Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-03-12
Is GRAND RAPIDS ASLEEP?
(Contributed) .

The cities all around Grand Rapids
are beginning to clean mp in the
matter of law enforcement. Marsh
field has walked up to her de-
linquency and is insisting on some
regulation Of the saloon traff. C.
Stevens Point is rousing to the ne
| cessity, but Grand Rapids is placid
" resting in indifference, perrecily
content to be wide open
Chicago has found tnat the saloon
is largely responsible for vice. Their
Investigating committee found tnat
478 saloons in one district, with thesr
screened entrances, Wine-rOoms and
stalls, contributed to the downfall o
Ia, SOP girls every "a hours They have
sought the cause OF vice, ana are in
sisting upon open entrances and the
doing away with all wine rooms
Many Grand Rapids saloons have
all OF these appurtenances. There
are private rooms in the back part
of many of the saloons. OF necessity
these wine rooms lead to degra a
ton of every form. We enforce no
law in Grand Rapids, and are We no.
paying the awful toll?
Nh. Carey. State Superintendent of
Schools, i'll a speech at our high
school last fall, told how he had re
cited III his speeches throughout the
state the story OF his visit TO
Wisconsin city where he found the
morals exceptionally loose, especially
among boys ana girls of tender age.
He said to us that though he had
told the stcr! again and again, he
had retTained from naming the city
But ne felt he ought to tell his pres
ent audience. The effect on the audi
ence was profound when he added
after a silence, THAT city was Grand
Rapids And after that we did
nothing.
We have state laws and city ordi-
nances which will protect us from
great deal of laxness We know
that the saloons are the emanating
centers of vice. Let us look first to
their control. Under these laws it
is criminal offense to maintain en-
closed rooms or wine rooms in the
saloons; it is crime to sell to boys
under the age of 81 The saloons
are not legally open on Sunday. All
of these laws are flagrantly violated
The Mayor has sworn to enforce
the laws of the state and city, yet
in a speech before a convention a
year ago, the Mayor presented the
key Of the city but added, as if ii
were a joke, that the key was not
necessary because, as every one
knew, this was a wide open city"
He spoke the truth, and the people
of Grand Rapids did not resent it.
But it is not necessary to await |
the pleasure of the Mayer or the |
Aldermen OF the. city. We are not |
obliged to submit to law violation |
If one or more will make complaint, |
the District Attorney must under the
law proceed against the violators
and bring them to punishment.
Our District Attorney has shown
that he Will follow up any complaints
for he has notified Marshfield saloon
keepers and has started proceedings
against several who refused to comply
With his order.
What are decent people doing in
Grand Rapids that we are letting
-hings go at such a frightful pace?
What are the churches doing, that
40 protest comes from them? VIII
not the men Of the city rise in the T
power and insist on some regulation?
VIII not the women form some kind
If protective association to maintain
he purity of our girls, and will not
every citizen work to clear Grand
Rapids Of the stigma of being an
IMMORAL city?
pro+actnr