he knew of numerous cases where
confirmed topers were anxious to have
the saloons done away with, SO that
they could not get drinks.
Saloon Extends Welcome.
Rev. w. n. Jameson said that the
necessity for saloons does not exist.
a condition of society exists and the
saloonkeeper5 take advantage of It for
their own profit. The business men
were to blame for not supplying ac-
commoJations where their customers
could sit and rest after making pur
chascs. After man has spent his
money in a store he is SHOWN the
door by the proprietor. and sent out
into the street, and the only place
that he can find welcome is in the
saloons, where he can rest and find
other accommodations. IL would be
next to impossible to get rooms in
any public building or school house
in Mankato set aside for rest rooms
for farmers aud their wives, with
toilets. etc An obligation rests on
the people to supply the accommoda-
tions that visitors need without fore
ing them to go to saloons to find
them
Dr. J. w. Andrews resented the
statement that workingmeu with homes
had no place to go to but the sa
looms, to seek companionship and ex-
change ideas. He made a strong plea
for the workman to spend his even
ings home with his wife and children,
to whom he owes a greater duty than
to all else. and where all the sacred
ties call him. He ought to spend his
evenings in his home with his loving
wife aud children rather than in the
saloons. "
John I. Taminosian. special deputy
for the WoOdmen of the World, spoke
interestingly of his home in Turkey.
He said that Mahommedans have more
happy homes than people in America,
because there are no saloons there to
90 to. The Americans spend their
money in SALOONS when they ought
to be using it to live more comfort
ably at home. He questioned whether
Christ turned water into wine for the