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The United States ought to have very gre...

The United States ought to have very gre... image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
January
Year
1892
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The United States ought to have very great provocation before she goes to war with little Chili. Of course it would be easy enough to conquer Chili just as it would be easy for a strong man to whip a small child, but it would cost a snug sum of money which might easily be saved by judicious diplomacy. The attention of the Courier, which has recently been lamenting Congressman Gorman's committee positions, is called to the dispatch to the Free Press reprinted on our first page, which indicates that the Congressman is looking out for his district. Probably the Courier would prefer that the Congressman would do as his predecessor did, see the public buildings go around without securing one for Ann Arbor, but Congressman Gorman is not made that way. Prof. Steere in the pamphlet which was distributed among the editors of the state last week in speaking of the students says: "They are at an age most susceptible to temptation. They are thrown together in large numbers, in classes, societies and clubs, where individual judgment is in danger of being overeóme by the enthusiasm of numbers directed by designing and evil-minded leaders." On the evening of the same day the editors were presented with the misstatements which, if true, would picture Ann Arbor as the very concentration of wickedness and the students the promoters of everything that was bad, Dr. Angelí, in the presence of the best citizens of our University city, gave it out that it was the policy of the University authorities to treat every student when he carne here as a man who waswell qualified to choose for himself his manner of conduct and that they had never had occasion to regret the liberty extended to the students. We think the editors went away far more impressed with President Angeli's words than Prof. Steere's wild imaginations. Prof. Steere, of the University, in his speech, which has been given siich wide publicity grossly libeled the city of Ann Arbor. His statements of fact are so exaggerated as to carry their own refutation to those who are acquainted with the city. The misstatements are so glaring as to constitute downright falsehoods. They are the statements of an intempeiate fanatic. A man may be intemperate in other things than in drink. Prof. Steere is evidently intemperate in words. If believed the first effect of his statements would be to injure the University from which Prof. Steere draws his $2,200 a year. The professor says. " The gambling places of Ann Arbor are usually found in close connection with saloons and located behind or above them, in the same building, so that the legal business of the saloon screens and protects them. The houses of ill fame are also frequently in close connection with saloons." It it will be noticed that in this as in all other statements, the professor deals only in glittering generalities. If the professor knows of any house of ill-fame running in connection with a saloon in this city, he is not a true reformer unless he points it out. Why does he not lócate the saloon ? The truth is the statement is untrue, and so convinced is the Argus of this fact that it will give $50 to any object the professor may desígnate, if he will name a single saloon in this city run in connection with a house of ill fame and produce suitable proof of his statement, and the Argus will think the $50 well spent, because it will cause the driving out of the house. The Argus challenges the professor to name the places where ling dens are located. He is not a true reformer unlcss he aids in driving them out. We regret exceedingly that Mr. Steere should go out of his way to attack any class of good citizens, and still more that he should declare every ward in the city excepting the sixth incapable of self-government. Grant his premisesand there is considerable forcé in his argument that such men as the sage of Pittsfiek! should be appointed guardians of the city. We know of no city in the land more capable of self-government than Ann Arbor. We know of none where better order is preserved. We know of none where there is less crime. We know of none freer from the dread curses of houses of ill fame and gambling dens. At various times we have had these curses as what city has not, but while the professor was concocting his tirade against the city of Ann Arbor, the city authorities modestly attending to their duty, have removed, as we believe, the last house of ill fame in the city. If there is a house remaining, any good citizen is derelict in his duty in not reporting it. Never before since the editor of the Argus has resided in the city has better order been preserved. Those who believe that prohibition will prohibit have full leave to work for their pet hobby, but in doing so, we protest that they must not libel their own city, they must not paint her in colors worse than facts warrant, they have no right to hold her_up as a modern Sodom and Gomorrah, and they have no right to use the Students' Christian Association, aided greatly by citizens of Ann Arbor, in endeavoring to tear down the city.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News