Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-19
The Presidents Action in the Case
Severely Criticised.
CONGRESSIONAL TEMPERANCE SOCIETY
The People Are Being Educated in
the Total Abstinence Cause.
SOME STIRRING SPEECHES


celebrated its sixtieth anniversary and the
ninetieth birthday of Hon. Neal Dow last
night at Metropolitan ". E Church. The
meeting was a large one and productive. Of
some noteworthy Incidents. The secretary
Of the society. Rev. Fred D. Power. In his
report criticised the Shea pardon without
restraint. and his sentiments were greeted
applauSiyely. Congressman Picker OF
South Dakota scored the District Commits
s!oners for having suspended the law pro-
YidlrS that no saloon shall be within 400
feet Of a church. till an exception could be
made IN favor of hotels. From what he
said the spectators thought it probable
that he you'd Introduce In the House
resolution inquiring into the authority of
the Commissioners to DO that Of which he
complained.
The exercises opened with music and
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Baker. Rev. De Hugh
Johnston, pastor of the church. then in
troduced Rev. Lii. Power, the secretary,
who read the following, report:
Secretary Powers Report.
Once in thirty years. it is said. the peo-
pie of the United States drink the full
value of all their property. Three millions
Of wage earners walk our streets with
idle and empty hands, while one thousand
millions OF the peoples gold goes yearly to
satisfy the rum king. Eighteen thousand
men marched through the streets Of Chica-
20, bearing a banner inscribed Our Chill
d-en Cry for Bread pGraded to a grove,
settled down to a picnic, and drank l,lOO
kegs of beer. Two hundred and fifty
thousand saloons are busy in this Christian
land. and the woe OF women and the want
of little children appeal for mercy, as
fathers and husbands, and brothers and
sons crowd the way to the gutter, the
almShouse, the jail, and the ootter's field
sacrifices on the altar OF this bloody Mo
loch.
Silver agitates the people from sea to
sea, though the entire sum coined into
money is less than five hundred millions,
while the liquor bill OF the nation Is a
base to summit, though the entire revenue
from this source is less than three hun lred
millions, while the nations drink bill is
one thousand millions Pensioning old
soldiers 10 relieve suffering is a live Ques-
ton with all parties, though the fun sum
paid this cause Is one hundred and sixty
millions, while the liquor bill, which Gre
ateS endless misery and want is u thouS-
and millions! More than war. famine and
pestilence combined. says NJ. Gladstone,
iatoxfca ting drinks cost the nations This,
then. is the dominant question
Men Are Learning.
Men are learning. Never was there so
much serious consideration given to the
drink curse as now. Never were so many
children studying IN schools the principles
of purity and sobrtety Never We're there
such gatherings OF temperance workers
and teachers. such sermons and lectures.
and papers and lessons from platform and
pulpit and press. Never were there so
many total abStainerS or such Intelligent
advocates of total abstinence. Never was
there such stirring OF temperance politics,
or such respectful public sentiment toward
temperance reform. Never!
y world temperance congress in Chi
cage, with over coo delegates, and with
papers and addresses from over two hun
dred writer's and workers from all coun-
tries OF the globe, gives its testimony to
the increasing interest in the temperance
question the world over.
Great Britain, the foremost nation of TIE
world, the past year adopted plank in
the Platform OF the dominant party with
the principle that the people shall them
selves decide whether or not they want
the public house. and now parliament is
considering the report OF commission OF
experts which recommends that power
be given the police to arrest. without
warrant, ali persons found drunk, and TO
magistrates 70 commit drunkardS to re-
formato-ies for restraint aud treatment,
thus denying the right of any man to be
a drunkard, or even to be publicly tipsy
n subject once given over TO few
temperance workers Is now studied by
scientists. legislators. sociologists. crmi-
children in the public schools A commit
tee OF fifty Of the most eminent educators.
divineS and scientific and business men
In this nation is now considering this
subject IN New York in all its physiologi-
cal, ethical and legislative aspects. which
Will spend $4,000 in physiological exI5e-i-
ments alone 70 determine whether alcohol
IS good or bad fo- civilized man.
And men are not only thinking thew are
doing.
The Indiana Decision
The recent decision OF the supreme
court of Indiana declaring saloons null
sances under the common hw, and liable
FOR any damage helghboring property, may
sun Sr by reason of their proximity, is a tu-
dicial deliverance Of profound moment. The
owner OF It building in the residence part Of
Indianapolis rented 1t for about double the
ordinary rental for saloon purposes. De-
spite the protests Of adjacent property own
eTs ana resedents, hcense Was granted. Two
women, owners of an adjoining house and
lot brought suit for damages on the ground
that before the saloon was open ei their
property brought s33 rent per month, and
would have sold for $500, but with the sa-
loon adjoining it would yield but $50 rental
and Sell for no mere than IS 800. With only
one dissenting Judge out OF Ave the SUI
prame court decitle1 that the saloon bust
ness Is immoral and therefore subject to
license and restraint; that the legislature
has constitutional right to license. but II
is not competent 10 authorize an obvious in
jury to the property of the citizen, ana did
not intend 10 place liquor selling above the
rights of the citizen and subject him TO
nuisance and consequent loss for the ben
eft Of the saloon keeper, and therefore the
court holds that IF the saloon causes prop
erty to depreciate in value IL is Il Nuisance
within the law and can be abated;" and
that "the person who operates, the saloon is
liable Cor damages 10 the injured party, and
the measure OF damages Is the measure of
injury to the property
All honor. to the hOoser state for spe,lk-
ing out what every decent man thinks,
Said the Wine and Spirit Gazette: 1T IS
the most serious blow that has Yet been
struck at the retail liquor traffic. Said
The Evening Star Of this city: state pro
hibitiOn, local option. steady agitdtEon and
a great daal OF rational argument have
combined 10 iniUre and compress the traffic
IN Intoxicating liquors, but none Of these
causes, nor all OF them, have struck the
business such terrific blow as this"
A Serious Nuisance.
There is no residence quarter In any city
n America where the proximity - a sa-
lOoon Is not recognized as a serious nut
sance by the common sense of the c1nrnu-
nifty. and that the law should recognize Z
is common sense. Even the man Who ire
Queats such place 10 drink Will, as 4 rule
object 10 the traffic obtrrding Itself within
ten feet of his threshold. Why should GER
tain citizens Of this District object TO the
l1ca ton Of the 1ntagiOus disease hCslital
their and the dram sShIY, h,