The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-29
A CLERGYMAN's VIEW.
Second Advent Pastor Describes Visits to
Portland Bar Rooms.

that Rev. Il. =. Woodward would preach
on "a Thanksgiving drama, or the pro-
hlbition farce and tragic-comedy now
being played in Portland and vicinity,
had the effect of calling out large au-
dience at the Second Advent church, yes
terday afternoon.
The pastor handled his theme in an
aggressive and highly entertaining man
ner, illustrating it with word pictures of
scenes he had personally witnessed on
the occasion of recent visit among
bar rooms in Portland.
He began his discourse with the state
ment that he had heretofore refrained
from touching upon subjects of this
character, because he had no personal
knowledge of whether the prohibitory
law was being impartially enforced. He
about the laxity of law enforcement. but
his views had been radically changed
within a week in the light of overwhelm-
ing facts that had Gomez to his observa-
ton.
Being desirous of making thorough
inquiry into the subject, he had enlisted
the aid of a local preacher who is famil'
lar with the work in the slums. and one
day last week they started out to visit
some of the places where they had been
told liquor is sold. AS an excuse Tor
their visit at such places, they took along
package of temperance tracts to distri-
butte.
The pastor then described in detail
what he saw on that novel excursion.
He saw men drinking at bars, others
waiting for drinks that were being mixed
by bartenders, and in several places were
men in state Of drunken stupidity.
Most of the loungers were young men.
There was no difficulty in gaining adj
mission to theseEplaces, he said. In near
ly every instance they entered by the
front door: in the others the front doors
were barred, but they found their way
in by the rear entrances. He could not
say what kind of liquors were being
drunk, but he saw glasses, bottles and
sprinklers of suspicious liquids. which
emitted an odor not unlike that which
prevails at the city liquor agency. There
were upon the walls placards advertising
various brands of liquors.
There were about these barrooms an ap-
pearance of thrift and permanency. Some
were finished in hard woods, with
marble counters and steel ceilings. He
had been told that many of the saloons
had been newly fitted up; on every hand
he saw evidence of the recent work of
carpenters and painters. 1t looked as If
the proprietors meant to stay and had
some assurance that they would be per-
mitted to.
They distributed their tracts in every
saloon they visited. In some instances
they were received with SCOTS, but in
most of the best-ftted up barrocms they
were courteously treated, or their pres
ence hardly noticed by the men there
assembled. Some of the tracts they dis
tributed were Immediately torn up. In
one saloon an elderly man who was not
SO drunk but that he knew what he
was about, congratulated them on their
visit, said they were needed there, and
that he would pray for them. In anoth-
er place fellow called them back, just
as they were leaving, and asked them to
give him an extra tract, to send to a
woman up country. Nobody seemed the
least bit alarmed at the presence of two
such unusual visitors.
After they had visited the saloons Rev.
Mr. Woodward's escort suggested that
they visit some of the hotel barroems.
They visited four such places. finding
their way in by inquiry Of the hotel en-
pIoyes.
AS result OF his personal inyestiga-
ton, he was convinced that bribery is
actually going on to prevent a legitimate
enforcement of the prohibitory law.
He had also made diligent inquiry on
the other side of the question. and be-
lieved that the county attorney and
judges of the courts would really like to
see rigid enforcement of the liquor
law, but it is not their province to take
the initiative.
"Why should we blaInesthe officers?"
he asked. a ''The real harm is in placing
before weak human nature great temp
tation. I don't want to be SO tempted.
I have talked with some church people
who said they thought they could with
stand such temptation, but as for me, L
pray the Lord that He will not place so
great temptation in my path.
The speaker expressed regret at the
laxity of public sentiment towards liquor
law enforcement. The clause of the law
making owners Of buildings responsible
for the sales of liquor has become dead
letter, he said. A victualler told h m
that when forewarned by the owner OF
his building not to engage in the liquor
business, he replied: ''No, won't sell
rum unless I am compelled TO in order to
get living Whereupon the owner re-
sponded: "Well I've told you not to,
and that's all care about it," And this
man is a well known temperance adyo-
cate, the speaker added.
The prosecuting officers are public SER
wants, but it is seldom they are called to
account for their service. Some fear to
%r,,1