The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-02-28 00:00:00

A YANKEE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT

PRAYER v. WIIISKY.

A gigantic raid, partly legel and partly religion., is being
Organlevd against the lninortratlic in Me Northern end
Western States. The tieesachusetts constabulary are at
last enforcing in earnest the Prohibitory Law which has so
iOng been a dead letter on the stitute book ; and the liostou
correspondent of the Tribune gives an amusing deseripilon
of the means which are adopted for evad r deb tug the
obnoxious law.
It was a solemn moment when, after arriving at a
prcinMent hotel, I went down stairs to view the scene
of the police raid upon the bar and cellar. My fancy
had pictured a dismantled and deserted bar, a bartender
with folded arms denoting "Occupation gone," and a
crowd of reprobates holding an indignation meeting
because deprived of whisky. Nor would a vigilant
policeman on the look-ont lest the bar should be re-
opened have been out of place in the picture.
But my imagination was sadly at faun. No such
scene was presented. The bar-room seemed to present
unusual attractions on the day after the raid. The
shelves were stocked with a dazzling array of hquors
of old dates, or riorxed drinks with ingeniously
tempting names, and from the trap door leading to the
cellar there oceasionally app-ared a man with a dust.
oovered tootle which must nave escaped the eyes of
the constables. The counter was loaded with tumblers
and wine glasses. Two smiling bartenders ,were
reel oiling to the orders of tippers. Half-a-dnzen
young men were teasing off hot vinisky punches, and a
merry old "guzzler" in the billiard-room was singing
a song for the entertainment of his more sober com-
panions. All this at a hotel which was but yesterday
aeapoilei f liquor valued at thousands of dollars.
Thus done prohibition sometimes prohibit. This morn-
hag (two days after the raid) a little more caution is
exercised by the vendors of liquor at the hotels, on
the idea, I suppose, that the Ispe of time and the
taunts of the anti-Prohibition press combine to
make another movement on the part of the police very
probable. in order to get a drink this morning one
has to step into a little room in the rear .1 the bar, or
take a private parlour for about five minutes. In some
hotels parlours are kept for this purp vie, and no
Charge is made for their nee except that a few cents
additional must be paid for the drink. But only first-
lse resort to this device. The others
hod cheaper and equally safe means of breaking the
law, and the temperance men have postponed their
dement upon Worcester to a more convenient season.
The weather is COL favourable for prayer meetings in
front of whisky shop,. But the originators ol the
movement are lull of zeal and faith, and will be heard
from ere long.
Prayer seems to be more potent than the law for platting
down the evil, as may be gathered from what another corre-
spondent of the same paper, writing from Columbus, Ohio,
on the 6th instant, ssy,—

The snow storm which has prevailed to-day through.
out the State has had no it,parent effect upon toe
whisky war. The praying hands have attended to
business aa usual, and some prcgress is veported at
almost every point. At Circleviiie the Grand Jury
to-day indicted a number of persons for is.sault and
battery. Ile cases all grew out of ttie Temperance
movement. The Curt authorities evince a deter-
mination to enforce the Adair law to the fullest extent.

At Washington, Fayette County, where the liquor
piellers have their opponents restrained by an iniunc-
rami, the ladies have leaged the land where their little
Oi-eacle stood, and a church will be erected there, in
othleh temperance servstes will be held. The church
9611 be I,thit by a
,l6int-stock company, whieh was or-
ganised iSht 'tight for the purpose. Beck is kept in
court as defend...! In suits against him tinder the Adair
Law, and :twill probably
,be knrt buoy for some daye.

A new saloon Wtao opened in the town to-day, which w'sli
invaded by the lathes before the first drink bad been
sold, but the proprietor promptly ordered them to vs,
hate his premises, and they gave way to his wishes,
At Ripley, Brown County. the snowstorm inter.
fend somewhat with the plane of the Crusaders. but
they report sonic progress made. One Itheinhaid sent
the ladies an inv't &on in the nmrniog to visit him,
and Wbeti they came he barred his door against their
entry. They halted in the snow anti gave him the
benefit of • prayer, which so enraged him that he
threatened them with a revolver. Before dark, how-
ever, the obdurate German yielded to the Influences of
prayer, and annouuced ti-night that he has give. up
the busbies,. All the dealers express willingnese to
out, but this is considered out of the epieetion.
A former Catholic priest who ie now a LutherAn I
minister endeavoured to lead the whisky dealers against
the women of Ripley, but their prayers aff.:cted their
enemies like a volley of musketry, and they retired in
confusion. All DUSIIIItSB vim closed, and praying was
the order of the day. As a total of the work thus far
at Ripley, eneehalf the saloons are closed, and the re-
mainder will surely give way.
As Logan 8,000 dole. was subscribed, of which sum

the Mayor pledged himself for 1,000 doh,. The ladies
r:port some progress, sill affirm their intention of con-
tinuing ths campaign. A stronger demonstration is
expected. All business will be suspended and a day
devoted to a Universalist:ova meeting.

The Correspondent of T'.e Times writes: " In
Boston sins ercirk moot wee rorett,l ou the 4th of
February by toe nowonted eight of the enforcement
of the Prohibitory Law in the bar rooms of the leading
hotels. Smill offenders only have heretofore been
punished. At the Tremont Howie about 3,000 dohs.
worth of lirplors was seized, the officers going through
the wine cellar and capturing choice old wines which
have lain there for years. The hotel people, however,
managed to lt 'neva' a good deal of their Block.
At Young's 10,000 dole, worth was seized, including
racks full of champagne and other choice wines,
barrels of ale, ere., five hours being required
to load and car; thom away to the police
headquarter.. A large crowd jeered the p dice
as they pert rmed their duty and the bafireom
WHA full of people, to whom durin; the process whisky
and brandy and other drinks were dispensed ise fist as
the barkeeper, could eerie them. At the Sherman
!louse all the ;ignore in the bar-room were captured,
amounting to 4,000 dollars worth. The officers bad a
eearch warrant for the entire house, but finding they
would have to break open .'oore, they did not go further
than the bar. There was also a seizure made at the
Adams hones. This very mammal thing, although
within the letter of the Prohibitory Law, nevertheless
causes a great satiation, and has aided to the bitter-
ness with who& the controversy about that statute is
carried on la Maesachusetts."