The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
SALOONS AND SOCIETY.
The BarrOOms and Its DemOralizing
Influences on the People.

The saloon and its effects upon sociery
and the government was the subject Of
an hours discussion as the Guards hall
last night by Mr.. Lou J. Beauchamp.
The demoralizing influences, both to the
community and the individual, were held
up in vivid pictures before the audience
and the end of drinkers was shown up
In a manner calculated to have lasting ef-
feet.
In his lectures during the last week, Mr..
Beauchamp has been discussing the same
subject, that of gospel temperance, but
the proposition has been discussed in diff
ferent phases, and the subject matter pro-
duced IN new and entertaining manner
each evening. There is a candor and earn
estness put forth which adds immeasura-
bly, to the force of the argument.
so many have been told it would not be
policy to abolish the saloon, because il
kept money In circulation" said the speak
er. Il find that to be one of the main ar
guments offered by those VINO would keep
the saloon in existence. We are told it is
an industry-this whisky business. If it
is an industry let's reason out it's relation
to other things, which we may also call
indus tries. The saloon is said to be an
industry because it keeps money in cir
culauOn; stirS up a wholesome activity in
trade and works an al-round benefit to
the community. On that line, can we not
say that gambling is an industry because
1t passes money from hand to hand, after
which 1t gets into circulation and hence
becomes beneficial? If this is the case
though, it seems to me that 1t might be
done at home and therefore become a
home industry. Then again. it might be
said with reference to the hangman, that
ne gets $500 for every man he executes,
and the more men he hangs the more
money he will have to spend, and there
fore 1t is policy furnish him with a suf-
hcient number of men to make the town
prosperous. The position is untenable; the
saloon should not be retained to ruin and
debauch, simply because it keeps little
money in circulation. 1t turns happiness
to sorrow, youth to old age, wealth to pow
erty, honor to crime and debauchery."
Mr.. Beauchamp eXpatiated along this
line for awhile. and then took up the in
dividual and hard times. Sic said men
would sit about whiting and tell of the
great wealth boarded up by the rich; that
it ought to be divided, or the poor man
given some show to get his portion. Most
of the people complaining say they cannot
support themselves.
THE truth is" said Mr.. Beauchamp
they are trying to do two things at one
time with the same salary-they are at
tempting to support themselves and the
saloon keeper. Men are mindless of the
amount it requires to visit a saloon two
or three times each day. It's the little
things which count. Take one single
grain of wheat and in eight years enough
grain can be raised from it to feed every
man in the world a day. Turn from the
open door and resist those temptations
which hold themselves out. A loss of pat
ronage soon kills any institution, and it
would be the case with the saloon. 1t will
never be abolished until the will of the
Christian people is united"
This afternoon at o'clock Mr.. Beau
champ will lecture in the Y. NJ. c. A hall
to men only. The subject of the lecture
will be the Universal Question"