The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-05-28

... ".. c. N. BATY, Chief Templar.
 IThe editor of THE SUN is not responsible for anything that may appear in this col umn.l
 Through failure of most of the mem- bers to come on time, and of those who came to remain until the others ar- rived, no lodge was held on last Satur. day evening This stlte of affairs is to be regretted, and it is to be hoped that no repetition of it will occur There probably was no good reason why a sufficient number of members might not have been at the lodgcroom on time and opened the meeting in due form. Let all strive to make this the case next Saturday night.
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 Lack of real, vital interest is prob. ably the greatest drawback in any movement for reform, and to this cause may be traced the failure of members to attend our meetings promptly and the lack of real work by the lodge To this cause, too, may we'll be traced the difficulty we experience in gaining many members for the lodge whose interest is really with us. They wish us success. they believe in temperance work, but they are very willing that whatever is performed along the line of temperance reform shall be done by some one else.
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 Another class, perhaps net so large as is popularly believed, who should really be with us also, holds off because they think it will not be polite to be identified with such movement. Their business interests would suffer, some of their social associates might look at them with contempt, or their political ambitions might be blighted. And so for these reasons they withhold their support to work which in their hearts they believe to be good one. We may excuse such on the plea of the weakness of human nature, but it is difficult to respect man or woman whose convictions are not strong enough to lead him to follow them when once settled, regardless of consequences.
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 A third class IS composed of those who believe in temperance, but they believe that means the moderate use of liquors, at least of beer, wine and other light drinks, and think all ab. stainers are a little cracked in the upper story" especially if they main. tain their belief with considerable earnestness. This is undoubtedly the largest of the three classes in our own community, and it is also the hardest class to deal With. The other two may be aroused by appeals to their minds and consciences; but these persons claim to be acting conscientiously in the course they take, and it becomes neces- sary to convince them of the error of their ways. It is not the purpose of this article to point the error of this class of persons. But, with all due deference to their honesty, it is unhes. itatinsly asserted that they are a greater hindrance to the work of tenn perance reform among self res pecting young men than any other element in a community such as ours. There is no bitterness in saying this; nor is it said with the feel,ng that those people really mean to hinder the good work. Nevertheless, the statement will stand the trial of investigation.
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 It will not do, however, to charge all of'the fault for the slow progress of our work to either our foes or the neutrals. Undoubtedly there IS often a mote (at least) in the eye of the re- former --often, too, pretty goods sized one. Lack of earnest interest has slready been cited as one such. Intem- perate Zeal is probably another Many persons who might otherwise be won to an alliance with us are often alien. ated by the uawise statements and cver.zealous efforts of some of our num- Der. Uncharitable, and sometimes untrue, statements are made about those who are engaged in the liquor business; and although these state