New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-26
DR. RATNSFORD'S SUGGESTION.

ok. NAINNTONDo ~ buirff'-''
DR.. Ransford has frequently proved that he
possesses in full measure the courage to say
what he thinks. even when his views are right
in the teeth of religious public opinion. But
he has never so signally manifested this quail
itv as in his suggestion that the best way to
fight the saloon is for church people to open
saloons where workingmcn may get beer and
light wines, such saloons to be open on Sundays.
II is almost needless TO say that this proposal
will be bitterly antagonized by the great ma
iority Of church members and temperance peo-
pie. And It's author will be violently assailed
by multitudes Of good men, who will see in it
only an immoral and vicious surrender 10 the
powers of evil. But DR.. Rainsford undoubted-
ly discounted all this before he decided to pub
lsh his views, and the merely personal abuse
which he will receive will not hurt him with
those who know his character and standing rs
n clergy man and a citizen. lie is, moreover,
amply able TO take care of himself in any dis
cussion that may arise over his utteranccs, so
that the question a. pertaining to him may
be dismissed from consideration.
The issue raised by the suggestion of the
rector Of St Georges, however, brings up two
important questions of policy as TO which
there will be a wide divergence OF opinion.
The first is: Would such n departure have
the good effect which DR.. Rainsford claims for
il? ind the second is Granting that II
would. is it right for Christian people to adopt
such a method Of overcoming evil? A. to the
first question. il is not possible to give any
certain answers for the experiment has never
been thoroughly tried Coffee houses, embody-
ing some of the ideas in DIR. RansfordS sue-
gcstion. have proved financial success in Eng
land but il is question whether they have
gained the patronage Of those who would or
dnarily frequent tipping houses, or have Gre
atcd for themselves a new constituency OF men
already temperate. In either case their value
may be recognized, since they offer working
men a place where they may meet together for
intercourse and innocent relaxation. But the
value of n saloon conducted on religious and
moral principles as an offset TO ccnfcSsedly
vicious rumshops has yet To he proved by actual
experiment and until the thing has been tried
il will not be possible 10 say how successful it
would be- Should DR.. Rainsford open such
a place as he describes the result would do
more TO settle the question he has raised than
any speculative opinions about it that may be
expressed And from what we know Of the
good Doctor we should not be at all surprised
if he took this method of indicating the sound
ness of his judgment. The American people
have a great deal of respect for tangible re-
suits, and in the long run good men of every
creed may be trusted to support any agency
that proves Itself able to cxtirpate or minimize
the vice of intempcrancc
The foregoing remarks are virtually an an
swcr TO the second question as well as 10 the
first. The objection that any proposed method
of reform is in itself immoral and therefore not
to be employed, is only strong until the method
has been tried and proven successful Power
ful as the feeling now is on the part of good
people against the proposal of DR.. Rainsford, il
would soon disappear i'll face of its success.
For, after all, the real strength of that feeling
lies in the belief that it would result in evil
rather than good. That such belief should
be srrong and general is entirely natural, and
even DR.. Rainsford must have a large measure
of sympathy for those who entertain it. For
the saloon rs it exists to-day, is one of the
greatest curses of our civilization No man,
therefore, who proposes to recognize it in any
form, even under the most careful restrictions,
can fairly expect to carry many people with
him. All that he can ask is that they shall
consider fairly and candidly the reasons which
seem to him to make the experiment advisable
and to suspend their judgment as far rs pos
sible until the idea has been put to an actual
test. The obvious course for those who be-
lcvo that DR.. Rainsford's suggestion is good
one, is to put it in practical operation.