, 1874-12-20
Temperance Societies and
Signing Pledges.
Formation Of Social and Literary
Societies Recommended.
Opening Rooms Where Temperance ke'
freshments Can Be Obtained.
Changing the Payday Of Em-
p1oyeS.


Ashland avenue.
Robert G. Rankin, the President Of the So
ciety, occupied the chair.
The Committee on Plan Of Work submitted
their report, together with their Constitution
aud bylaws The former met with q lengthy
discussion Oh the question OF prohibition, which
it t]isclaimcd.
THE REPORT.
The report which was finally adopted, to-
gether with the constitution aud bylaws, is as
follows:
10 the Officers and Members ef ttt Chicago Temper
anc< Reform Club:
The Committee upon whom has devolved the
duty Of reporting plan Of operations for tho
Club begs leave to submit the following as the
result Of its deliberations
Your Committee is not ignorant OF the fact
that the plan which it is about to submit is one
Of more than ordinary difficulty, and will involve
an amount OF labor not hitherto contemplated by
the Club, but at the came time the members Of
the Committee feel that the task proposed is not
impracticable, and is one the accomplishment OF
which will produce most beneficial effect upon
the community.
THE OBJECT
for which the Club WAS organized wss. in ebort,
to reform and rescue from the depths to which
they have fallen class OF men who either have
been or in all human probability will be ostraciRed
from the social and business circles OF mankind
This object ia ono which is at once charitable and
profitablo,-cha1itable to those who are suffering
from the evils OF intemperauce, and profitable to
tile community in this that every rescued man
will perform his share in tie work Of human
progress and Advancement.
1Ssn of%S rt1& In
proper to discuss briefly the various plans which
have hitherto been adopted; to ascertain what
amount of SUCCESS those plans have met with !;
what failures have been encountered; and what
we're the causes which induced such failures.
Your Committee is satisfied that all attempts
to prohibit the manufacture or sale OF intoxicat-
ing drinks by Legislative enactmente will result
only in failure. ProhibitorE laws have been enact
ed in various States Of this Union. and in every
instance have proved to be dead letters
TuE CAUSES
Of this are various, but the most active, as your
Committee believes. may be found IN tue dislike
which men ordinarily feel st anv interference
with their private tastes or habits; and this
is more especially tho case in large
cities. where o considerable portion OF
the population is composed OF foreign
born citizens, who in other lands have been edu-
cate in the belief that the moderate use Of in
toxicating drinks i8 neither sinful nor hurtful,
but, on tha contrary, is conducive to health, md
who resent as al attack On their nationality, and
an insult to their manhood, any attempt BY law
to force them to dispense with the beverages to
which they hare been accustomed. Nor can
such LAWS be efrectna1 so long Us public sentl-
ment even among natiye-born citizens is opposed
to their passago aud execution: and your Com
mittee is forced to admit that, in cities ai all
events. m intelligent, respectable, and numerous
class Of citizens look upon these laws as at once
unnecessary and unwise.
THESE FACTS ARE NOTORIOUS,
and they lead your Committee to the belief not
only that all steps taken by the Club looking
towards prohibitory laws will be Intellectual, but
also that they will. By arousng the opposition OF
the classes above mentioned, provo serious
injury to the temperance cause.
Your Committee, therefore, deem it to bo
unndvisable to report or recommend any
plan which contemplates legislative prohi~
bition, and would on the contrary,
advise that the--Club and its members should,
not only By words but bv acts, disclaim every at
tempt to secure such legislation and your Com
mitteo all the more willingly eubmits this advice
when it considers the fact that if the plan to be
hereinafter proposed shall be adopted and shall
eventually Gucceed, q power far more potent
than acts OF Legislative bodies, will, By cutting
OF the custom OF the saloons, deprive them Of tie
means Of keeping open.
Your Committee having thus considered the
question Of
REFORMING MEN Br LAw,
and having concluded to advise against any
efforts III that direction, have thought it proper
next to consider plan OF operations devised By
E1r 1ratv ND ~ rn1 rim int
effect in the early part of the present year III tie
State OF Ohio.
This plan met With an early and most igno-
ninious failure, owing to Z variety of CAUSES
of. Prominent among them is one which IS
worthy of careful consideration. E1-
oerience has demonstrated that where
ever evil passions or appetites exist.
:ho means to crafty them will DO supplied. and
hat if ono class OF individuals can be induced |
passions and appetites, another class, less aue-
.eptible to good Influences will very soon take |
ts place.
THE CRUSADERS IN OHIO
md elsewhere succeeded, in d very few in |
|tances in inducing saloon-keepers to close their
and to embark in other occupa- |
ions. but. in most if not all of them pecuniary |
10 veil US moral arguments we're used, and even |
hese had only temporary effect, for new sa-
oons were opened by tho so-called converts as
ided. These facts ought OF themselves to bo
uficient answer to any proposition involving q
epet1tion OF the cruaades. Il, in addition, the
urther facts that such course EXPOSES to the
COTS and insults of a most degraded class OF
nen the female members Of tho family that the
opposition Of many respectable and influential
Individuals is aroused; that many flock to aa~
,ons out of mere curiosity during crusade,
nd form appetite thero which promises IN
me to make them drunkards and, finally. that
=. t. ~<
ldies in the direction mentioned for such
,ngth OF time as would result in accomplishing
le eud sought Cf such end ever could BE- nc
be considered. yonr Committee is
to SET that it is opposed to any
,tion on the part of the Club which would in
ny way encourage a revival OF the movement
,fer1ed to.
THE OTHER PLANS
hich have been considered by your Committee
o Temperance organizations and Temperance
Ivir41s. The former have hitherto beeu et1ectu-
to degree which warrants your Committee 10
10 belief thai this Club, II properly managed.