The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-23
THE UNIONS IDEAS.
Restriction Of the Liquor Traffic Urged at
Ruggles Street Church.

dist Church yesterday afternoon there
was a large sized temperance gathering
under the auspices of the Good Templars
OF the church and in the interest of the
ideas OF the Union for Practical Progress.
Prayer was offered by the pastor OF the
church, Rev. MIR. Mason, and Rev. Mrs.
Blandy, the evangelist, sang two hymns
at the opening of the meeting.
Rev. Mr.. Mason, before introducing the
speaker OF the Union, said: "Wbile the
suge estions made by Union for Practical
Progress do not 90 as far as many OF US
as yrohibiitonists would like To go, L
think they are steps in the right dlrec-
tion and may lead TO what we all desire
the ebolition of the liquor traffic. l
think that IL the Legislature can be got
To do as the members of the Union ask In
regard to the submission OF the question
OF license or no license TO the people
every year we will shift the responsibility
from ourselves to the parties who sell IT.
In the city OF Lawrence woman went to
a liquor dealer and said: Il don't want
you TO sell my hvsband liquor because
when he gets drink he beats me and he
also spends the money needed for his fam-
lily for liquor The liquor dealer replied:
"Your city licenses me TO sell liquor and
/ will sell it to your husband or any one
else IL we get the cha ce 10 vote yearly
on this question we can do our duty
ns church men in stopping the traffic"
He then introduced Sidney A. Sherman,
who made a pertinent and interesting ar
gument in support of the plars suggested
by the Union for Practical Progress for
the restriction Of the liquor traf'c. His
address was in substance as follows:
One year ago the members OF the Union
for Practical Progress began the study Of
the liquor traffic in Providence and a
committee of 15 was appointed and a
meeting of the churches and temperance
organizations of the city was called. The
plan formulated Is more than the ideas OF
the Union, ,and on the committee now are
residents Of different parts CT the state.
"Any analysis OF the liquor question
must recognize the fact that the desire
for drink is deep seated in the human
lace and no movement can in G short
time eradicate X. The history of 70
years temperance agitation proves the
latter statement to be true. 1t is neees-
sary. therefore, to do what is practical at
present with the hope OF doing much
more in the future.
"In our country there Is, practically
speaking, no such thing as moderate
drinking. Nine out OF every ten men
who drink continue the habit until they
destroy themselves, lose their property,
and run their families. He must be a
total abstainer who wishes to shun ties }
evils.
"There are two ways by which the
evils OF liquor can be done away with.
One IL by moral suesion. We must i'm
plant in the man motives which will do
away with the desire for drink and build
up the moral character OF the People aud
bring about a realization of the folly,
degradation and wickedness OF Dirt nken-
ness.
"rhe greatest organization we have Is
ha Etats he. ~
lessen the evils OF liquor is by placing re-
strictions about Its sale, Our commit
tee, after considering the present liquor
legislation in the State, came to the con-
elusion that we are at the foot of the
ladder.
"Since the repeel OF the prohibitory
amendment the liquor traffic has been
comparatively unrestricted. Now, bust
ness which Is an admitted evil should be
so controlled by society as 10 produce the
least possible ey II result while ii is per-
mitted to exist. Its attractions should
be removed, its field of operations limit
ed, and the way prepared for its reduc-
tion to minimum and its ultimate ex-
tinction IL possible.
"We, therefore, intend TO ask the Leg
islature to amend the laws placing certain
restrictions on the traffic. In the first
place, we desire that there should be no
distractions to a complete view from the
streets OF the interior of saloons. In
Mas as.achusetts the screen law, so called,
has according TO that old prohibition ad-
vocate, Henry Faxon, very largely de-
creased the liquor traffic. Many
persons would not like to be seen
would be less apt to enter them. Some
would thus be saved, not that you could
lay your hand on young man and say
this young man would not go into
saloon IL there were no screens. But II
one was prevented from BEGINNING the
use OF liquor great deal would be saved
and II 1t was dozen SO much greater
the gain. Then again the officers having
a full view OF the premises, much OF the
rottenness and evil doing would be pre-
vented and it would be impossible for lit
tie girls or women TO enter them.
"a second restriction we would place
on the business would tie TO prevent any
pool or billiard tables in saloons, for these
prove quite potent attractions for draw
ing trade. Young men go into the saloon
to play games. and the one that loses pays
in drinks. The Board OF Aldermen for
the city OF Pawtucket placed the license
fees for billiard and pool tables at 300,
and great many saloon keepers applied
for these licenses; hence we see the great
amount of trade these gsmes must be
worth to the saloon keeper.
I'VE Delleve that the saloon should be
closed from 10 p. m to a. m. In the
city OF Providence a saloon may be kept
open from 4 q. IN. to l2 midnight under
the present law. Thus they are Obliged to
close but four hours out of the a. The
last hours the saloon is open aie the
worst for drink. A liquor dealer who
protested against the shortening OF the
hours said the last two hours were the best
hours OF the dag.
"ln some states the saloons are closed on
election and days holidays, and we believe
they should be here We need TO have a
sober voter. as he questions submitted to
him are important ones. Onr HOLIDAYS
should be properly celebrated and you
ber tue terrible murder that took
place in this city from the effects of
urink.
"Another thing that would restrict the
trade would be To have the number OF liz
censes TO one in a thousand OF the popula-
ton. This would reduce the numter OF
licenses one-thirG, and would force o0e-
half the men employed to seek more pro-
ductive interests. Seven out OF eight people
I'm the State live In towns where there are
licenses. Ii would be easier 10 look after
this smaller number of places and keep
them under control. Nearly all the men
engaged in the liquor trade are OF a
coarse moral and aesthetic uaturc. and