The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-01-04
TEMPERANCE. TALK.
Four Lectures on the Economic
SIDE of the Question.

Siue OF the question.
Rev. R. H. Battey, State Superin-
tendent Of the Anti-Saloon League
of this State, gave four of the most
interesting temperance lectures ev-
er given in this city on Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday evenings
OF last week at the opera house and
on Sunday evening at the Metho-
dist church. The gentleman did
not take up the moral side of the
question but the financial or eco
nomic side of it and illustrated it
with charts, which made the ques-
ton an interesting one. The opera
house was we'll filled each even
ing except Thursday evening, and
on Sunday evening at the Metho-
dist church the large building was
packed.
The meetings each evening were
opened by singing and prayer
by one of the pastors. The
first evening was taken up most
ly in explaining the use OF
his charts and the line on which he
would take his course of lectures.
Thursday evening it was very cold,
but small audience was present,
and the speaker followed up his
charts a little more fully. Friday
evening he talked on the laboring
mans view of the question, illustra-
ting by his charts, and clearly show
ing how much better off the labor
ing man would be financially and
morally by leaving intoxicating
liquors alone. By the chart he
showed that the cost of putting a
hundred dollars worth of liquor on
the market in labor, was only $3.50,
while the cost of putting a hundred
dollars worth of clothing, boots and
shoes and numerous other articles
was on an average about SIG. 90, and
therefore it was to the interest of
the laboring man to help close up
the saloon even if he is not benefit
ed morally. In regard to the cost
of enforcing the saloon laws he said
that it costs more under high Ii
cense than it did under a low Ii
cense. In closing he said that If a
place voted no license for five years
it would not return to license.
Sunday afternoon Mr.. Battey con-
Quoted a meeting for men only at
the Presbyterian church. In the
evening the last meeting was held
in the Methodist church and as said
before the building was crowded,
there not being any services in the
other churches. A large choir lead
in the singing, three Of the jubilee
singers who were in the city being
part of the choir. One of them sang
two solos during the evening, which
added materially to the interest of
the service. Capt. Brooks, presi-
dent of the local anti-saloon league,
had charge of the meeting, and the
local clergymen, Revs. Way and
Goodacre, and Rev. r. L. Barack-
man of St. Paul took part in the
service.
Mr.. Battey's address was a sort
of review of the work of the anti
saloon league last year, and of his
chart talk given at the three meet
ings previous. During the past
year the league has kept three
speakers in the field all of the time,
and part of the time five and seven.
This year it will keep twelve speak
ers out the entire year. During
this session of the legislature the
league will try to have the State
law makers pass bill creating the
Office of commissioner whose bust
ness it shall be to look after the sa-
looms and see that they obey the laws.
In closing a collection was taken.