The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-03-22
TEMPERANCE READING.
COFFEE HOUSES.

fNrHA
lem in Large Cities, and Even in Smaller
Towns-How the Plan Works In En-
gland.
We are glad that movement has
been put on foot in this city TO cnecK-
mate the saloon in its own peculiar
field of catering to the social needs OF
the masses. It is proposed to do this
by establishing a system OF conee
houses, after the English pattern,
where in addition to wholesome 1000 Z
and drink, furnished at nominal rates.
there NAV be the additional attrac-
+ions of well-lighted and cheerful
rooms. good reading. innocent games
and other means of recreation ana en-
iovment. There can be no question
hit that institutions like these may be
made immensely effective In weaving
men from evil associations OF the dram
shops. and from the drink habit. In
our warfare upon the saloons we have
made too little of the fact that THESE
nlaces do supply, in some degree,
certain want in our social system. Inc
saloon bears somewhat the same re-
| lation to the wants OF thousands OF
mon of the poorer classes that the
cl,b-room does to the wants OF men
of wealth and leisure. 1t is place OF
assembling, a retreat from the cares
and burdens of the working day,
place of light and warmth and social
cheer. In the fact that it supplies
these things, the saloon finds its chief
raison detre; it is here that Its
strength lies, and its power for evil.
If the saloons can be met at this
noint and supplanted with something
that shall answer all the proper and
: legitimate needs which they meet or
, seem to meet, long step will have
5 been taken towards practical solution
of the drink problem.
: In order that the true situation OF al
3 fairs may be brought clearly before our
Y eyes, let us consider for moment the
2 case of a man whose surroundings
|. temptations and needs are typical Oh
S the surroundings and needs OF vast
e multitude of men in every large city
), He is a man without family or home
( ties. engaged as a common laborer, OF
n may be skilled workman at curren
y wages. He must live near his work
n Derhaps in the most crowded ant
d poorest quarter of the town. and nj
=. limited income will not permit hin
is the indulgence of any thing better Il
st the shape of home than an apart
IN ment in a tenement-hOuse or som
c. sixth-rate hotel, equally cold, cheer
,ir less and forbidding. There ar
he no homes open to him bette
be than his own, and no socis
D. circles where he is made welcome
as He Graves human companlonshl
ok nevertheless, at times, as every RICH
he minded man does-the society OF n
of fellows. When his long and wear
in som days work is over, he feels Il
ell clined to seek some kind of recreat1C
IN or amusement, some release from Il
i'd hard and dull routine of the workir
his day. The feeling itself is proper al
bv natural, but where shall he lind Wh
the lhe seeks? There are in all lar
1us Itowns the rooms of the Young Mer
n a Christian Association, but, for obvlo
ust Ireasons, they do not meet the pecull
,r's needs of the case. 1t must be
GER lmembered that the man of the type
1tic are now considering is not educat
nd. I'D to high standard OF life. he
d if mot be called ignorant, or stupid
ank vicious, but he neither cares for boo
his nor enjoys a more refined class
relv amusements. Neither does he c;
ntil particularly for matters OF rellg1
out He might be drawn to some OF tn
hat things if any one cared enough
shot him to make the effort, but, as
east stands at present, he is simply g.
ex- natured, large hearted fellow, fond
sail hearing good story occasionally,
old of telling one, too; fond of
the pipe, perhaps, but with
, for worse habit fixed upon him. He
q of honest, Industrious, self-respect
oubt temperate in degree, and hope
some day of lettering his conditi
But for this man, as he is, and for
the multitudes whom he represe
,on IN what has great city like New II
for example, to offer in the wa!
the social attractions, of open and pu
came places of RESORT Where, in all
}. 1t weary miles and miles of streets
long he find an open door that will III
thing him into a moment of rest, to she
soner from a storm, to light and war;
,uffed good cheer and congenial compan
He ship-where, indeed, but the open
,ming of the gilded dens of vice, the de
.cure chief recruiting agency, the inevitf
, had ever-present saloon? Here are
aimed light, the warmth. the shelter
killed the weather, the place of rest, to 1
stake which he is welcome-on the cond
ble to that he becomes q patron OF the
= look of the whisky bottle and the beer
,at his And if he would not wear out his
quiet come he must drink oi'eh anu
. was much. In short, he must be a