The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-24
Propositionls Laid Before City
Council This Morning
LADIES Give UP BURDEN
Business Men Ask Commission.
ers To Make Proper Provi,
sion For Its Keep
From Thursdays Daily.

EtVut tHus quay 6dHys
Whether the city council shall
make provision to care tor the rest
room in the city hall was the propo
sition discussed at special meeting
of the town dads this morning.
AS result of the meeting it was
decided by the council to investigate
the proposed plan and discuss it more
thoroughly at the regular meeting
next Monday morning. 1t developed
that as things new stand it is ques :
ton of either disseminating the rest
room entirely or the city assuming
the expense of place as the ladies
through whose efforts it was started,
and who have solicited donation to
pay the expenses, have not met with
a generous and courteous response
when soliciting funds this year, and
as their time is largely taken up with
war relief work they have decided
to discontinue the rest room if the
city does not finance it, as expenses
- eccu nulating. and there are no
funds with which to pay the bills.
Mayor L. L. Champlin called the
So y e Gld'r, and ~ a or1nL talk
stated that the meeting had been
called out of courtesy to business
men of the city who had asked for
the city's consideration of the rest
room maintenance, and ne invited
those present to express themselves
on the subject. About eighteen
prominent business men were in the
room, representing the Mankato Com
mercial club, and the Retail Mer-
chants association.
Palmer Is First Speaker.
G. M. Palmer, who was the first
speaker, stated that the business
men were present for the purpose of
asking teh city to take care of the
rest room. He said that six years
ago a group of Mankato women, who
had realized the necessity Of such a
public place, had by solicitation raised
the money necessary to finance it.
Later the city had paid the rent, and
when the city hall was remodeled the
city had given new quarters in the
building for the rest room. "The
time has now come" said Mr.. Pal
mer," when the business men should
be relieved OF the cost of keeping the
rest room, and the taxpayers in gen.
eral should stand the burden. All
cities, especially of the size of Man
kato should have such a public com
fort station. The city should provide
for its guests, and it's people. The
women who have been doing this
work are now engaged in war work,
; and have no time to solicit. The bus
ness men have always been willing
to give donations, but do not feel that
they should be called upon to maintain
this place themselves. The rest
room is crowded every day. 1t is
estimated that there is an average of
seventy five guests each day, and on
big days when there is something 60
ing on in the city it is impossible to
say how many take advantage of the
rest room. To cut off this accommo
dalton would be serious matter.
The place is patronized by transients,
farmers wives, and women at home.
In all of the best cities public serv-
ice stations are maintained. Let all
tax payers of the city have their share
to pay, and not just few business
men. AS taxpyer myself l ask the
council to do this"
Urge Rest Room Upkeep.
J. R. Brandrup said: 81 did not
know until yesterday that there was
talk OF giving up the rest room. In
my travels over the country | have
noticed that the talk is of how well
the women are taken care of when
here, and the convenience of the rest
room. / feel that the citizens, the
tax payers as a whole should stand
the expense. 1t would be serious
mistake to discontinue the rest
room. 1t would give Mankato black
eye. 1 am willing to stand my share
of additional tax, caused by the ex
pense of the city maintaining the
rest room. When / received my Tax
sheet l was staggered at the taxes,
but I am not complaining"
Room For Home People Also.
Ed Brett stated that he wished to
emphasize the fact that the rest room
was not entirely for outside people
as it was maintained just as much
for the benefit of the home people
He said that he considered the rest
room vital necessity, and that the
burden of cost should be borne by
the tax payers as a whole.
w. G. p. Smith spoke of the ardu-
GUS duties of the matron at the rest
room, and told how mothers who
came to take advantage of the free
use of the place would leave their
babies there for the matron to take
care of and that she often had all
she could do to take care of these
infants. Some mothers, so he stated
would so away and leave their chill
dren at the rest room all day, certain
that they would be well taken care oil
and they need not bother about them
He said that he did not think this
burden of taking care of the children
should be placed upon the matror
and the men present expressed the
opinion that the rest room was not a
nursery and such work should not be
required of the matron, but that the
mothers should take care of thei
own children. The rest room matror
should not be expected to do the
work of nurse maid in addition tt
her other duties.
Cities Have Certain Functions.
y &C. w. Fisher stated that in hi.
opinion cities the size of Mankatt
have certain duties which they mus
perform and certain things which
they must do, He said that the res