Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-23
Novel Temperance Scheme.

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fined wholly to the radical organiza-
tons OF the land, but is receiving
much help from a recently Inaugural
ted society of n rather novel char
acter, in New York city. The first
public meeting of the Business
Mems Society,"" was held few even
ings since at Chickering Hall, Mr..
F. B. Thurber occupying the chair.
There arc some new features about
this society which render it especially
remarkable in this reformatory age.
In the first place, its declared object
and purport is for the encourage
ment of moderation in the use of
intoxicating liquors" The occasion
of the first public meeting of the
society had the tendency to bring
out large audience. Among the
prominent persons on the platform,
were DR.. Crosby, Peter Cooper,
Thurlow Weed, DIR. rockingham,
L. W. Bates, Henry w. Baldwin and
Walt. L. Whitman. Several new
songs were sung, prepared expressly
for the occasion, and much enthusi-
assn prevailed among those present,
q large portion of whom were ladies'.
The meeting was opened by a short
address from the chairman, in which
he explained the object of the So
ciety.
As a part of the new base-line of
operations, the society proposes to
administer three distinctive pledges
as follows: First, pledge of to-
tai abstinence; second, pledge not
to drink Intoxicating beverages dur
ing business hours; and third, a
pledge not to partake of intoxicating
beverages at the expense of any
other person whatever, nor to in
vite another to partake of the same,
during specified time. 1t isarsued
that the second and third of these
pledges will act Us entering wedges
to the first. and, Oh the whole, make
it much easier for many habitual
drinkers to thus taper OFF, than to
adopt and live up to the total alb
stinence principle f.om the start.
On the score of economy alone, this
society, it is believed, will rapidly
grow in strength and popularity. 1t
is well-known that many families in
large cities, would gladly dispense
with wines at the table could they
do so and consistently maintain their
standing in the circle of society in
which they, by force of circumstan-
ces alone, are compelled to move.
A great many men of limited means,
mingle, together with their families,
in the best society of our large
cities, and they find, to their vexa-
ton and sorrow, that the establish
ment of wine-cellar, merely for
the sake of morbid fashion and
vain popularity, is continued and
ruinous drain upon their finances.
The expenses for the wine list alone,
in some of the aristocratic house
holds of New York city, amount to-
IN enormous sum during the year,
and from significant hints thrown
out, it may be surmised that many
hundreds of the "frst families" in
our large cities and country towns,
will hail with gladness the advent OF
the " Business Mems Society,"" as an
expedient and practical means OF de-
liverance from the wine-bibbinS
thraldom. 1t is encouraging to know
that this new movement in New
York is participated in by men well
and favorably known throughout the
country. The present mayor of New
York, son of Peter Cooper, has long
been staunch advocate of the tenn
perance reform, an assurance which
will prove doubly inspiring to the
friends of tho cause, when it IS
coupled with the fact that his vensra-
BILE father has now come out es one
of the principal workers in the new
society. 1t cannot be denied that
we are living in the leverage OF
great temperance reformation. and
those devoted men and women who
have long stood in the forefront OF
the contest, have good reason to re-
joice at the signs Of the times.