The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-02-01
The Results of High License at Plain
field. N. j.


field. Nj.
The beautiful rural city of Plainfield, N.
j., with a population of something over
10, 900, has high license. When the $500
license fee was adopted by the municipal
council of Plainfield, the fact was tele-
graphcd over the country as a great tenn
perance boon to that city. What these
high-license saloons are actually doing for
Plainfield, is impressively and pathetieally
told in a letter which appeared in the Cen
Mrs. DR.. Kimball, President of the Plain
field s'Children's Home" a cultured,
Christian woman, an Influential member
of the Crescent Avenue PRESBYTERIAN
church. We quote therefrom as follows:
"a few evenings since, in the sunset
light, some of US gathered at the laying of
the cornerstone of DIR. Ketcham's new
church. we all r%ejoiced heartily with the
faithful pastor and his church in the full
flment of hopes long cherished. During
the exercises my attention was distracted
by the coarse talk and profane jokes oftwo
boys of 16 OF IS years of age. While the
pastors hands were lifted in benediction
at the close of the service, one said to the
other, Come, Bill, let's go and liquor up!
They made their way to the liquor saloon
a short distance from the church and went
in. After the services passed on to the
post office. AS | left it, these two boys
still pouring from their lips, foul with vile
cigarettes and viler whisky, their low talk
and jests, went into the saloon at the cor
ner of Front and Somerset streets. third
time, on Park venue, they passed me and
went into another saloon. AS | saw their
unsteady steps and heard their maudlin
talk, | thought how the hearts of two
mothers would ache that night. Then the
thought entered my mind to count the
saloons and liquor shops almost in sight of
that new church. Two on Front street,
from Peace to Somerset streets; three on
Park avenue on the block between Front
and Second streets; the City Hotel, with
it's licensed bar, on the corner of Park
avenue and Second street; and just around
the corner another whisky saloon! 1t
seemed, as the boys say, hardly fair play
that the one church in this end of the city
should have to 90 battle against seven
liquor shops.
"And now will you pardon me if from
my own recent personal experience l tell
you a little of what these and the other
liquor shops Of our city are doing? Since
/ came from the seashore the first week in
August, there have been made to me, as
President Of the Chil6ren's Home, appli-
cations for the admission of fourteen little
children to that institution. One of these,
a bright little orphan girl of five years old,
had a very incorporate father. One her
mother is unable to care for. For three
others shelter and cafe are sought by rea-
son of the saddest fate that can ever come
to a little child-the death of a good
mother. The need for each of the other
nine can be traced directly to the beer and
whisky shops of our city. Nor is this an
unusual proportion of the sin and sorrow
brought by liquor. The report of a judge
of the Supreme Court put into my hands
tonight, says, 'Of the cases brought before
nine criminal courts into which | have
looked, eighty-fivc per cent. came from
the use of liquor Ordinarily our work
outside our Uome does not begin before
cold weather, but here in these summer
days, with III impoverished and almost
empty treasury, the calls are so constant
and so importunate, it.seems cruel to re-
fuse to listen to them. What shall we say
to these hungry, helpless little ones driven
by the neglect of drunken parents to ask
help Of those on whom they have only the
claim of humanity? Nor is it the children
alone who suffer. One day last week a
young girl of seventeen, having no right
to the sweet name of mother, came to me
with her baby in her arms to ask help and
advice. The wretch who betrayed her
under the false promise of marriage and a
home. had fled the city in her hour of
sorest need, and she sits alone under the
ever frightening shadow of her sin and
shame.
EGth IL 10 pififpl