Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-05-18
Decides to Await Action of Dis
trict Court Before Acting on
Petition of Good Citizens for
Its Abolition,
CLUBS MUST OBSERVE
SAME LAW AS SALOONS
Licenses Required If They Sell
Liquor and They Have No
DiSpensation to Conduct
Thirst ParlorS on Sabbath.

lill OF I WV VII NetNNNNNiii
Fifty determined citizens OF Albu-
querque, headed by four of the lead
ing evangelical ministers Of the city,
waited upon the city council last night
with a petition from the Good Citizens
league representing membership OF
27O. asking the council TO take inn
mediate steps to enforce, without de-
Law or compense, the existing statutes
against all houses OF i'll fame, houses
of prostitution, bawdy or assignation
houses. and against all persons guilty
of lewd practices In the city as pro-
vided in sections (here follow the
section numbers) of the Municipal
Laws. The petition was signed by j.
e. Elder. Hermon p. Williams Hugh
A, Cooper. Jesse ]. Runyan, w. w
Ralph. Dahl Holcomb, and l.. T. Beck.
as the committee having the matter
in charge.
The council chamber was crowded
with interested citizens when the mat
ter was brought up, and in order 10
have no misunderstanding as To what
the ordinances of the city were in the
matter. they were on motion OF Al
derman Auge. read by the city clerk.
AS soon as the laws had been read,
II was moved by Alderman Coen that
the matter be referred to a special
committee of three which Is ordered
To investigate the matter. Before the
motion was put, however, Mayor FL
der called for statements from the
citizens present who had the petition
in charge. .
Rev. Herman Williams made the
first statement and said that doubtless
the council felt that IN a movement TO
move the Third street district from
it's present position IN the heart OF the
city that they would need the sup
port of good citizsns of the commun-
ity. the better element that stood LOT
progress and reform. The city OF Al,
buauerque was moving along on an
lines, and it was time TO make
movement along moral lines as Wen.
The committee was there TO assure
the council OF the support oi thdt as
sociation in a movement OF TINS char-
acter.
Rev. Charles oscar Beckman, the
next speaker. wished to draw the az.
lention of the council TO the tact tna'
the movement was not initiated by the
ministers, but was being co-operhteu
in bv them. as ii was their duty to as
lis, in everything toward better and
cleaner city.
Mayor-Elder "Why was the mat
ter brought to the council2'
Rev. MIR. Williams: Because we
believed 1t to be the most expeditions
way to obtain an enforcement of the
existing city ordinances"
Mayor Elder then explained to the
committee that at present there was
pending before the district court
matter of an injunction against the
very district they sought to abolish,
and until that case was decided, ana
the Judge now had that matter under
advisement, 1t seemed as If 1t was har-
dy expedient TO start another move
ment of the same kind. II would only
be adding to the cost bill the county
would have to pay. He stated that
there was territorial statute that
regulated the matter, and put II in
such condition that If these places
existed within a distance OF 100 rect
from a church, school or theater, GER
tain processes must be complied with
TO eject the parties and abate the nuis-
ance, but that by a complaint before
the justice of the peace made by the
city marshal an action could be com
monced against them. This, how
ever, was the status. The action,
made i'm the proper way. was pending,
and il would be best, he believed, If
the action Of the court was awaited
]. Il. Elder wanted to know why
the city couldn't do something any
way, and Pastor Williams stated fur
ther that an action by the city in the
case along the lines of the city ordi-
nances would vindicate the city's un-
doubted right to regulate its own po-
lice affairs and because OF that fact
he would insist upon the proprlety pf
the resolution.
Dr. Wroth on behalf Of the councih
seconded the motion OF Alderman
Coen. and stated that he was averse
to starting anything until the cute 1ine
of the present action was known.
Emil Mann wanted To know why
II was, II the city was willing TO DO
these things In the proper way, II had
not done so before the few citizens
interested In the matter had gone
down In their pockets and paid Mann
and Venable fee of $500 to prose-
cute the Injunction.
An opinion was called for from the
Mr.. Collins stated that under the ex-
lsting laws there was no doubt that
the city could take action In the mat
ter, whenever 1t saw III to do so,
even to the extent of running them
out altogether or on the other
hand they did not have to move them
II they did not see iit.
Harry O. strong then stated that II
was his opinion that II was not a
matter of whether the council couldn't
move them, but because they
wouldn't.
The mayor: "Are you ready for the
question: the clerk will call the roll
A voice from the audience Let us
vote" Or. wroth, 81 hear noise In
the galleries"
The question was put and carried
and the following gentlemen were
appointed q committee 10 investigate
the matter. Aldermen Cocn, Reldy
and conroy. The delegation OF inter-
ested citizens then filed out.
Prior to the bringing up OF the red