The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-08
THE CURSE ON THE HOP.

IL is not an uncommon thing for zeal to
be accompanied by q lack OF judgment
and for piety to be guilty of false logic.
Very good and earnest men becoming i'm
bued with religious fervor are prone TO
take an exaggerated view OF worldly af-
fairs and even to uncoasciously dlstort
them. On such grounds. excuse may be
made for the preacher from Puyallup who
thanked God that many of his neighbors
had become impoverished. and that the
failure of the hop crop in Puyallup was
due 10 the curse OF God.
We find no fault with the preachers ev-
identity very profound horror of the liquor
traffic, 10 he inferred from the remarks.
although 1t seems rather unjust that the
entire blame should fan upon the hop
which is the most innocent and the most
beneficial OF all the ingredients of malt
liquors.
But the most unfortunate phase OF the
remark is the effect IT VIII have on think
ing people. They will recognize the falsity
OF the logic and anything which tends TO
shake confidence in the good judgment OF
preachers weakens the beneficial influence
all church organizations should exert. Poo
pie VIII not bow 70 the preacher unless he
wins their respect by virtue Of his SUI
perior attachments. Tho office does not
now command the Difference il once did
merely as an ecclesiastical dignity. and
the growing lukewarmnesz OF conErega-
tions 50 much complained OF by the clergy
should he warning that there must he
something In the caiiber or tho magnet
ism OF the preacher to overcome II.
The hop crop in Puyallup has been a
failure it was n failure because the lice
were permitted 10 over-run Il: they were
permitted 10 ovcr-run Il because the price
is so low here: the price IS so low here be
cause the crop has been so plentiful near
er the markets. The bercdcence Of nature
has resulted IN fertility and superior quail
fly IN the state Of New York and in Ger
many. and there Is consequently no de-
mand for Puyallup hops. Moreover. there Is
less demand for hops everywhere because
many OF the great consumers have latterly
substituted for the pleasant natural pro
duct an artificial article whose chemical
properties are similar, but whose whole
someone's IS more doubtful.
All these things TIE hop growers ~
Puget sound know. They understand rer-
fectly that had the curse only fallen
upon other hop districts. TIE price here
would have been higher. the lice would
have been cleansc3 o1 the vines. and there
would have been no curse" on Puyallup
hops. Even men with no very profound
knowledge OF polemics may question the
Justice 90 putting the curse on only one
part % the producing districts.
WITH Tire sentiment which deplorcs the
evils o. the li1uo- t-aG5r re are IN hearty
sympathy: bat no FoNd can be accom-
r,ishei hv rorversioa - tho truth. The
pious confidence % the preacher IN the
mysterious WAYS ~ which providence
works 20 wise ends may b treated with
gentle consideration: hut human inteui-
sence Is seeking natural causes for nat
ural effects sna 70 viii assert itself 50
long as 81 aads a rational and uauysterl-
GUS sequence
Christian en6eavor has A vide field ani
many obstacles 20 overcome II has need
o. GOOD Judgment no less than zeal, ana in
TIE proportion that u exercises both win
its work y, eflra r}ou-