The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-05-23


Not for a long time has meeting
of the city council been Of more in
terest than the adjourned meeting
which was held last night Mayor
Davy, presiding. There was large
attendance of citizens, among them a
score or more of women active and
prominent in the civic league.
Following the reading of the minutes
and the disposition of a number of
routine matters, Mayor Davy recogniz-
ed George E. Perley, who intimated
that he was there to present g. mat
ter to the council, pursuant to a. re-
quested adjournment asked for two
weeks ago. He had been asked to pre-
sent two petitions to the mayor and
council, one known as the mothers
petition and the other as the business
mems petition, both of them praying
that the city council would adopt such
means as 1t saw best to materially re-
duce the number of saloons in the city.
The, two petitions contained the
names of $40 signers, $50 of them being
mothers of the city. Mr.. Perley said
he represented the ladies and he wish
ed it perfectly understood that they
were not there in an antagonistic or
hostile spirit. They were there for
what they believed was for the best
good of the city, said MIR. Perley. 1T
has been plainly evident that the ma
jority of people in Moorhead have
thought and believed for a long time
that there are too many saloons In
the city, and no one knows it better
than the aldermen of the city them
| selves" was the statement by the
speaker. Mr.. Perley concisely and en-
phatically reviewed the saloon situa
ton and explained how it came about
that so many licenses were issued.
Years ago 1t was thought the city
| needed the revenue" said Mr.. Perley,
but the harmfuI influences Of the
| business were overlooked by the peo-
Pile and the curb was not applied
when 1t shold have been However.
there has been an awakening and the
demand now is that the number OF the
saloons in Moorhead be reduced"
The manner of doing this was to be
left to the best Judgment Of the coun-
Gil.
"The members know the situation
and they also know that Moorhead is
that thoroughly it is only necessary to
travel.
THAT people abroad do not proper
ly understand the situation and real
conditions here is a fact, but despite
that the bad features are always be-
ing Haunted in the faces of citizens
when they are away from home, in one
way or another. There is a way to
remedy the evil and the council is
respectfully asked to start the ball
rolling"
Appeals for favorable action at the
hands of the council and the reminder
that the people of the city were be-
hind the move to bring about a re-
duction in the number of saloons were
made by Mrs. Robertson. Mrs. w. Rus
sell, Mrs. Frigstad, Mrs. Bert Gates,
Mrs. A. Gibson, Leslie Welter, Presi-
dent Shurson of Concordia college and
others. The two latter speakers told
what they had learned when travel
ing and they cited the views Of a num-
Der of people they met-not exactly
favorable to the city.
Alderman Bodkin presented resolu
tion which was adopted without dis
senting voice, approving, commencing
and extending support to the Civic I'M
provement league of this city in their
effort to secure for Moorhead new
high school building, play grounds,
gardens and parks and their work
which had just been presented to the
council.
On motion OF Alderman John Lamb,
resolution was unanimously adopted
providing that for the ensuing year
the council will not authorize the is
suance Of more than forty licenses for
saloons-the number In operation now
Is forty seven.
| Another resolution presented by AL
derman Lamb was that the license fee
for saloons be and is hereby made ST.
200 for the ensuing year, or until the
council may otherwise resolve. This
resolution was adopted without dis
senting vote.
The council then proceeded with the
consideration Of number Of routine
matters and the large crowd in the
Hobby began to withdraw from the
room.
With very few words, Mayor Davy
said it devolved upon him to appoint a
lchief of police to take the place OF
p. e. Malvey, who had resigned and he
asked the confirmation Of A. J.
lOLaughlin. The council promptly
confirmed the appointment