, 1874-02-04
THE FEMALE CRUSADERS.

=
THE FEMALE CRUSADERS.
Tho organized crusade Of tho women III
Southern Ohio, mud tho Inauguration of SINH
lar movement in Massachusetts, to compel tho
saloon-kcopors to stop selling whisky, is unfor-
tunato in almost every respect. Honest "a tho
crusaders may be in tho purpose thoy Aayo in
viow, they have initiated course OF procoed-
ngs Which will ultimately bring both religion
and temperance into dHreputo. 1ll-considered,
apasm odic, aud irrational, their only effect eau
he, whcn tho rclapsc comes, to react upon RI
tional religious effort and to 6ot intomperanco
upon the increase. 1t is incredible that fanatlcs
In tho tomporance-reform movements canuot
understand that men will not quit drinking upon
compuls|on; TINT when thoy toll man, "you
shall not driuk," he will drink worao than ever
These bands Of women, trooping tho streets and
bosicging thosaloons, may temporarily close them,
because thoy surround tho doors and provont
ingross. Those who dosro to go in can only do
80 by violent resistance to tho women. an ru-
nanly net of which to one wisloa to bo guilty.
THUS tho women, by tho immunity from violence
which thoir sex guarantees tlem and not by
praying md singing. compel tho aaloon-keopor
to close his doors because they shut of his
business. It, therefore, becomes q question
simply Of how long this state Of things will cou-
tinuo. Tho moment the women tire out mud
withdraw thoir forces, that moment the saloon-
keeper will reopen Lis doors, aud bis Ba.os will
bc augmented iu proportion to the time thoy
hhve boon closed. Tho spirit which inspires
thts movement is shown by the remarks Of
ono Of tho corgymen ut Loudon, Ohio
who aaid III tho course Of his speech,
"Yes no will sonl tho ladies' to these placcs,
ind, if an insult III oirerod to them, if hand III
laid OH them, lot us SEQ it. Let thcm dare to
touch my wife. Ne will rso as one ,r,au and
enforce the law Of our country" Without stop
ping to admire tho courage Of this Boanergos,
hiding behind Ills wifo's pctticoats or to inquire
what law Of our country hc proposes to oyindlcato
tho utter absurdity OF this proposition to inter-
fore with business, conducted within tho law,
In this high-landca manner, will be apparent to
oyory one. So long aB there aro mon to drink,
there will be men to poll tlom liquor If prayer
and singing aro 80 oflcaciouH, why do not these
women and their advisors concentrate tloir
prayers aud psalms upon their husbands, sonB,
md fricuds2 II thoy have not done 10, they
have not dono thcr first duty. " If thoy
layo done 30, then manifestly tho attempt to
stop them from drinking by this 1noans has
failed. But if they have fai1ed to move the
hearts Of those who aro bound to them by tics
OF affection and kindred how can they rcason~
ably oxpoct to win over those WHO aro bound to
thom by no tics, and with whosu business, which
the law allows undor certain conditions, they aro
directly interfering? From tho temperance
point OF Wow, it il very clear that, 80 long as
these women can spend their timo III the streets,
and tho aaloon.keepers arc forboarng III dofor-
cnco to their aox, they may prevent whisky from
being sold. But tloy cannot remain III tho strcota
always, anl when tloy retire to thoir homea
again md the snloon-kooper finds the
feminine obstacles remoyod llo will open tho
doors again, aud intcmporance will rago worHo
than ever. This IL no novel experiment. It has
boon tried repeatedly, aud the result has always
becn tho same that VIC predict for tlo present
attonlpt. You cannot compel mau to stop
drinking any more than you can compel 4 man
to DO good. From tho religious standpoint, tho
effect will 10 still worse. Where 1t may mako
ono friend to religion it will make score of
onomics. What with tho leterodox notions now
prevailing tho world over, tho gradual broaling
away Of the people from old forinH aud dogmas
onco held In reverence, the backHliding congre-
cations and ministers falling from graco, tho
professors Of religion should DO careful how
thoy add to the burdens imposed upon tho
Church by plungng into unreasonable aud hurt
ful religious excesses; by praying aud shouting
in tho streets, contrary to tho Divine injunction:
"Whon thou prayost, cntos into thy closet, mud
when thou hnBt slut thy door, l'ray to thy Faith
or, which is In secret; u,d thy Father, which
scoth IN eecret, ehall reward thee openly"
II tho women, however, are to porsoyoro In
their praying raid, why do they not extend their
oporations7 TLcre aro maly worso places
IN ovely city than saloons which uoed praying
for, and, Il It Ia proper to invade saloonB, why