The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-01-27
DISCUSSED LOCAL CONDITIONS.
Before Large Mass Meeting in Barre
Opera House.

six local ministers, the mayor and mer
bers OF the city council contributed
evening TO monster mass n ~
which filled every seat in .>s q
houl-a aud left an overhos - III
aisles of the auditorium ~. as tn
galleries. Rev. j. w. Swstt, paste
of the Congregational t>>feh, was tn
speaker, and Others who directly partici
pated in the meeting were Rev. John A
Reardon of the Universalist church, WHIT
acted as chairman, and Rev. George II
Holt of the First Baptist church, VIII,
had charge OF the singing. Pastor Bar
netts address dealt with social cond
tions in Barre.
Seated ON the stage were the repre-
sentatives of the city government, tn,
mayor clergymen' and the captain oi
the local Salvation Army corps. At the
close Of the speakers remarks, the en-
tire audience sang America" under the
leadership of Rev. Mr.. Holt Ushers col
lected silver offering. In introducing
DR. Barnett, the chairman pointed to the
city's rapid growth, a growth, which he
said, had been without a parallel in the
history of Vermont Into this growth
he continued, had been woven evil con.
ditions that would be considered by the
speaker OF the evening.
Before launching into his subject, DR..
Barnett said the conditions lie intended
to describe were not peculiar TO Barre
and he asked that this fact be borne in
mind throughout his discourse. He
hoped the movement which had its in
ception in the formation of commit
tee of thirty representing the
churches, would not prove TO be spasm
Afterwards he went on to tell at length
of its genesis, referring to the "week
Of prayer in which the churches par
ticipated during the present month, Of
the committee organization, and the plan
to federate the churches in move to
eradicate some of the evils that were
known to exist While the movement
was in the throes of organization there
came, as he thought provdentially,
concrete case Of evil that instantly cried
aloud for attention. Il was the deplor
able conditions surrounding this case
that led directly to the idea of holding
the public meeting.
What the speaker had to relate con-
cerned revelations recently made to him
as well ss to the chief of police and
states attorney. Investigation of facts
the case opened up most
state of affairs, and as yet
altogether satisfactory provisions had
not been made for three alleged victims
II evil conditions. Principals in the case,
le said, had furnished the officials with
story that implicated places and peo-
,le. Their testimony had been preserved
,nd now the problem of caring for the |
ones presented itself
In speaking of the difficulties which
lad confronted the committee. the /
clergyman declared that Vermont had /
made no provisions for caring for desti- I
.ite girls who are over sixteen years
II age. Likewise the churches could |
'ffer no haven of security. Information |
o bear out this assertion had come from
-arious sources, among them the chair /
nan OF the state penal and reformatory
,oard. he added. Such was a situation
which he declared to be in crying need
4 attention.
Two problems are intimately con-
erned with any movement TO ameliorate
uch conditions, continued the minister.
here must be a reform and then there
iust' be a prevention. The church of
o-day has done with singing OF the
weet bye and bye. We are dealing with
resent day conditions and the hereaft-
r will take care Of itself if due re-
ard is paid to the times in which we
We. We must make of our city a
Immunity of homes. beehive of in
ustry and instead Of boarding houses,
q must have nurseries of life. But to
turn to the reforming influences that
Iust accompany our movement; to-day
e are dealing with the product OF evil
,ndtions, but what of the eternal
'inding out process queried the speak
. Men whose hands are stained with !
Ie crime of society will say on the wit
ass stand that they know nothing of !
s existence And the laws are so writ !
n into our statute books that the gull
cannot be touched.
Along the line OF public amusement
yht here i'm our own city, said the !
stor. there is little to offer the young
ople. BOYS under 81, according to the :
atute, are not allowed to frequent pool
oms. Eject them and where are they
90? Your police officers will tell you
ey must be moved from one street cor
r to another. We are not building
r the future for we are not making =
DIVISIONS for their hours of recreation.
In this connection, the speaker re-
He'd the movement set on foot year
o to establish a public gymnasium. a,
le city charter. he said, would not 4
rmit this expenditure of money for !,
lusement in any form and the COM +,
ttee appointed to investigate the Il,
.sibility of erecting a gymnasium by q
vate subscription had never been ts
ard from He advocated that the
VS. charter be so amended as to make IT
n action possible. 1t would be step n,
the right direction, he argued. W
Mixed up in the evils of another de- in
iption. said DIR. Barnett. the commit m
had found the liquor problem. Tcs lg
lonv offered by principals in the case ca
erred TO had furnished ample evidence pe
illicit procedure and the speaker went m
to say that some of such testimony
uld make certain persons mighty un- vi
nfortable. In keeping within his de- of
red intention at the outset, he pre- 81
red to keep the names secret. But
bring the issue right down TO the
rstep of everybodys home, be asked
[ parents be accountable for the kind MI
dances their children were allowed
attend. At the present time, he in
ated there are dance halls where
good and bad alike are allowed to VI,
lgle. II Young people go to dances of
V must attend the dances Of the char me
sr mentioned as there have been no da