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Show Great Crowd Present to Oppose the Cafe Liquor Ordinance More than three hundred citizens of Ogden, representing nearly a score or religious denominations, packed the council chamber and ontrance to the city hall, last evening to launch vigorous vigor-ous protest against the commissioners' commission-ers' proposed ordinance to permit eating eat-ing houses to dispense malt liquors and light wines in unlimited quantities until the midnight hour. Even the natural elements and the Illuminating facilities protested. At the beginning of tho meeting, when the secretary mentioned tho introduction introduc-tion of the resolution at the last meeting, meet-ing, the lights were suddenly snuffed out. "Prearranged" remarked somo one In the rear of the room. Outside nature added her protest in the blustering voice of the wind that subsided before the meeting adjourned. ad-journed. Standing in tho doorway In order to see by the light from outside, the secretary sec-retary read several protests from a large number of organizations, after which the city recorder arrived with another assignment of protests. When the last had been read, the secretary asked if those present desired to have the names read. As the petition when unrolled at full length, resembled the tape in a stoat exenange no one ue-sired ue-sired to have the names read, one reason being that there had just been a request from Mayor Heywood that the protestors finish what they had to say by 9 o'clock. One petition contained con-tained tho signatures of 225 persons; another was signed by 2S5 members of an ecclesiastical ward of the Mormon church. Many other protests, contain- nig Lruni iweivu tu one iiuuuicu names, were read. In all, the disapprovals in writing voiced the opinions of several thousands of Ogden citizens. Nearly every person present came as a solitary representative of scores of other persons unable to attend, but earnestly desiring the commissioners to know the bitter antagonism to the proposed legislation. After the written protests had been hurriedly read, the mayor announced that the meeting was open to those who desired to verbally object to the ordlnanco. A man rose and suggested that, as hundreds of names had just been read against the bill, he considered consid-ered it but lair that some one favoring its passage first be allowed the floor. Not all in the room heard the man's suggestion, duo to the general confusion, confu-sion, so Mayor Heywood remarked that he "was informed" that all present pres-ent were against the document. After a protest had been made in the name of tho members of the First M. E. Church, Dr. E. P. Mills spoke. He said that he represented more than one hundred niembers of the First Congregational church who strongly opposed tho bill. (Applause.) C. S. Smith was the next speaker and was followed by his brother, Professor James Smith, who denounced de-nounced tho proposed ordinance and declared that every saloon would become be-come a restaurant, and thus cut down the present license. Mayor Heywood interrupted the speaker to inform him that "he understood" the saloonkeepers saloonkeep-ers were against the measure. The professor declared vehemently that he represented tho interests of 7,000 boys anu gins in uguen wno were formerly his students. The lights endorsed his remarks by coming on just as he finished. James Wotherspoon, president of the North "Weber Stake, gained the floor and refuted the Idea often advanced ad-vanced that a city loses the trade of traveling men if the latter are deprived de-prived of their coveted midnight "tanking-up." He said: "Traveling men come here to do business and the idea Is silly that they will go away because they can't get a drink at midnight." (Burst of applause.) Judge A.W.Agee powerfully declared N'You won't let our girls go into saloons, sa-loons, so you are going to provide an annex to assure their departure on the road to ruin!" Volney Gunnell, Judge of the Juvenile Juven-ile court, cooled tho protesting ardor by reiterating a desire to hear from the opposing side, or the "originators" of the ordinance. Mayor Heywood repeated re-peated that the commission would listen lis-ten to anyone, "who desired to say something on either side," of the proposed pro-posed ordinance, but intimated that deviations in the form of inquiries into tho origin of the ordinance were not desired. William Purrington asked permission, permis-sion, after he had been recognized, to answer the Mayor's assurance that the saloons were also opposed to the legislation. Ho said: "This 9 o'clock closing law was only mentioned six years ago to defeat prohibition. pro-hibition. After the election, when the closing had won, the saloonkeepers redoubled re-doubled their efforts to have the saloons sa-loons again opened until midnight. Mr Potter came Into Brig. Ballon-tyne's Ballon-tyne's plumbing shop after the last . emcuun, wan ung us 10 sign a petition to have the saloons reopened until I midnight ftir. Ballantyne- is dead now, hut I will never forget the answer an-swer he gave Potter, he said: 'After i I voted against you and your saloon, you come and, want me to stultify myself by aiding you to get late closing clos-ing again. I'll tell you what I will do I'll start another petition to put you clear out of business, if you continue that petition. Still we are informed that the saloons are against this. There were several saloonkeepers present. They were sitting in the rear but maintained the strictest silence Rev. F. G. Brainerd said that, as protests both written and oral had been forcefully given, and the commissioners commis-sioners desired them to finish by 9 o'clock, he moved that they thank the city fathers for the courteous-hearing and depart. Commissioner Miles L. Jones asked to be heard before the armv of protest pro-test left "There- seems to "be some misunderstanding here," said the board member. "Some people seem to think that this ordinance was to be passed without consideration. Each commissioner was supplied with a copy of this ordinance, as has been ,the case many times in the past years and has been a custom even before the days of the commission form of government, "Some of you no doubt think the commissioners originated this ordinance. ordi-nance. We want to disabuse your minds on that point. If any of you have any ordinance or resolutions you desire to present to this body we Invite In-vite you to do as others have done-1-present your proposition and it will receive consideration. As this ordinance ordi-nance seems to displease a great many citizens, it will not be passed." , Joseph R. Jeppson quickly sought recognition. Mayor Heywood, in very deliberate phrases told him: "My dear sir, if you desiro to, say anything for or against this ordinance, we will be glad to hear from you." Mr. Jeppson pointedly wanted to know who the mysterious "originators" "origina-tors" of the document were; where they were; when the request was made for the passage of tho ordinance; ordin-ance; and, If tho request was made at a secret or public meeting of the commissioners. com-missioners. Mayor Heywood evaded the interrogation interro-gation by reiterating, "We will be glad to hear anything any one has to say on either side of the question." As the crowd filed out one elderly lady pushed her way to tho Mayor and shaking his hand, said, "I came to protest in tho name of five sons, Mr. Mayor." The commissioners didn't begin on the regular business, It being after 9 o'clock. Mr Heywood remarked to Commissioner Jones, after all had gone but the commissioners and newspapermen: news-papermen: "We don't have to go outside of the commission for speakers," and slapping slap-ping his co-worker on the hack, ho concluded, con-cluded, "That was a fine speech, Mr. Jones." Several mothers not knowing that they were privileged to attend tho commissioners' meeting, waited on the ouside and inquired of the reporters, as they left the building, "Which side Avon?" When told that the ordinance was smothered beneath overwhelming protests, one sighed, "Thank God!" oo |