Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-08
Preachers and the Com, ,.,,ouer,.

Preachers and the Commissioners.
III. Editor: After all that has appeared In the
daily papers and various local church puoltca-
tons In behalf OF the preachers in their fight
upon the Commissioners have thought the
expression OF few common sense views OF q
anoker-0n might be acceptable to your readers.
The preachers OF certain denomina ions OF prot
eSsnts who have been, for some months past,
~ tlng. with doube-edged sword both the
Equof sellers and the District Commissioners,
time being upon the Commissioners. The liQuor
trai1c Will be left to rest temporarily except 80
1sr as needed as sheath for the dagger pre-
oedar Ior me 20 ocais At their meeting on
demanding the scalps OF the present tnc,m-
DENTS. aud tine appointment OF Commissioners
regulating the liquor traffic" and asked the
public 10 back their demand by q meeting TO be
he'd Oh Sunday hexf.
At this Stage Of the proceedings there are
some reflections which must commend them
selves as both Interesting aud pertiueuL
In the first place, the pastors who have been
forcing this fight under the name of "The Pas.
TORS Un1On." constitute minority OF thu Pro-
testant clergy OF this city. II is confined to q
few denominations. and In some cases q very
spare representation OF the clergy of these sects
that none OF the Episcopal clergymen have been
parties 10 the nght-preferring doubtless to
leave the execution or the liquor law TO those
properly charged With It. while they attend to
parishes. which furnish full employ ment
other denominations might be mentioned to
which these remarks would apply With equal
FORCE to the large body OF their pastors.
IL Is very noticeable that the Commissioners
whose official guillOtine thes preachers are en-
dehvoT1ng T. effect. are the appointees OF the
direct and persistent seeking OF churchmen and
clergy. With the exception of the army officer
detailed to act as Commissioner, these gentle
men were materially aided to their positions
by church influence. This Is VIGOROUSLY true
0nnninfpd Uhn
was so prominently churcnman that he was
handicapped in his claim for public favor by
the offices of president OF the I'M. CA. Metho-
dist Camp meeting association and other church
relations which he then bore. Both the civilian
appointments had been sought aud urged by
gentlemen identified with Protestant churches.
THIS being true, is 1t not inconsistent, re-
vengeful and selflshly unbecoming that certain
pastors should now seek 10 represent the entire
religious community In demanding the Official
sc asR[s;s OF these gentlemen as trophies Of ami
the fight In the liquor trafnc? The principal
charge against one commissioner has found
pubic statement In the fact that he has liquor
sellers as his bondsmen. One OF these bonds
men Is an Office bearer In the church OF the
Ascension, prominent Christian gentleman,
ana all are philanthrop1sts of large heart. Is
lt not an outrage that these gentlemen should
De thus placarded by clergymen as morally
UNIT TO answer the legal req Irements OF bonds
men? Is there not plainly visible on the part
of the preachers the froth OF Indignation at
the commissioners for their refusal to walk
rough shod over the rights of certain class
OF Lett citizens known as liquor sellers?
1 he history OF this bitter fight shows that
the fault is With the law, not with the Com.
missloneTs- The law prescrtbes when and how
an app1cat1On shall be prepared and license
granted; These conditions being complied
WIN, the applicant has legal right to
license however aVerse the Commissioners may
be to granting the same The law does not
except localities where there are churches,
school houses and public offices, and the Com.
~
the exercise OF an arbitrary power, urged by the
preachers as implied by the spirit of the law
by making such arbitrary distinctions between
applicants the commissioners rob some OF rights
ana encourage and enrich others. To refuse
an Application on one street and grant another
around the corner, both being made In con-
liquor, out breaks up one mans business and
DOUBLES the patronage OF the other. It. Is true
mat one less license Isl sued. but where Is the
gain morally, or the protection of the public
Morals" which the preachers are seeking?
The law guarantees certain rights TO all. The
commissioners are as sacredly bound In honor
their rights, as churches and camp meetings
ana preachers and christians In theirs. The
rights OF all are equally sacred, no matter how
ostastelul II may appear to persons differing
one from the other In views and preJudlceS.
The commissioners do not suppress noisy
cnuIch meetings Kept up In some nelghbor-
hoods TIL almost midnight for from 6 to 10
weeks In succession, because they disturb the
rest OF liquor sellers who live incOnveniently
near, nor because they are distasteful TO per
sons OF different religious views in the vicinity
The great body OF our citizens knOtc that the
present Commissioners are in their ardent sym.
pathy with the ''protection Of public morals,
the peers OF the most enthusiastic OF the clergy.
But these officials are responsible to the entire
BODY OF citizens and not only to certain rel.g.
ious Sects OF the Community.
The present demand for new Commissioners
- porn OF the fanaticism engendered In this
hight by few extremists, and does not warrant
Tue countenance OF the truly religious element
o. society. The lerceness OF the nght has uni
ned the liquor sellers who have banded for self
protection, employed counsel to cneckmate
each attempted advance OF the clergy. All this
would have been avoided and much more ac-
coinplished By looking up each Case OF imper-
feet application for license, or OF Violation OF
law after license. In every such case the
preachers had the pledge otthe Commissioners
IN the outset, to earnest and tmme Hate SUD.
port; But this it seems would not suffice A
wholesale slaughter OF the liquor business was
the object ia view. and the Commissioners are
held up for pubic contempt because they would
not become church agents In their Official
chairs to accomplish this end. FAIR-PLAY.
UmnrNnar ssl