Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-12-08
sssTm CHURCHES AND TUE SALOONS.

u ] ID constantly forced upon the attention
of communities during political cam
pligns. Especially in municipal pol
itics does this relation between religi
a Gus societies and places where drinking
sA is carried on bee )me strained. Each
exerts a political influence and in &
90, measure each counterbalances the in
fuence of the other. Often the pastors
49,. of churches engage in united crusade
against the saloonkeepers. 1t is as.
sumed that this is part of the minis.
.ter's duty In his calling and perhaps II
Is is. But, after all, Is much gained for
good by such campaigns? There have
been a great many of them in the city
of Salem. How much is the city or its
people improved thereby? Perhaps,
asome. but it would not be easy to de-
~, termine the extent of that some. Is
az there not nobler, better and manlier
:. way to conduct reform influences? It
ai..would be easy to imagine more sue.
i--. .cessful manner of exerting influence
u ,for,good over erring individuals.
~ ,'Of course, If saloons are violating he
~ laws in selling liquer or permitting
- gambling there is only one way to re
,ali store the infracted majesty of the law
q. .4 oFl fhof 10 hxv
plant or indictment. There is no
doubt but that saloons have violated
- aud are now violating laws of this city,
- county or state. But the private citi.
s''-zen does not consider the gravity of the
~ offence sufficient to warrant him in be-
"conling a private prosecutor, And
'3'where public opinion does not recog. |
- nize' the enormity of an offence against
public morals, sufficiently to be aroused
'byft, the police will not rise above
public opinion. Their political instinct
teaches them that their power rises no
-'ii higher than Its source, and its source
q i4s the aggregate consensus of the opin-
,Sedons'of voters who put them in Office,
'~sand there the matter rests. So the en-
''foreernent of laws rests with the morals
''"sef Our politics after all.
''''"' IL is easy TO see that the churches
have not made much progress
Id their warfare on saloons through
"'poiitics, or by means of political cam
paigns. We will not here discuss the
reason why, whether it be the impo-
tence of the church, or the power of ]
the saloons, or the depravity of the
voters. We will raise the question, is :,
There not better way? Is there not
moral obligation on the churches to
=" Acknowledge that In two instances at
least all men are equal-before God ;,
aud under the constitution. Under
the constitution it Is not the function :,
u OF the churches TO deal with any class
OF offenders against the civil law. Be
fore God, tho church must rank the >,
aalPQnkeeper and the gambler as a .
hphfan being having a soul to save. II :,
1Mt, 10 its moral, social and political ).
dANgations "Fender unto Caesar the =
lhlngs that are Caesars, unto God the !,
thIpgs that are Coda pFhe salookeeper y
VA only has soul, but heart and
4nHetimes conscience, In this re- ra
Me't he II not different from editors ~
eAflloistsTs' lie has a wife 10 support D,
4fg children 10 school, pays taxes aud IA
pTes lie IL 10 DO influenced fDr good IA,
~rf ihs only question IL how far snd WI
~ much, 10
~ the same aalo0Dkeeper aud minis ~
Nk who now feel 80 bitterly againsl va
agfb other lived pear nsighbors tbey
MILO probably respect each other a
al4Ai deal nlofs thag they do, Yei ~
efffy minister aud every salOonkfeper 90
iAlhs oily aud lbe world are nelghbors ~
~ stands IA lhs aaple relation 20 eo'
n olhsF, ~ man ~ glan, as plep be
~ uod, ~ they 90 ~ all ihe resl of
Nv losD IN ihe eommupiiy and all ihe ~
a " ihs men ln ibe world, Tle p''
t)silop insi sesms 10 agiieis al '"'
tPgehes snd miplsleIs nos u how 10
ibs asieonkfspsF Into jali apd dive ,
\, iselly ppos ihs slfsels, ghep lbs ~
n. w Hsy gopld be % ael bim 20 ~ "''