Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-19
TEMPERANCE ISSUES.
Utterances of Presbyterians on the
License Question.
AN ASSEMBLY REPORT.
A Committee That Considers High License
FaiIure-The Army Canteen Condemned
The Habit of Drinking Among Church
Members.

1ue report Oh tue general assembly, permt-
nent committee on Temperance. of which DE-.
John ]. Beacon is chairman, has been sub
mitted to the assembly. 1t contains some in
teresting statements. The report says:
Regarding the Sabbath and Temperance 20
the fair, this committee has earnestly laborod
for the prevention of national Sabbath breaking
and national rum selling at the Columbian en-
hibition, two objects in which the general
assembly has manifested very deep interest By
collecting and forwarding to Washington large
numbers OF petitions. by correspondence with
chsirmen Of presbyterial committees and with
pastors and others in the church and with
members of Congress, and by personal visit q
conference with leading Christian ministers
and layman there, we have endeavored 10
further the objects sought bv the general as
sembly. For the congressional action acquiring
that the national exposition shall be closed on tie
Lords day, praise should be rendered TO God.
and il is BETTING that those legislators who
despite adverse influences voted for this right
eous measure should have our thanks. But We
cannot contemplate except with feelings II
shame the proposed spectacle TO be placed be-
fore all the world of a vast national grog shop
and a vast national exhibition of the trampliug
down of law. Shall not Christian Americans
still pray and labor that such national sin and
disgrace be averted? And shall not the Presby-
terrain Church. through the general assembly,
record before all men her solemn protest against
this iniquity?
LICENSE AND PROHIBITION.
On the license question the report takes
strong grounds. Among all the reports u
presbyteries and OF church sessions. as quoted
by the presbyteries the license system has no
advocate or apologist single church in Hi
nos tells OF a reduction in the number q
saloons by the 81 900 license, but adds that
''the volume of sales has not been diminished |"
One Pennsylvania presbytery says: High
license is an utter failure" Another: at ouly
gives respectabillty to the traffic" And an
other: High license fails 20 restrict the traihc
or 10 reduce intemperance." A presbytery IN
Montana observes: "Our license laws of course
protect the liquor business 10 its entire salts
faction. neither restricting reducing inteIa-
perance or crime. but increasing both to alarIa-
ing proportions, while prostitution and gamb-
ling, natural allies OF the saloon, swell the tide
of corruption, sweeping away with awful rapid
ity not only men and women, but boys and girls
as we'll"
The high license scheme. when first pro-
jected, was doubtless regarded with interest ~
many friends OF temperance offering what
might prove TO be a practicable solution of tits
difficult problem. Il mas been weighed an the
balances aud found wanting. The proofs of ITS
utter futility are ample. The liquor traffic Is
essentially freebooter and cannot be regulated
into a law-abiding trade. Ii is a man-eating
tiger. and no process of tanning will change Is
nature. All systems which merely propose 70
regulate must fail But more than this. tho
license system is not only futile, but immoral in
character and mischievous in Its tendencies,
obiterating moral distinctions and debauching
the public conscience in the citizen and in I'll
depar tments Of the government The logical
and legitimate outcome OF this compromise Il
government with powerful roDber now becomes
apparent in the demand made for similar
concessions TO other crimes and vices.
The drunkard-making trade having been
licensed. gambling and prostitution now wait
their turn; and how can their clamor for
recognition and hcerse be Consistently DIS
regarded? In fact, their demand has IN varions
quarters been at least informally conceded.
-Four thousand citizens of Omaha. Neb., have
recently declared over their signatures. Pros
ttution is recognized in our city and virtually
licensed" Also. that gambling is recognized
as a legitimate business Upon payment OF q
monthly fine into the city treasury" Further
comment on the tendency of the license system
is needless High license was put forward when
the great temperance host was about to make
an advance all along the line in Pcnnsylvania.
Nebraska. Texas and cher states. The
was effective. Thousands doubling the pratt
cability OF prohibition. turned aside TO the high
license standard The forces were divided aud
the battle lost.
Next time the cunning enemy. fertile in
resources. Will have some other specio1s pro-
| ject to diversion" Let US beware
Probably the next project TO turn away atien-
ton and eff0st from prohibition. the bitter end
against which the enemy struggle-wil be
public conduct of the business But Tue
Gothenburg system, of which this rs fhe
counterpart, has not proven efHcacious a.
| Temperance measure. since Sweden consumes
more spirits per capita than any other country,
and that this system is no less immoral than
| license must be patent to all
The church is not a political organization,
! but she owes il to God and humanity to give
unequivocal utterance on such moral questions
And though question In morals should,
through the action ofpolitical parties, become
political question also. the churchis not on that
account to be p-eciuded from dealing with IT,
The Involvement of a civil government or OF q
political party must no; be permitted TO exempt
| immortality from the rebuke of the church,
and that which would be clearly wrong II done
by the individual does not become right when
many thousands join in its performance
THE ARMY cANrEES.
The report speaks also of the army canteen,
in which commissioned officers of she
army of the United States and enlisted
and uniformed soldiers are detailed as
saloon keepers and bartenders to dispense in
toxicating drinks in regular army posts. otay
beer and light wines are to be sold. and II has
| been claimed that our soldiers may thus be
kept away from the low saloons. The testimony
we have been able TO collect bv correspondents
and otherwise shows that no beneficial resat
4 has followed. but that tne cantctn HAS bfcu
fraught with evil consequences. Maj. Gen
Howard in his annual report urges its ABOLISH
ment. and the paymaster general calls the at
tention of the War Department to the fact that
4 ii is leading the men TO squander their pay. IL
is proving especially disastrous IN Its effects on
coiored and Indian soldiers. We are also ad-
vised by a chaplain in the United States navy
that though not sanctioned by congresslond
action or naval regulation. a system has been
gradually introduced under which traders are
/ permitted to sell beer TO the men at navy yards
/ aud on board ships of war. and that the ial.u-
ence on the men is most delcterious.
Doubtless il was with no such purpose that
the canteen and its naval counter part were in
| troduced but the fact is that by them our gov
! eminent is seducing into habits of intemlle--
apce the Young men whom i. eulsts IL it,
service, and the Departments of War ard q
the Navy respectively should be memorialiSsd
| to put a stop to the evil
PREsBYTERIASs WHO DRINK.
Tie inquiry relating 10 tie prevalence OF
TEN perance sentiment and of the practice %
total abstinence among church members. the
! report saws, ELECTS favorable and cheering
renly from almost every quarter. Indeed.
quite a number Of presbyter;es represent the
practice of total abstinence as almost absolutely
! universal There are exceptions. however.