River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-27
IS straw which shows how the wind is

is straw which shows how the wind is
blowing,
Temperance leaders intend TO revive
that joint resolution, and they will in
sist upon its passage by the senate, as
well as by the house of representatives.
The people will watch congressional ac-
tion on this point, and they will note
how their congressman vote on the
subject. Many a congressman will vote
for the resolution solely because he
fears the temperance people at home,
! and not because he is a temperance man
himself or in favor of abolishiug the
use of liquor in the capitol.
One thing at a time, ami that done
well, should satisfy the temperance
workers of the country. They should
not try to do too much at once. Let
them first abolish the use of liquor in
the capitol, and then they win have an
other work to perform-and harder
work than they have yet attempted
Statesmen cannot be kept sober, and
enirely free from alcoholic influences,
by abolishing the use of alcohol in the
capitol building. There must be a
crusade, in the future, covering the en-
tire District of Columbia There are
too many saloons here. We must not
expect to abolish all of the saloons at
once. Those who come after us will
still have work TO perform. But the
temperance workers must understand
that there arc at least ten times as
many saloons in the national capital as
should be tolerated, even by the most
liberal temperance workers. How are
we to go about this new reform for the
national capital?
First, you must understand that this
district is governed by three commits
sioners appointed by the president. 1t
should be the duty of temperance work
ers to demand of the president that he
appoint only sympathetic men to those
places. Next, the president should APP
point chief of police who is a sym
pathetic man. Then our policemen
should be temperate men, instead of,
as at present, men in uniforms who 90
10 the side doors of saloons, get their
whisky for nothing, and then go about
their beats, permitting all manner of
violations of the law.
Finally, ten years in the future, tenn
perance workers must take cognizance
Of the saloons which are attached to all
of the hotels. from the frst-class down
10 the lowest lodging houses. In the
hotel saloons the statesmen get all of
the liquor that they can pay for, and
they do not care so very much about
having it al the capitol.
You will thus see that the reform
work before the people is not small, nor
easy. Much remains to be done. In
the meantime, the public agitation will
be continued, and ii viii have its effect.
The writer has witnessed the gradual
growth of sentiment and its marked
effect upon public men for number Of
years. And out of that experience the
people may be told that the work is
having its manifest effect upon those
who have been in public life and who
now desire to serve the people in hon
orable and lucrative capacities
Year after year there is less drinking
among statesmen; less drinking in
public. and less drinking in private
Therefore those whose hearts are set
upon this reform should take courage,
believing and knowing that progress is
being made. SMITH d. FRY.