The sun., 1899-01-29
The Saloon and the Salvation Army.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-.Sir: The
| saloon is not necessity. There is no need Of
man that the saloon fills. This very agitation
Is evidence that the peoples conscience is being
pricked because of the public liberation OF an
awful evil that is daily perpetrating the most
horrible curse upon humanity. and specially
upon the workingman. and still more. cruelty
treating the innocent wife and children.
Necessity Why? Because there is money
in the business, money for those who fatten
upon tho lifeblood sapped from the vitals Of
the toilers Of our land. and this selfish interest
simply purchases the privilege for the saloon
to exist for the further gain OF its promoters
The curse. tho blighting. devastating curse Of
the saloon cannot be hidden by the assertion
that the saloon is the workingman's club. If 1T
is his club. it is used only by him to brain his
wife and beat all the JOY. hope and honor from
the hearts and lives OF his offspring, who have
right by the sacredness Of birth to the shelter
ing care ana protection Of father in the, full
ship OF faithful parents The saloon robs tbem
Of this enjoyment,
The saloon is not philanthropic 1t does not
exist for the sake o. providing social relaxa-
tion for the weary. Any association it affords
only serves its deadly purpose the more. The
tion, but relaxation from disgrace and dis
honor, abuse and pinched poverty. and from
not ragged clothes. and from the narrowing
necessity of eating hardened, crusts while the
hdloon y Wlle ana CnllureD ToVel IN their
purple and fine linen and fare sumptuously
every day.
A necessity? An institution necessity that
robs the nation of over billion year sends
100000 drunkardS to their graves, MAKE es 80
600 orphans. 10000 widows. causes 1000 sui
cides. a loss to the nation of SlO.OOOOOO
through fire and violence and causes parents
under its deadly, stupefying influences to over
lay 1000 little innocent chile every time we
count hity-two Saturday nights in tho United
states and is the cause Of 97 per cent. OF all
crimcSl
A necessity Never! Revolution moves
SLOWLY, but Just as sure as the sun shines. Just
so surely,is public opinion closing in on the
but W hat sometimes will not happen In 100
years happens in a day. and some day. and that
day IL not so far distant either the tide of SEN
timent vii be aroused against the saloon and
distillery, because of their constant menace to
society. and this fearful institution will be lifted
from our body polite and dropped to the Meth
ermost hell.
Until then. welcome. thrice welcome. to any
agency that has for its purpose the l"sSening
OF intcmpcrance, whether it be through the
eonee wagon the mercy seat or the ballot box
But hail to the glad day when it shall be no
more!
| desire to have it clearly understood that the
foregoing is not in any way intended as crit
icism 10 the remarks of Bishop Potter / re-
gard his remarks as intended to be a rebuke to
the professed friends of humanity and tho
morals of the people whose duty it Is to restrict
the saloon and to provide places Of respectable
resort Tor the labOring man.
WILLIAM BREWER
Editor-in- Chief Of Salvation Army Publications
in the United States.
L