The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-16
TEMPERANCE READING.
COFFEE HOUSES.

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 check
mate the saloon in its own peculiar
field of catering to the social needs of
the masses. 1t is proposed to do this
by establishing a system of coffee
houses. after the English pattern,
where in addition to wholesome food
and drink, furnished at nominal rates,
there may be the additional attrac-
tons of well-lighted and cheerful
rooms, good reading, innocent games
and other means of recreation and en-
jovment There can be no question
but 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
places do supply, in some degree, a
certain want in our social system. The
saloon bears somewhat the same re-
lation to the wants of thousands of
men of the poorer classes that the
club-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, a
place of light. and warmth and social
cheer In the fact that it supplies
these things, the saloon finds its chief
rdiSon detre; it is here that its
strength lies, and its power for evil.
If the saloons can be met at this
point and supplanted with something
that shall answer all the proper and
legitimate needs which they meet or
seem to meet, a long step will have
been taken towards practical solution
of the drink problem.
In order that the true situation of af-
fairs may be brought clearly before our
eyes, let us consider for a moment the
case of man whose surroundings,
temptations and needs are typical of
the surroundings and needs of vast
multitude of men in every large city.
He is a man without family or home
ties, engaged as a common laborer, or
may be skilled workman at current
wages. He must live near his work,
perhaps in the most crowded and
poorest quarter of the town, and his
limited income will not permit him
the indulgence of any thing better in
the shape of home than an apart
ment in a tenement-house or some
siXth-rate hotel, equally cold, cheer
less and forbidding. There are
no homes open to him better
than his own, and no social
circles where he is made welcome.
He Graves human companionship
nevertheless, at times, as every right
minded man does-the society of his
fellows. When his long and weari-
som days work is over, he feels in
clined to seek some kind of recreation
or amusement, some release from the
hard and dull routine of the working
day. The feeling itself is proper and
natural. but where shall he find what
he seeks? There are in all large
towns the rooms of the Young Mems
| Christian Association, but, for obvious
reasons, they do not meet the peculiar
needs of the case. 1t must be re-
1nembered that the man of the type we
are now considering is not educated
up to high standard of life. He can
not be called ignorant, or stupid, or
vicious, but he neither cares for books
nor enjoys more refined class of
amusements. Neither does he care
particularly for matters of religion.
He might be drawn to some of these
things if any one cared enough for
him to make the effort, but, as he
stands at present, he is simply good
natured, large hearted fellow, fond of
hearing good story occasionally, and
of telling one, too; fond of his
pipe, perhaps, but with no
worse habit fixed upon him. He is
honest, industrious, self-respectful,
temperate in a degree, and hopeful
some day of lettering his condition.
But for this man, as he is, and for all
the multitudes whom he represents,
what has a great city like New York,
for example, to offer in the way OF
social attractions. of open and public
places of resort? Where, in all the
weary miles and miles of streets will
he find an open door that will usher
him into moment of rest, to shelter
from storm, to light and warmth,
good cheer and congenial companion
ship-where, indeed, but the open door
of the gilded dens of vice, the DEVILS
chief recruiting agency, the inevitable,
ever-present saloonP Here are the
light, the warmth. the shelter from
the weather, the place of rest, to all Of
which he is welcome-on the condition
that he becomes patron of the bar
of the whisky bottle and the beer keg,
And if he would not wear out his wei
come he must drink often and drink
much. In short, he must be a goot
patron.
The average saloon-keeper is ne
philanthropist His primary aim il
not to furnish a place of rendezvou:
for any one where light, warmth an(