The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-04-05
MOTHERS ASK
FOR CLOSING
Mayor Promised That Law Clos
ing Pool Rooms on Sunday
Will be Enforced
DISCLAIMED PERSONAL
ATTACK ON MR.. WENNER
Speaker Declared There Was
Nothing Personal in Matter, But
That They Wanted the Law
Enforced

A meeting of the city council made
memorable. not by reason of any ac-
ton taken by that body but by the
discussion entered into as the result
of a question as to the enforcement
of the Sunday colsing law in regard
to the pool rooms, between a number
of ladies, representing the w. c. 4.
U. and other organizations, pastors of
churches. the mayor and members Of
the council themselves.
At the close of the session, at which
probably more business was trans
acted. and expeditiously, than for
some time, the mayor asked If there
was anybody in the room who desired
to say anything. In view of the
statement made in the Herald Sunday
that the enforcing or annuling Of the
Sunday closing law in regard to pool
rooms would come UP at the next
meeting of the council, the chamber
was crowded to the doors. by clergy
men representing nearly every church
In the city and other representative
men In every line of business. They
sat patiently through the proceed
ings waiting for the denouement that
was to come.
In response to Mayor Schott's ques-
ton, Mrs. Myrtle Roberts, state Of
dcer in the Women's Christian Tenn
perance union, arose and said: 1--WE
. came expecting that the pool room
matter would be brought up tonight
and disposed of. Now that we women
have become voters we expect to be
heard in these matters, and in this
respect we speak for the enforcement
Of the Sunday law. We also want
to know in regard to our petition ask
ing for the appointment of a police
matr0n."
The mayor stated that he intended
to enforce the Sunday closing law.
The councilmen had had a chance to
repeal it and as they have not. he
meant to have 1t enforced AS to the
police matron. Mayor Schott promised
that he would appoint one as soon rs
they had a proper building in which
to house the women arrested by the
police, who have to be taken to the
county Jail.
AS no move was made by the coun-
Gil to do anything, Rev. ]. T. Rob
erts. a retired clergyman. who by the
way in no relation to Mrs Roberts
who preceded him. arose and said:
This suggestion of Mrs. Roberts
should not be passed over lightly. We
are a Christian nation. No contract
signed on the Sabbath is valid. We
have a kind of an idea that we are
q Christian people and have Christian
churches that teach man morality:
but we have in our midst pool rooms
that do more to debauch the young
men than the saloons. 1 see them
crowded with men. young and old. at
tracted away from the home and
other places where they have an op-
posite training. There Is an ordinance
on the books regulating them. Yes.
Mr.. Mayor, can you point to one or
dinance on the books that should not
be enfcrced?"
Another of the four ladies who sat
unObtrusively on the back seats arose
and said: II am q mother. 1t has
been awfully hard to come into city
like this to bring up a child to the
ago Of 81 years, teaching his as best
could to lead a right life and then
find him in Charlie Wenner's pool
room. We have a right to have
something said about that law. The
business is bad one and there ar
16 other pool rooms in the city tina,
are leading young men astray. The
mothers in this city. backed by AL
mighty God. will have protection for
our young men from such places"
AS this mother whose name was
either Whittenden or Crittenden, took
her seat, Councilman Charles Wen
ner, and Rev. Thomas E. Webb. a
venerable minister, arose together.
the latter giving way to Mr.. Wenner.
who sa ID in part: 81 have been white
and have tried to give everybody
square deal and 1 cannot see why this
personal attack should be made on
me at this time
Rev. Mr.. Webb asked the question
of the mayor: "Why has not this
ordinance been enforced?"
II am satisfied with the validity of
the ordinance and will see to its en-
forcement," replied Mayor Schott.
DR.. Carver. councilman from the
second ward, said: at SENS very
strange to me that because he is on
the council, Mr.. Wenner should be
made the subject of a personal attack
1 object to the attack being made on
Mr.. WAuner, for / do not see the rea-
son for it. l am on the police com
mittee for the mere purpose of clean
ing up the town morally and Mr.
Wenner is working with US in this
Petty politics have inspired this at
tack. Attacking Mr. Wenner will
not help the work, but hinder it, II
can see no reason for it,
Mrs Roberts interjected. THE W !
c. 7. u, of which I am a member, |
had for a long time before the attack
was made on Mr.. Wenner been fight |
ing pool rooms and other evils and
our mention of Mr.. Wenner was not
made as personal attack"
In answer to DR.. Carver, Rev. H. |
l.. Boardman, patsor of the First Bap-
fist church, disclaimed any purpose
to attack Mr. Wenner personally. ad- |
ding: ''In the pulpit l attacked the
pool rooms. 1t was no personal at
tack; 1t was an attack on the pool
room. Sheriff Day raided Mr.. Wen
ner's place and the fact became al
matter of public information. On this
information, as a minister OF the COS
pei UNFOLDING the truth. I in my pull
pit suggested that It seemed very in
appropriate for a city official to have
his place raided; and for a city Of
fetal to be running a pool room on