Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-06-25
WITHOUT A GOD.

The Iniidel Experiment In Liberal, Mo-, the
True 2nwardness of the Colony.
The town Of Liberal is the only town
in the United States without priest,
preacher, church, saloon, God, Jesus,
hell or devil; il Is q colony OF liberal
thinkers. For months their papers have
contained glowing accounts OF this
earthly paradise. Rev. Clark Braden,
who has visited the town, was inter-
viewed and said: "A knot of infdels,
some OF them notorious, started the
town. Flaming announcements OF the
new inndel paradise was made, and all
infdels were invited to flock to this in
fidsl Canaan. flowing with the milk and
honey of inhdelity. The new town had
unusual advantages. The nearest town
was seventeen miles distant. 1t had
! around 1t an unusually fertile country,
underlaid with coal and peopled by UNI
usually Intelligent, thrifty farmers.
After all the putting and advertising,
gratuitOus and otherwise, and with all
the nOt0riety and eclat of such an I'M
usual effort, during period Of nearly
dive years, there are now, within one
mile OF the depot at Liberal, about 500
inhabitants, and 200 of these are in tho
rival town OF DenisOn. There is not in
The town a building that cannot be
erected for $4,000, NOT half dozen cost
$1,000; great majority OF them cost
less Than $1,000. There Is not store
with SlO,OOO stock, not factory, not
school house. The two hOte.s are cheap
dsns OF the lowest character-One is
vacant. and the other soon will be. or
those who have visited the place pros
pseting, more have left without locating
than have remained. Fully as many Of
those who did locate have left as now
remain. Nine-tenths of those aOw in |
town would leave if they could sell their
property. More property has beons lost |
by locating III the town than has been |
made in 1t. Public schools and infdel |
meetings have been held in rented build
iRgs, except what were held in the Uni J
yersal Mental Liberty hall, the stipend I
GUS title OF a building about the size of |
a smoke house, which it closely resem-
bles. Property cannot DO sold for near
It's cost. There are many vacant lots
from which buildings have been moved,
hftesn having been moved at one time,
''The boast about the s0briety Of town
is false. But few iaidels are total alb
stainers. Liquor can be obtained at
three different places in this town of
three hundred inhabitants. More
drunken intidels caH be seen In year
in Liberal than drunken Christians
among 100 times as many church mem
bers during the same time. Swearing
is the common form of speech ia LIBERAL,
and nearly every inhabitant, old and
young, swears habitually. Girls and
boys swear Oh the streets, play ground
and AT home. Fully half of the women
swear and a large number swear habi-
tually. In no place III the country are
public meetings so noisy. Lack OF rev.
crence for parents and of obedience to
them is the rule. There are more grass
grass widOwsrs and people lly-
ing together who have former cOmpan-
ions living than in any other town OF
ten times the population. ONe often
sees in our cities the sign Misft ear-
peis.' There might be hang out over
the town of Liberal the sign 'Mislt
couples aud husbands and wives. A
good portion OF the few books that are
read are OF the class that deesney keeps
under lock and KEY. Since Liberal was
started there has rot been an average of
)ne birth per year OF intidel parents In
40 Town Is SANDER more prevalent, or
jhe charges more vile. Ii one were to
accept what the inhabitants say Of each
)ther. he would conclude that the in :
labltants are deyils.
ABOUT year ago the decent skeptics
md The Christians Of Liberal feeling
hey could endure the ihtOlsrancs of in
idslity DO longer, moved into ~ town
,lOt west Of Liberal and startsd the town
# Denison. 10 was their intention to
la'e parely literal town. where all de-
cent people could live, and entertain 4
my Opihluas tasx pleased without social
slraclsm, persecution, or rulA OF their
business. The town is handsomely laid
ut. Liberal is an absurdly planned
own. The main street Of the new town
xtends half a mile north and south and
8 well hll6d on both sides with build
Ags. There are church and school
0use and already over 200 people, as a
osult OF one years growth The old
own numbers only 300 after Eve years
xlstencs. A movement, backed up by
hs farmers of the surrounding country,
as been started to move the postoffice
0 Denison aud change the name. As
Irances have been received from the
Ostofiice department that it will bs sue I
essful. With the present revival of r
asiness DsnisOn will bs the town of the !
country. The sense and
he morality of Christianity will con-
usr the illiberality, fanaticism and
Of inadelity." -CorrespOn-
snce PittS6urg Commercial Gasette.
The Buckwheat Crop-va luable.