The Tavern-Keepers' Society held a meeting yesterday at the Vorwaerts Turn Hall at which the last city elections were again a subject of discussion. Mr. Baum regretted that most of the newspapers and public speakers proceeded with their attacks in a manner which would be regarded improper at any other but election time. He was vexed still more at the indifferent stand taken by the Journal of Freedom and Right, the organ of the innkeepers. This newspaper neglected its sacred duty, in the eyes of Mr. Baum, else it could not have suffered the slur accusing them (the tavern owners) of being concerned only with their own gain, according to a statement appearing in the Staats-Zeitung, April 4th,....

The tavern owners seem to misinterpret the stand of this newspaper and that of the German people. The battle for freedom from temperance is by no means carried on just to aid the tavern keepers in their dilemma. Temperance is 2not largely a question of concern for the innkeepers but rather a question of individual freedom. To make this freedom certain is the German's goal, although public decorum shall be preserved under all circumstances. This is the demand of the German people--not to aid tavern keepers--but for their own satisfaction. It would be well for the saloonkeepers to come out of their trance--they who frown upon hard labor and prefer to "make a living" by gratifying the thirst of others--thus regarding themselves great public benefactors.

Mr. Mueller was then requested to have the article under discussion read once more, to a larger assembly. At this point Mr. Adolph Georg mounted the speakers' platform saying that under existing circumstances it would be proper to request the committee for justice to advise Mr. Schuster, the publisher of Freedom and Right, to change his tactics at future elections. Furthermore, Mr. Georg said it was absurd of Mr. Schuster to attack A. C. Hesing, a man who merited the gratitude of the society. This is, in his opinion, plain ingratitude toward a man who showed a deep interest in the society.

Mr. Baum then proposed to consult Mr. Rubens as to the advisability for the modification of the compromise ordinance of 1873. This proposal has been accepted.

C. Hau then suggested that a compensation should be offered to A. C. Hesing for his services to the society, however, in the opinion of Mr. Georg, this would be an insult. Mr. P. Mueller then offered the information that at the time of Hesing's bankruptcy, a collection to lighten his burden was taken up among the brewers and innkeepers which netted $30,000, and was presented as a gift to Mr. Hesing. This, Hesing never mentions. Mr. Georg displayed impatience at the "old woman's chatter" to which he compared the society's lack of dignity....

The question was then discussed whether an increase in the trade license would have a tendency to eliminate disreputable saloons or produce just the opposite results. Messrs. Georg and Mueller deplored the shameful 4management of these sort of taverns which were fully in accord with the report in the Staats-Zeitung. But, to put pressure upon, and disorganize disreputable inns and taverns is the job of the City Administration. The fight against prostitution is however not the only worry of our decent German tavern owners; they have to have the good will of the brewers also. It has happened of late that decent German innkeepers were forced out of business by brewery concerns although no plausible explanation could be given. Mr. Mueller named Schlitz's brewery in Milwaukee as one of the offenders. He proposed that a mass-meeting should be called and preparatory steps taken in order to agitate that every member of the Innkeepers' Society discontinue the sale of Schlitz's beer.

"Furthermore," he said, "it is the job of the public as well as that of the tavern owners to be instrumental in the closing of houses of prostitution." He then related how he pleaded with Mayor Heath in favor of suppression of houses of ill fams, and the final victory over it. After the meeting adjourned, a reporter dispatched to Mr. A. C. Hesing informed him of the 5statement made by Mr. Mueller, to which he replied that Mueller deliberately lied when he spoke of a $30,000 gift or remuneration for his services in 1873. "On the contrary," he said, "I have donated six months of work to that organization for the sake of the campaign. I have thus neglected my own lumber-yard business resulting in an actual loss of $250,000....."