The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-12
THAT .HOP LOUSEo INCIDENT.

Seattle. Sept. 9. 1895.
To the Editor: The somewhat frequent.
though not discourteous use of my name
in your columns of late, in connection with
references to an occurrence on the floor OF
the Methodist Episcopal conference few
days since, may furnish excuse for COM
mUnication regarding both the incident
and the question at issue. This have 10
say concerning the occurrence which has
given rise TO all this entertaining discus
sion over the Course on Hops" AS the
matter came up in conference, the refer
ence to the failure of the hop crop was
purely incidental in character, and could
in no sense he construed as pronuncia-
mento on the subject discussed in your
columns. We were in the midst of routine
business and the reports of pastors in var
ious fields as 10 sums of money raised for
benevolent objects were being presented. In
explanation OF the great disparity between
my report rendered last year and the one
10 be presented on this occasion, l felt il
necessary 10 call attention 10 the somewhat
notable failure of the hop crop as the occa-
sion of this falling off. The published re-
port of the incident / consider a fragrant,
though perhaps unintentional misrepresen-
tation of the spirit of the conference, as
we'll as d thoroughly inaccurate account of
what was said. In the first place I said
nothing whatever about bringing good
news from Puyaliup," nor did I express
any sort of satisfaction over the misfor-
tunes of my many friends in that city who
are engaged in the hop business.
| did say that the main dependence Of
the Puyallup valley had been cut off that
the fields had been cursed by the hop louise.
that the hop crop had again proved a fail
ure, and that IL seemed to me that Gods
condemnation of the business was indi-
Gated by that fact. That there was rejoic-
ing in the conference over the apparent
failure OF the hop industry in this region
no one of us would care either TO deny or
conceal; for as a conference we believe il
ought TO fail, and that the sooner il fails
beyond all recovery the better will II be for
the financial as we'll as moral interests oil
all concerned.
Why? Simply because of the absolute
and unquestioned identification of the hop
industry with the beer business OF the
country. All this talk about the wheat,
corn, potato and fruit crops standing in
the same relation 10 the liquor business as
does the hop seems the veriest and stalest
twaddle in view of the one monumental
fact that hops have no commercial value
worthy Of mention aside from that given
through the manufacture of beer and other
malt liquors.
The sentiment is general and pronounced
throughout the great Methodist body that
the production and sale of any commodity
for the known and express purpose of
manufacturing intoxicating drinks of any
description is moons tent with the Chris
tian profession, and on purely moral
grounds ought to be abandoned. Moreover.
II is perfectly safe to say that every
Methodist preacher, and there are 2500O
Of them, itinerant and local. in the NJ E.
church alone, would rejoice If every sa-
loon, brewery. disullery, GROCERY and
other accessory OF the liquor business
the world over should meet with over
whelmng and permanent disaster and
this without any wish OF personal dam
age to those engaged in the manufacture
and sale OF strong drinks. or as purvey-
ors thereto.
Furthermore there is a decided convic-
ton among us that God does have some
thing 10 do with the outcome OF business
enterprises. and that sooner or later any
human undertaking manifestly Ubiquitous
In character viii inevitably result in dis
aster 70 all concerned in II. and that any
business dependent upon such trade or
enterprise may be expected to ultimate
" share In the same fate. either by spe-
cial intervention Of God, or by drift OF
natural causes.
After a careful study OF the question
(the hop Industry during nearly a dozen
years of residence in this region with full
opportunity for such study. my personal
conviction Is very strong that the said
Industry Is a pers.stently improbable bust
ness. and that the only financial salvation
o. our beautiful and prolific Puyallup and
White river valleys is 10 be found in the
the development Of those other and mani
testify profitable Industries TO which this
region is so admirably adapted
4. J. HANSON.