The Washington times., 1894-11-05
ANTI-sALooN LEAGUE.
Commissioners Commended for Prohibit.
ing Use of Intoxicants by Policemen.

Commissioners Commended for Prohibit.
ing Use of Irtoxicants by Policemen
The Anti-Saloon League was agreeably
surprised yesterday afternoon by the large
number OF representative citizens attracted
by its announcement of the Wesley Chapel
meeting at o'clock. notwithstanding
Bishop Newman's afternoon meeting in
neighboring church it was more numerously
attended than any previous evening gather
ing, and this fact was commented upon CRATE
fully by some OF the speakers.
The meeting was addressed by the Rev. f.
d. Powers, pastor of the Vermont Avenue
Christian Church; Rev. Charles l.. Pate,
pastor OF the North Capitol M. L. Church; e.
j. Redmond. president of the Father Matthew
Total Abstinence Society. and Rev. l.. b.
Wilson, president of the Anti-Saloon League
Among others prominent were Rev. Charles
W. Baldwin. Rev. B. Peyton Brown, A. n.
Canneld, grand chief templar of the Inds-
pendent Order OF Good Templars; Mrs. III. E.
Griffith, president OF the District w. G. T. U.;
A. X. Belt, grand chief ruler OF the District
Rechabites, and Mrs. Gillenwater. secretary
OF the Anti-Saioon League. all of whom had
seats on the platform. Judge 4. s. Taylor was
in the audience.
The services were in charge of Vice Presi-
dent James l.. Ewin. In introducing the busi-
Eess OF the afternoon Mr.. EHin said the
work OF the League for the past few months
was confined to a distribution OF papers
among the residents of sections where the sa-
looms are located to test the working OF the
new license law These papers propounded
certain questions to which answers were in
vited, looking to pledge for the withdrawal
of consent to the continuance of saloon IL
censes. Many favorable answers were OBJ
tanned, while many neither favorable nor COM
plimpntnrV rappivad
that under the law license once Issued
might be continued without again securing
the consent of residents, unless objections
thereto were filed with the board of excise.
Rev. Mr.. Power said the Christian people
should arise TO the duties and obligations Of
citizenship. The people are unconcerned ap-
parently. Feeling that they had no vote.
they were not regardful of their responsible
ties. We are living under two forms govern
ment-humaR and diyine-he said, and owe
duty to both. He did not believe in permit
ting the worst elements to rule and did not
believe ii the Christian people united in the
matter, vote or no vote, and should go 10
work determined TO put down the LIQUOR
traffic it would be done,
Rev. c. l.. Pate, the next speaker. said: 'In
the language OF a logician, uncducaled but
practical, | am 'agin the saloon because the
saloon is agin me. Herelated an auecdote
to indicate his position on the license ques-
tion, saying: "If there are fifteen snakes in
cask with fifteen holes at which to get out.
that's license; if the fifteen snakes have but
five holes at which to emerge, that's high
license; driving the snakes over into the next
county is local option, but killing ihe reptiles
is prohibition" He believed in the destruction
of the snakes
President Redmond, of the st. Matthew So
ciety, followed in an appeal for unity of pur-
pose upon the part OF Christians of all creeds
N OpngSirioD IN iip1iNr He had ~
make, he said, upon the liquor seler-it was
the traffic he was opposing. The temperance
people ask nothing Of the Commissioners that
should not be granted. They ask that the
police. VINO are sworn to enforce the laws,
shall do their duty. He believed large ma
jority OF the policemen would initiate Sergt.
Daley If they felt they would be sustained by
public sentiment, but they could hardly be
blamed for laxity when the efforts TO down
Daley were so plainly manifest.
''The church of which | am q communicant
is with you said Mr.. Redmond. at be-
lieves in maintaining the law. anarchy and
all forms of evil are hatched in a saloon. and
If certain people would expeRd as much en-
ergy against saloons as they Gsed against
immigration there would be no trouble"
DR.. tWilson, president OF the League, was
the last speaker. His address was sum-
ming up Of the duty of the hour He said he
was delighted with the bold utterances of the
local press in their comments upon the work
OF the League, and regarded it as a good
omen.
The battle is on said DR.. Wilson, land
we should fairly face ti- issues Now is the
time when the renewals ot licenses are being
applied for. and now is the time for action,
for open protest, for open opposition. Let
those who would be on the side of right and
of righteousness join with US.
He referred to the statements published in
Tur IF "a -
be done in a certain quarter of the city, and
said the character Of that work depends upon
the advice of counsel. He announced that a
meeting of the League committee would be
held at the close of the exercises to consider
the matter.
The meeting adopted a resolution to the
effect tnat 'believing the members of the
Metropolitan police force, the conservators of
the public peace, should be sober men and
free ftom all taint of coIlusion with the
saloon.
"Resolved, by the citizens of Washington,
in mass-meeting assembled. that we do heart
lily indOrse and commend the action of the
honorable Commissioners OF the District in
their recent order forbidding any police
officer from obtaining or drinking intoxi-
eating liquors at any saloon, either while on
or of duty, as tending to greatly increase
the efficiency of the force. and we hope for
and expect its strict enforcement"
The committee meeting mentioned byDr.
Wilson was held Immediately after adjourn
ment of the League. The details of the cam
paign against the Division violations OF the
license law were debated, but no conclusion
was reached. A second meeting of the COM
mittee. which will be secret will be held at an
early day, when the plan viii be perfected.
The League meeting of yesterday afternoon
was arranged for by a special committee con-
sisting OF A E. Shoemaker, Mrs. Gillenwater,
Al.