, 1875-04-11
TEMPERANCE,
Report Of The Executive Committee
Of the Reform Club.
Formation Of Auxiliary Organizations
Policy Of the Society.

Policy Of the Society.
Its Proposed Expansion.
A meeting OF the Chicago Reform Club WAS
Ptes1dent Rankin in the chair. The following
report from the Executive Committee was read
by l1r. Howard Ti!den and adopted:
Your Executive Committee submits herewith its re-
port for the quarter ending April l.
Your Committee immediately after Its organization
the club Ut tho meeting hed On the 18th day Of Dece
ber last and has since then to tho best Of ts ability
continued to perform the duties devoly5ng upon IT,
Tho success which it has mat with has been consider
able and gives promise Of results in the future Of
gratifying nature. The plan referred to contemplated
the 95ganzaon ct au1aEy clubs open md at5asse
members tho canyasang Of the city for indtviduals
whoae habits OF LIE render 1t thst they should
such individuals in their efforts to reform tho
tahhment Of c1ut-7oorus in which refreshments coud
10 furnished at moderate prices and opportunities
games could be afforded, and the change Of the pay
day Of employees from Saturday night to Monday or
Tuesday morning.
Thus far the plan adopted has only been
PARTIALLY EXECUTED.
The tlme that has elapsed since your Committee
aal limited. Hence your Committee has been unable
TO do everything 1t desired to do, and has confined its
efforts to those branches Of tho plan which could with
az HmAu an amount Of expense possible, be eHectu
ally accomplished. Its efforts hare been confined ex-
easivey to tho organization Of auxiliary clubs It
has not attempted the establishment Of cubrooms, for
tho reason that sufficient moneys to open them hare
mover been at its disposal and effort has been made
to secure change IN tho payday q employees be.
tnat duty and your Committee felt that th.t Society,
by its 1nauence and standing, would b able to dos
great deal towards securing the end sought, md
should not in any way be tnte1fered wlth-
Tbs work OF establishing
AUXILIARY CLUBS
however, Was entered upon Immediately after the
gantzation OF your Committee. and has been prose-
Before detailing de WORK done it viii BE- proper to
and at III times INSERTED BY this Committee, and t.
state what benefit has been derived from their enun
ciaion.
toxicatng drinks ought to be prevented BY legislation
has never been advanced BY tbs Club. On the con-
trary at thu very outset all attempts to secure such
the COMMITTEES in organizing auxiliary clubs may be
ascKbed in very large measure TO this disclaimer
i've workers in the temperance ranks. With few ex-
cepons, they satisfied If they make the sale or
use Of liquor unlawful, and whenever ths end is a:-
tnfned they feel that their duties performed, and
TINT al efforts to raise up tho druniard will b.
less. The assistance Of such men In .
must be REGARDED Is .yis little va1ue and 10 Tar Is
your Committee has been able to observe has been
hurtful- There are individuals, however,, whose
be too highly commended Who 1ouk upon prohibttory
legislation an interference, alike unwarranted and
unjust with their tastes and habits. They have in the
past, held aloof from temperance societies for the
reason that they suppose that by joining them they
would assent to doctrine which they felt to DO nsound
fallen humanity ii tho sssstancs IN their power The
Importance Of securing the active cooperation Of
these Individuals has at Ill tn1ee been obvious and II
Sn S1hf tn ftet
auch cooperation Aas in very large number Of in
bean obtained: This result due than
to other to the fact that hS Club h21 taken
10 stand IN
OPPONENT OF PROHIBITION
Had tho Club taken different ground, or had It even
remained silent large number Of its most efficient
workers would never h2ro rendered any assistance
wnateyer. Your Committeo checrfulIy acknowledges
that large share OF whatover credit may BE- duo for
the resas thus far reached must be asezbed to the
work Of the individuals refeTed to- It Ia the des1re Of
tho Committee to obta1 the assistance Of as large
number Of such Iaen possible, and the ground a.
ready taken Is maintained srccees in that direction u
already assured.
Tho determination to abstain from N attempts to
revive the crsaang movement has also been Of great
inlucement to many ladies to lend helping hand to-
the Club. Tho labor performed and tho results &C
conpllshed by them cannot be too highly praiHed.
SECRET SOCIETIES
havs many objectionable features, and Was on ac-
count Of these that the Club determined to hold open
es5es to Do a ss{ Tn ~ % a %nx
ing to au The wisdom Of ths determination has At all
times been apparent to your COMMITTEES and the Of
jeced to secret organizations to becoms active work
IN the rnks Of the Reform Club It hza also op-
Grated to bring into the Club many individuals who
ignorant OF the method In which the proceedings OF
the Good TenplaEs and the Sons Of Temperance were
conducted and fearing that those proceedings were in
soe way Objectionable, have heretofore refused to
sign pledge or abstain from tbs use Of liquor, to
Join any temperance organization Tho fact that the
Club-meetings hare always been public, snd that AL
hmari
deal towards acquantns the caas Of man it is desira
BILE to reach with the objects and Of tho Club
Your Committee has refrained, = al also naEs ths
with questions Of
POLITICS OF RELIGION. |
Such course not only proper, but It WIS aoso-
perieuced from the introduction Of political dircus
stons and difficulty from that source need be ap-
pretended until such time as the strength OF the |
Clubs shall become generally KNOWN But aa tho
number Of Clubs shall increase and their voting power
shall become greater considerabls degree OF care VII
have to be exercised in order to prevent designing mon
objects to their thirst for office:
Your Committee has carefully abstained. Hkewtse |
to he eause 81 tsmferance created by such a.
has thought + Important in this report to d a.
countenznced. It ia no part Of the object OF the
Club to make religious converts. Whether pfous men
are or are not as r11e more easily conser1ed 1rom
is question which may be Interesting to casulsts:
but in the work Of this Clnb, caa have no practical
beariug zince il tho affirmative Of the proposition IS
tzue the employed BY the Club will operate as
readily upon those who ars religious a. upon tnoss
who are not Bo-
On the other hand,;H religious platform shall be
adopted the question OF what sect or denomination
shall be considered a. the oue whose banner shall be
unfoded will have first to bo determined, and that de-
whateEer 1t may be, Will most certainly
have tho effect to drive from the Club many OF its most
influential MEMBERS and will also confne fss operation
within the Amits Of single or st most few
Tho PURPOSE Of the Club ID to save
man from drunkennesa, md 1t is utterly tmnater1a!
whether the individual whose salvation In this world
is sought believes that the Catholic, Protestant. Jew
tsh, or Mohamnedan path to Heagsn is the only one
or whether le has belief at ALL Your Committee
satisfied that the Club will best succeed in acsompltsh-
ing that purpose by avoiding all sectafiaR dscuaaio
md BY leaving to ohez organizations the duty o1 MAE"
Ing religious converts. |
Your Committee las at I'll times endeayorcd to pEso-
dce the principles above advocated and the success
hos met with would have bean far less thso 1t has been
4 different coutse had bean followed. That SUCCESS
consists Of the organization Of four clnbs, which arc
now in full operation and Of aking the necessary ar-
for tbs formation Of o number OF other
Clubs, which WILL Al your Committee has good reason