The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-03-27
NUMBER SO.
Women Versus Dram Shops.

sTEEIr TALK CoSCERNING THE MOVEMENT
WHAT IT'S orPoSENTs sAY-AID FOR TIE nE
sEIGED sALOoS-FEEPERs-
CoLuMBUs, Ohio, February 18TH
The talk of the streets concerning the
women's war on whisky is interesting
as showing the drift of public sentiment
on the subject. There are not = few per
sons in every community who are hon
estly opposed to the now popular method
of killing the liquor traffic, and therI
are many more who have serious doubt:
as to its practical efficiency, but there j:
great unanimity in the opinion that the
men must support the women to thG
fullest extent This is manifested not
only in the large number who attend
the preparatory meetings, but in the
general closing Of places of business
whenever it is requested by the women
i'm the outspoken voice of the press in
behalf of the reform, in the Indignation
of the men in contrast with the patience
and persistence Of the women, whenever
a saloon-keeper holds out unreasonably
long, and most of all in the large Sums
of money raised to carry out the objects
OF the temperance leagues, and to fit up
reading-rooms and other places of inno-
cent recreation and amusement to sup
ply the void made up the disappearance
of drinking places.
In some places the Women's Execu-
I tive Committees have associated with
them advisory committees of men, but
so far the women seem 10 have needed
little advice, and to have asked less
How some people in the opposition look
at the matter was shown in cOnversa-
tion with a citizen of London, rs the
train on which | was Il passenger passed
that point to-day.
"Are the women here fighting the
whisky dealers >" was asked
! 'tYes," was the short answer.
"Well, how are they getting on ?D
ooh, well enough, | suppose; but it
/ isn't the plan ] should nave advised" "
"Will they succeed in your town 9''
! "Oh, yes, | suppose 81. They 10 al
most everywhere, and | don't know
why this place should be an exception.
| guess they will keep at it until they
break it up, and there's no knowing
what they will get at next. Billiards,
may be, and then tobacco, and who
knows but that they will soon Try to
pray down the tea aud coffee business
Give them success in this and theH will
break up anything they put their minds
against. The whole business of town
may be destroyed in this way. 1t ain'i
the plan | should have advised.h
Another man thought he saw in tht
whole movement n diabolical conspiracy
to secure for woman the right Of suf
frage. 'Itis bound to come, sir,n sait
he. "Its bound to come, if this thinl
goes on much lOnger.n Dio Lewis
sometimes tries, no doubt rather i'm
prudently, TO feel the public pulse as tC
his pet plan. With this idea he ap
preached citizen of Springfield, whom
he did not know, and to whom the BOs
ton apostle of temperance was alike un
known. The stranger looked Will
doubt on the movement, and thought il
was fanatical kind of business. Hi:
plan was to make liquOr-buying dis.
grace and a crime, and to imprison The
buyer in the wOTk-house or county Jail
according to the degree of offense. A:
to this woman's movement, he frankly
told the doctor that he thought "tha
id fool Dio Lewis had better stay in
Massachusetts and close the dram-shOp:
of that rum-ridden State before carrying
on crusade against the comparatively
small number of liquor dealers in Ohio. y
"No doubt No doubtri was the re-
jOinder of the astonished inquirer. Asl
predicted few days ago, the wholesale
hiNOA AANal nave bAAouts AT IL NOAtn W mix
to give serious attention to the question
of how the movement may be impeded
or its effect counteracted. There is rea-
son to believe that they have Offered
moral and pecuniary support to several
saloon-keepers in the interior who have
shown disposition to defy the women,
and any man who holds out TO the end
will have no difficulty in getting fine
stock in trade without paying q cent for
it. If some aid is not extended TO the
beseiged they will, in many instances,
be starved ont, for few customers will
pass in at their doors while they are
guarded by praying women.-CorT. "
y. Tribune.