Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-29
Letter from Mr.. Thompson.

OLYMPIA, W. L., April 10, 1881.
EDITOR INTELLIGENCER:
In your issue of the Sth inst, ap-
pears statement under the caption
of Fast Young Men, a little cor.
rection of which is demanded by
justice. AS my name is somewhat
prominently used in said article, you
will please permit me to make the
needful correction. You refer to
Mack Hopkins in such manner rs
to give the impression that he was
among the hilarious youths whose
revel was broken i'll upon as described
in your article. l wish to say that
We did not find young Hopkins
among the juvenile law breakers on
the occasion referred to. AS / know
you wish to publish nothing but
facts. ] feel assured that you only
require to learn of the above miscon-
structiou Of your language to put the
matter involved i'll it's proper light
before the public.
A few words to unfriendly critics
of the action taken by the three
friends of law and order, referred to
in your article. l concede their
right to question the wisdom of what
was done on that occasion. 1t is no
doubt a forward thing for three citi-
zens who pay their taxes to sustain
the machinery intended for the pres
ervation of order, law and good pub
lie morals, to insist that said machin-
cry shall be operated for its legiti-
mate purposes. 1t was of course,
very officious for said citizens to step
boldly into the charmed circle of Sc
lect company of boys, who were not
only openly defying the law of this
land, but preparing themselves by a
process always sule and often rapid
for a degraded manhood and a
drunkard's hell, and put an abrupt
ending to the further enjoyment of
their carouse. Moreover, it does
not at first glance look like very
neighborly act, to step into any
mans place of business and attempt
to deprive him of his trade and it's
profits. All these aspects of the
matter have put 'the dauntless three
in an unfavo1able position SO far as
your judgment is concerned; and
men Of your stamp Il am now talk
ing to our unfriendly critics, not of
you Mr.. Editor) have pronounced
our conduct as 'low down, mean,
&c. Let me say that there is not
one of us who cares the value of
single straw for the opinions, ex-
pressed, of man who will sell liq-
uor to boy-or of a boy who will
drink intoxicating liquor-both acts
being in defiance of the law. In still
greater contempt do l hold the opin-
ion of the man or woman who, with
out the pleasure of drinking or the
profit of selling liquor, will denounce
the action of those who attempt to
put an end to this open and devilish
violation of law. We have made no
attempt to interfere with any rights
which may be justly claimed by those
who have paid the money demanded
by law for the right to sell intoxicat-
ing drinks. SO far as L am con-
cerned they are at liberty to dispose
of the wine that mocketh and the
strong drink thai rageth, to whomso-
ever they can find sufficiently unwise
to accept of their wares: provided
they don't sell or give to parties with
whom the law says to them Thou
shalt not deal But when any man
of them proposes to make drunkards
of bright and promising boys by
furnishing them the facilities for a
bacchanalian revel, at an hour of the
night when good little boys should
be at home in their trunile-beds-
some of us propose to call n halt.
We are aware of the thaukless ma
ture of the task CT caring for other
peoples boys; but we are not work
ing for thanks, though even they are
not an unacceptable sequence to duty
performed. Moreover, the better
class of the community, drinking
men as we'll rs teetotalers, are with
us in this action; and even the more
respectable of the liquor sellers
themselves do give Us their approx
ing snailes-especially when the gull
ty parties are not looking ut them.
The fact is that the State feels bound
to look after her children in all prop
er ways Hence our public schools
supported by public funds. Hence
our laws laws in favor of good NOR
ais, Sunday rest &c. Hence also the
law which prohibits the sale of in
toXicatInS drinks to minors under II
years of age. If wise men thought
these and like laws good, surely all
good men who agree with them, ale
bound to see them carried into eiiec-
tive operation. Some Of US have
thought 50. Having the courage OF
our convictions We have acted AS we
believed right before God and man.
We know lh.. the Intelligent friends
OF Jaw and Oldcr are with Us iii this