The Coconino weekly sun. [volume] (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1891-1896, 1895-12-26
GOOD rEMpLARs, COLUMN.
EDITED AND MANAGED UNDER THE AUSPICES
OF FLAGSTAFF LODGE NO. II, l.. CT

Contributions Of an appropriate nature are
solicited for this column. and should be adj
dressed to Box III, Flagstaff; all such con
tributons, however, are subject to approva
by the editors. The editor OF The SUN Is MOI
responsible for anything that may appear ir
this column.
Lodge meets every Saturday evening at thu
G. A. r. Hall, 1880 o'clock. Visiting member.
invited to attend.
JOHN FINISHED. Chief Templar.
N. E. GREENLEAF. Secretary.
Doubtless there is not missionary
in this territory but who has keenly
felt the indifference of the people il
regard to the blighting influence o.
the saloon. This is caused mostly
believe from the fact that the saloon
man is among the first to begin business
in new community. He is recog
nized as useful pioneer even by people
who do not patronize his bar. But he
has the only place Of public resort in
the community, so he gets hold of the
pioneer people as being one Of those
who have braved the dangers Of pioneer
life, and they very often elect him To
places of public honor and trust.
So when the Jealous missionary
raises his voice against the saloon man
and his business he finds that the better
class of people do not always sympa-
thize with him. They say, "The
saloon man came and helped US when
we were few in number, and now we
do not feel like turning against him. /"
The saloonist uses this against the
missionary, aud in favor of himself and
his business. So, very often We find
ourselves standing alone on the subject
Temperance Reform" and and our
plans and work is thwarted by the
saloonist's hold upon the people.
Ho1 ser, the battle bets cen the
saloon and the church Is on, and the
people are beginning to see that the
saloonist is their enemy instead of their
friend l am glad to say that the
temperance people have made much
progress in this territory in the last
seven years.
The temperance people are composed
almost entirely of the christian people.
The W, c. L U and the l. O CT
are auxilaries of the Christian church
Christ is the redeemer from intemper.
ance as well as from every osher sin,
and every attempt at temperance re.
form, whether by total abstinence
pledges Or political measures. if not in
harmony with the Christian faith and
the Christian religion, it is doomed to
inevitable failure. Therefore | believe
it the duty of every Christian to pray,
work, and vote for the overthrow OF
the American saloon.
Inc saloon men control the legisla-
ton OF this territory, and they see to
1t, that there are no laws made that
will interfere with their business.
From the stump in the last campaign 1
heard a so-called political reformer
draw very dark word picture in re-
gard to the financial condition of this
territory. He said that the territory
was in debt three million dollars and
that each year the debt was increasing
and declared that it was only question
OF a few years when the territory
would be owned and controlled by its
creditors, that unless the people
adopted his plan of reform their chill.
dren would rise up and curse them for
putting this great debt on them without
their knowledge or consent, and all was
darkness and despair and he farther
stated that the only way he saw for
the people to pay this debt, was either
to vote his ticket or else just stop eating
and save the money they were spend.
ing for food and apply it on this terri.
torial debt.
l wanted to say to that audience that
l believed there was better way than
either plan he had proposed. We had
no assurance that his party would give
any more relief than the party that
had been in power. Had | been given
the opportunity l would have said that
1t was not necessary for even one per-
son to do without single meal, but if
The people of this territory would quit
drinking intoxicating liquors for one
year, they could pay the territorial
iebt and have tifty,six thousand dollars
cit, for the psople spend annually
hree million, fifty,six thousand dollars
or Intoy IL, RIM, 1.;,,L,