New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15
TUy COFFEE HOTSE SCHEME.

Robert Graham the secretary OF the Church
Temperance Society, has prepared paper Tor
"Thc Christian ut Work." explaining and com
mendinp the coffee blouse as conducted in Eng
land and elsewhere as potent aid to reform
This paper is to appear in the next issue OF ti'at
journal II has been submitted TO a number OF
persons qualified no less by their Intelligence
and experience than their philanthropic zeal to
speak with authority upon the subject oil Which
il treats. and the opinions which they express
will supplement- the paper. Among those taking
mart in the discussion are josephine Shaw Low
ell. Of the State Board of Charities; Judge Ar
noux. Frances T.. Willard president OF the Ma
tiona Womans Temperance Union; Helen
Campbell. author of Prisoners OF Poverty :;
ex.Mavor Hewitt. Theodore l.. De Winnie Hugh
y. Camp, Bishop Potter, Bishop Hurst, the Rev.
DR.. Strong secretary OF the Evangelical AIii-
ance the Rev. Dr. ParklurSt. the Rev. DR..
Huntington. rector Of Grace Church, and the
Rev. DR.. Howard Crosby.
TIE TRIBUNE has been favored with an adj
vance COPY of these letters, and takes great
pleasure in directing public attention to them
and to Mr.. Graham's paper. The c"lec-hc"Se
is no longer az experiment. IL has been eSaO-
lishcd long enough in number oi large cities
TO enable the student Of reform to decide whether
or not it can be depended upon materially to
ncutralize the saloon. Mr. Graham Is convinced
that it can be thus depended upon, since whcr-
ever it has been given fair trial it has met the
best expectations. The thoughtful men and
women. too. whose names we have mentioned
thoroughly believe in il. They recognize
the fact that, as the coored brother expressed
it, "You must come it over evil with good" and
they feel confident that there is no better prac-
teal way to advance the cause OF temperance
and of general morality than to come 1t OVER
the saloon with the cOifce-hOuSc. The saloon
has been styled the poor mans club, and if the
definition was not so accurate the task Of the
temperance reformcrs would not be so arduous.
lust 50 long as the saloon is allowed practically
TO monopolize this great club field just so long
as it is allowed 10 be the one great caterer to
the social instinct of the poor, it is bound TO
flourish like green bay tree in spite of all that
LEGISLATORS and philanthr0plStS can do. There
is one place in Ncw-iork, but 80 far as ] know
only one, open to 'loEgshorcmen TO rest in where
liGuor is not sold" SO Mrs. Lowell writes in
her letter. The statement needs no comment
it is full Of encouragement for Tie saloon, and
an indictment of the gcneralSliip of the good
people of this town who are engaged in the
long fight against evil
Nothing is so well calculated to supplant the
saloon in the affections Of those who patronizc
them as the coffee-houSc. Unfortunately
SAYS DR.. Huntington in his communication
- the men to whose tastes we are trying to cater
are fonder of strong than Of mild siimuIants
they care but mildly for coffee; they care
vchemently for rum" This assertion, II strikes
us, is too sweeping. We suspect that larg'
number Of persons frequent saloons, not phi
mariy because of their love Of strong drink, but
because like the rest of us, they crave recrea
ton. entertainment, something that will pleas
anty break the monot0ny. II we are correct
then the coffee house would prove godSent
to this community. 1t would be instrumental
in saving thousands of men every year who
while not approving OF saloons, nevertheless se
into the habit of frequenting them because NJ
| other clubs are open to them on the same easy
terms. The Editor OF The Christian at work