The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-13
PUBLIC DRINKING.
Hespohse TO the Criticisms Made by
the Rev. Mr.. MiIburn.

10 the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal.
IL was with great establishment that
read IN to-day's Journal the renort of T2a,,
Milburns sermon delivered bv him vestar-
day. 1 always entertained a high onipiov,
OF Mr.. Milburn, considering him man 80
great learning and intelligence. and of no
bic. liberal thoughts, wherefore Some oe
his utterances greatly astonished me. prin-
cipally the following:
II seems to me whatever our personal
views may be touching the iemnera nee
question, whether we believe in noderate
drinking or whether we believe i'm totaI
ansIInen ncs there can be no difference
afuoHS renned people a9 to the banefulness
or all public drinking and of ali cond,1cf
mat sapctions public drinking 1t seems to
Of morality, and simply regarding it as a
question of refinement as a question Of
oeHcacy and of good taste. that no man
or woman of character and fine feeling
of this kind" Po
10 which l wish to say: 1t seems to ms
mat Whatever our personal views NAV Ia
touching any question, whether we believe
thing to be right or wrong. if we believe
II 70 be wrong we shall totally abstain from
H. II we believe 1t to be right, we shall do
II openly, fearlessly, before all the world.
IL person believes in moderate drinking
why snail he or she make a secret of it2
what is right does not need to be con-
cealed. 1t seems to me that there can be-
ana a that there is n difference among re-
IiieQ people IS to the banefulness of Dublio
urInking, else | and a great many others
1dhu oy no means only Germans or French-
r .aer1 pave no claim to consider themselves
nenn.eu, 90 not wish to speak of any
particular place. If a place is not properly
conducted refined people will not ONLY nor
qrihk there, but will rot go there at All
What l defend is the drinking in n,,blic
py people who believe in moderate drink
NE n1g;h at respectfully conducted place. Mr..
for one want to Lift up my voice in
sgeinstf d not only against this resort, but
n5Ialns tb6 all resorts Of this kind To my
mlsSlpie and innocent pleasure; to me thew
are eVll and only evil; they are full to the
QuenceS, ana with all their music and song
ana brllllant, 1aring lights. they are after
an a satan transformed into an angel Of
nBht, ana IN the name of God l beseech
you not to make this satanic influence pop
H elaT with our young people or thing OF
ia9n hon N IN t dffa city Of Indianapolis.
thaL publicity is always conducive of better
morals than secrecy. 1t may be stated as
SO Tor the sake of drinking, but that those
VINO drink publicly a, social gatherings do
1t for the sake of sociabllity. The tendency
10 drink immoderately is nowhere smaller
tnan at sociable gatherings in public
places, and nowhere greater than behind
screens or closed doors If | cared to be
an apostle of temperance / would forbid the
use of screens at legal hours rather than
at illegal hours. It will require a long
search to find the young man who behaves
III IN presence of his sweetheart or the hus-
Dand who does so in the presence of his
wire or children, even when drinking beer
publicity is not dangerous to refinement
and secrecy not creative of it. Where then,
is the evil of public drinking? l believe
that those who intend evil do not seek pub
nc places, where they are under the eyes
or friends and acquaintances but rather
Shun them. l repeat l speak for those who
believe In moderate drinking. Those who
believe in abstinence should, of course not
drink publicly but not secretly either 1t
is true, as Mr.. Milburn says. that we are
not responsible for. Europe. But human de-
slres are pretty much the same among the
same classes of people everywhere and
manners and customs become in this age
of steamships and railroads, also pretty
much the same all over the world.
do by no means consider myself infall-
bic. do not hold myself responsible for
the morals of others. l do not know Wheth-
er any one is responsible for the morals of
others, but / venture the advice to those
who think they are, not to drive the young
people to seek their pleasures and amuse-
ments away from them in hidden places,
but to allow them to satisfy their harmless
and innocent desire right under the eyes
of the public PHILIP RAPPAPORT
Indianapolis, July u.