The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-25
NEEDS MORAL DRAINAGE.
SAVANNAH URGED TO AWAKEN TO
EVILS IN IT'S LIMITS.

Rev. A. NJ. Williams at Wesley Mon
umcntaI on 1.-THE Kind of Drainage
Savannah Needs'--TOuches on
Some Centers of EviI-LiquOr Traf-
fic Is ScOred-side Doors of Bar
rooms a Great TrOubIe-PastOr Fa-
vOrs a State RestrictiOn-Statis-
ties of the Liquor BUSINESS.
1.-THE Kind of Drainage Savannah
Needs was the subject of the sermon
last night at Wesley Monumental church
by the pastor, Rev. A NJ. Williams. The
text for the sermon was taken from TWEEN
ty-sixth verse of the eleventh chapter of
the second book of Corinthians: "In perils
in the city,
There are some malaria spots in Savan-
nahs limAs," said Mr.. Williams ~ hope
some day to see drained so that moral
life Will be safe in the beautiful place.
II is from real love that so frequently
call attention to evils that exist and that
all the city's true lovers should unite
to abate. If I should be asked to specify
savannah's greatest need at present,
great awakening to morals here. We have
seen certain evils so long in our midst
that we have come to look upon them
as a matter of course, and pass them by
without shudder There are many things
done here that if they had not become SO
common, would make our very blood boil
with indignation.
II believe it is my duty to force on your
attention some of the malariaI centers that
need to be cleaned out of your city so as
to decrease the perils of residence.
THE first of these centers of evil is one
too unpleasant to speak of in open terms,
but too fearful TO be ignored. Tolerance
of the evil and its quasi defense is one of
the sources of its dire influence. Not until
I believe God unable to judge best what is
possible to humanity-not until feel wise
enough to amend the ten great command
ments of Sinai; not while l read the pro-
test in fearful results to health, will I
agree to the apologies made for this evil.
Its widespread practice, its blatant af-
frontery, its constantly recruited victims,
the effect of it upon honest home-life,
make it one of those sources of moral cor
ruption, and domestic wretchedness that
should be abated Faith in God and belief
in the possibility of moral progress calls
us to seek to drain the city of the deadly
miasma.'
Mr.. Williams spoke of the liquor traffic.
Let us recall the terrible liquor malaria"
he said Savannah is in the control of
the liquor interests. 1t has been the last
two administrations, Witness last
Wednesday night The good people of
limos nnt a
ton to the council against turning one of
the best residence corners of the
city into a saloon stand The
petition was turned down. A
wholesale liquor man promptly moved to
deny the petition, provided the door be on
Whitaker street. The trouble with Sa-
vannah is its side doors, anyhow. These
are the doors through which hundreds of
our people are going to ruin. 1t is the
favorite door for the Sunday Violator, the
avenue through which the women drink
ers and the girl drinkers enter the bars
Il confess that | have undergone
change of opinion on the liquor question
since 1 came to Savannah. 1 was for its
sale under wise restriction. My observa-
ton here teaches me that the whisky bus
mess deties all the law it dares There will
have to come death grapple between ii
and society some time, and the fight might
as well be on a radical as on a conserva.
1--WE law am now therefore,, In FAVOR
of state restriction through any method
on which the majority of lovers of pure
morals will unite"
Every third barroom in the state of
Georgia is in Savannah Illustrate the
licensed liquor business in Georgia by
shaded map after the manner of the GEN.
sus charts. and the blacklist spot on i,
would be Chatham county. You have one
retailers license for every 240 inhabitants.
while there is beef shop for $50 and one
church. white, colored, of all shades of
faith, for each LOO. Nearly three bars
for each beef shop; four times as many
sanctuaries of the devil as houses for wor-
ship of Jehovah and the promotion of
morals. a conservative estimate of the
money spent in the barrooms of the CITY
is little over 100000 per year. This
would about build two beautiful and ele-
CANT marble buildings, like the new post
office. II is very nearly six times as much
as this city, celebrated for its culture
spends on its public schools. If it was
raised in the form of per capita tax it
would demand something over $40 for each
man, woman and child. If it was a tax
on the houses of the city it would amount
to ST. per house. Whisky is an indirect
tax on thousands of innocent people.
What benevolent man has not had to suf-
fer loss through the drinking of those who
appeal to him? i have in mind one spree
in this city where a family was taxed
over 500, besides the losses of other
friends
n