Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-30
rHr FEMALE CRUSADERS.

THG X EuA n LII SANN 1900
The war on saloons conducted by
ladies in Ohio and other States has
nroyeu signal failure of good results.
We predicted as much when the move
ment was inauguratedi not that we
question the sincerity of the crusaders or
the magnitude of their wrongs and the
evils they sought to diminish, but that it
was novel procedure and entirely be,
yond the sphere of modest refined wo-
man. st. Paul says that 1t is not becom-
ing for a woman TO pray in public, al
Iuding, doubtless, TO religious meetings;
how utterly out Of place, then, it is for
women to invade the precints of dram
shops, and with prayers andhymn books
undertake to work complete social and
civil revolution. At first the saloon
keepers we're taken abAck by the I'M
usual spectacle, and being manyof them
men of politeness and even gallantry, they
showed the ladies q degree OF civlllty
aud courtesy that was mistaken for a
desire to quit the business, and lew
were actually iadaced to gut for the
time being. But these proved very poor
recruits for the temperance cause, and
were doubtless moved more by pecuniary
considerations than by wonan's tears
The novelty having worn out, now comes
reaction, ridicule and even disturbances.
At a little town in Ohio the other day a
saloon keeper advertised a grand cru
SADIE lunch and the ladies put in an ap'
pearance in force. The consequence
was he ordered them out inst as ne
would any other dead-beats, and row
ensued. We say dead-beats advisedly,
for the so-called ladies went there to eat
the lunch without paying for it or call
ing for the drinks, when it is well under
stood that free lunches are intended for
those who patronize the bar. The
profit is on the liquors. In
this community we have heard that
a man who sneaks in at din
ner time. and bolts down hearty
meal without calling for a drink or re-
eeiying an invitation from some one else
is called a lunch fend, and runs risk
at no distant day of being invited out.
That which is disreputable in men must
be scandalous in women, of whom we
expect every grace and refinement.
When woman unsexes herself to put on
even the sem5lance of evil she takes the
chances of being treated as a man,
and destroys the sweet influence
which otherwise surrounds her as a
halo of benign light, and is her surest
protection, as well as potent charm.
The crusade movement, SO illjudged
and ill-timed, has almost subsidized, and
the cause Of temperance is positively
Worsted. Such frantic efforts, whether
made by men or women, seldom produce
permanent good results. The fruit is
like that which ripens too soon under a
burning sun: it is imperfect, and falls to
the ground unnoticed. 1t is TO be re-
GREETED that the ladies engaged in this
little revolution should SO shape the
issues as to involve their religion; and
with failure, which comes as the excite.
ment dies out, the church falls more OF
less into disrepute Their temporary
success over rural dramshops, due really
to social forces brought to bear, was at
tributed to the efficacy of prayer. Wher
these places are reopened, or 9th
ers like them are set up, Of course
the outside world will sneer at tn,
means employed. Violent reforms ar,
apt TO be short lived, and the reaction
often intensi6es the evil sought to b.
removed. The crusaders might hav,
prayed at home or held special praye
meetings at church, but they chose t,
reconnoiter the citadels of the enemy il
force, and to open the batteries Of praye
in the most ostentatious manner. Th
experiment was fraughtwith hazard, an
We candidly believe is already An uit'
failure and passing into by-word.