Middletown transcript., 1893-09-02
HARD TIMES AND THE SALOON
Bishop Coleman Offers Protes

Bishop Coleman Offers Protest
Against Licensing More Saloons.
The following letter published in re
cent issue of the Morning News, has some
veay practictical suggestions as to the meth
ods of helping the unemployed in these
hard times, and appeals to the moral sensi
bility of every citizen. Coming from the
pen of Bishop Coleman it can but carr,
weight with those who read it,
We hear much of hard times now; and
doubtless. the times are for some very hard.
Let us fervently hope they may not be
worse as the winter comes, with its especial
burdens.
We hear much also of remedies for these,
hard times. Some of them may be good
and some may not be. Experience alone
can settle the question as to portion of
them.
But there is absolutely no room for doubt
in regard to the effect of some things upon
the condition of affairs with which we are
now confronted.
What have in mind especially in troub-
ling you with this communication is the
list published in to days paper of applica-
tions for saloon licenses to be made at the
next term of court.
When SO many men and women hitherto
employed are idle, and when-notwith-
standing the utter failure by some TO earn
any wages at all-their own needs and the
needs of their families remain practically as
before is it time to open new saloons, or
even to continue so many of the old
ones?
When the times are so hard that even the
necessaries of life cannot, except by charity
or by running into debt or by using up the
savings of years, be obtained, is it, l ask
again, time to put afresh and in additional
numbers the temptations in the way of the
'laboring people to spend money for that
which is not only unnecessary but hur tful?
And, further, to endanger their future
ability to earn their livelihood, by the
cultivation of habit that sooner or later
is certain to ruin their health and
strength?
Is not this very poor way to mend hard
times?
Let any of your readers scan the list as
published to-day, and if he be at all intelli-
gent or candid, he will be obliged to con-
fess that not one of the places therein
named is necessary in any sense of the word,
except to enrich their keepers, at the ex-
pense mostly of the workmen of Whining
ton and their families.
Does it not seam positively wicked thus
to endeavor to make the times for these
harder than they already are?
| How can any one be deserving of the re-
spect of the community who will willfully
| importune the COURT had almost said in
suit the court in asking ito give its sane.
ton to the increase of the already enor-
nous number of such places as cannot by
any stretch of the liveliest or most per
yerted imagination be made into places fol
bettering the times and contributing to the
vel fare of the community?
Iwrite strongly, asI have right to write
| for no one knows better than a clergyman
how hard the times are. Neither does any
one know better how poor a remedy for
them is the licensing of saloons.
Is it too much for me to beg of my fel
low citizens that they will consider thi:
grave question anew in the light of oul
present and prospective condition, and tc
beseech them to give their sympathy ant
aid to those who are honestly endeavorins
to better this condition by antagonizng
that which inevitably leads to such untolc
want and misery?
LEIGHTON COLEMAN,
4 Bishop of DelaN are.
Bisbopstead, August 2s, 1898.