Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-01-07
A Peculiar Meeting,
And What Came of It.

- ''''''''N - t'ii 4'is'.a4i' i''A''I '
circular issued "-t'M>.hly hv an
thnr.ty 90; the Gr,d Tynipiar~ last Fri
day. ;"r an " Indignation Mass Meet
in" t. be held III their hall that night
TIL" intcmpvrate spirit manifested il
that circular lctray~ thu uhiptas 81 IN,
class who q, mand Il strict enforcement
Of the law on the lines defined by thcil
prcJudiccd views regarding the liquor
traffic. Had not that document It
completely ioorcd is advocates, We
would have been tempted t. rcprodIIc,
ii in these columns; as il is. we have
lail il away ior use Whenever the law
les spirit Of mob-rulc is expressed in
eternal hatred oi those who support
by influence, voice and vote the
liquor traffic When Il request was
made in the meeting for reading of the
circular, not one Of the promoters of
the meeting had a copy in his posses
SION. Strange, wasn't it? When a
copy was procured from Mr.. Israel,
who was present, it was difficult to
find anybody who would read it; and
the Chairman, Mr.. Millctte, did not for
several moments that INTERVIEWED, deem
it advisable to ask Mr.. Israel to read
it. 1t was bad enough without the in
Election that might be intoncd by one
unfavorablc to its incendiary intent.
One of the Temperance men had a
cold, another had lost his spectacles,
still another was q "poor' reader, and
when finally Superintendent Henry
was pressed into service, he complied
with evident reluctance, declaring the
document was too "red-hot" to suit
him. After the reading had been con-
cluded, Mr.. Whitman arose and said
he did not want to be held responsible
for such utterances; that he did not
believe it had for sponsor any respon-
sible person. Rev. Mr.. Sawin said that
he attended the meeting ON courte-
Gus, typewriter invitation, handed to
him at prayer meeting. He did not
believe in the use of such incorporate
language. While he was a temperance
man in the fullest sense, it was traf-
fic legalized by law, and so far as rights
were conferred by statute he believed
in recognizing them, but in holding
the liquor dealer strictly accountable
for any attractions of law. Several
others condemned the circular and
hoped it would not be taken as an ex-
preston of the temperance people,
while the fact stared them in the face
that the Good Templar's Lodge had
suspended its ritualistic work, to give
place to an Indignation" meeting,
and had allowed the use of its cor
porate name, "Tacoma Lodge No. A."
to make known that fact.
In marked contrast with Rev. A. G.
Sawin's remarks were the utterances
of Rev. o. w. Mintzer, who said that
he came here from Butte, Mont, and
had been accustomed to rough mining
community, but that he had come to
Olympia to see boys staggering with
drink on the street, statement which
was greeted with an audible smile
from those who were so uncharitable
as to doubt the gentleman's statement.
His zeal knew no bounds; he was
willing to beard the lion in his dem
60 into the houses of infamy and drink
of their soul-destroying draughts, if it
was necessary, to convict the dram
seller" From recklessness he became
abusive, and said that the saloons
would be closed were it not for some
pin-headed lawyers" and "thick-
necked Councilmen," some of whom
we're then and there present to report
what was said and done to Scott &
Quinn soon as the meeting was over.
As Mr.. Isreal was in evidence as the
"pin-headed lawyer" and the writer
was undoubtedly the thick-necked
Councilman" when Chairman Mil
lette called upon said Councilman to
define his position, he replied that it
was wholly unnecessary as the STAND
ARD was free and outspoken on all
public matters and the views of its ed
itor we'll known, but that he would
like to hear from a "pin-headed law
YER" and as one OF that fraternity was
in the room, he would suggest that
Mr.. Israel take the stand. The
meeting then called for that gen.
tleman and he reluctantly respond
ed, and as was expected, began
paying his addresses to the pinhead
from Butte, when Mr.. Mintzer beat q
mastery retreat amid calls of "Stay
and Hear Him." Face the Music"
and "Don't Rum" accompanied by
general laughter over the unexpected
result of the contretemps. Mr.. Israel
said that for the "a years he had lived
in Olympia there had never before
been a tragedy in any of its saloons
that they had always been conducted
in such manner as to merit the
good will of fair-minded people; that
it was unfair to make an occurrence
that might have happened anywhere
else the means of flashing prejudice
into passion in this instance. He
spoke probably ten minutes, and when
he had concluded, about the only hear
ty applause that had been accorded the
speakers was given.
Space will not admit of a reference