The evening times., 1899-01-19
FATHER DOYLE DiSAGREES
WITH BISHOP POTTER
ISSUE ON THE SALOON QUESTION
The PauIist Priest Resents the Idea
That BurrOoms Are Poor
Mems Clubs.

New York, Jan 19.--ln an impassioned
address upon total abstinence last evening
Father Doyle, of the Paulist Fathers.
sharply resented Bishop Potter's recent
definition of the saloon as the poor mans
club" The address was delivered before
an audience of 1000 men, who had come
in response to the missionary invitation
issued by the Paulsts. The great church
at Columbus Avenue and Sixtieth Street
was filed to overfowing In the rear of
the auditorium many of Father Doyle's
listeners were standing.
Most of them were workingmen They
listened with marked attention through
out the entire discourse! The speaker took
the ground that strong drink was not cS-
sential, and that il gave neither strength
nor health. He pointed to medical science
TO bear out his statements. He said that
the stuff sold to the poor man in the sa-
looms would eat out the boiler of a locomo
tive. He branded the drunkard as worse
than the lowest criminal.
There has been a great deal OF talk
lately" said Father Doyle, about the Sa-
loon being the poor mans club. In the
name of the poor but honest workingman
| resent the imputation that the saloon is
his club. 1t is a club, indeed 10 beat the
DrdlnS from the nedu OF many ppoT Iti-
low: TO knock the money from his pocket
which should go to buying food for his wife
and family; club TO level him to the earth
when he would rise TO an Independent
manhood.
There may be laid at the doors OF the
saloons of the city too much of the degra-
dation of manhood, the prostitution of
womanhood and the damnation OF child
hood for q dignified Churchman TO stand
foe tha COLI and IN
give it countenance In its law defying
ways.
There was time when a decent saloon
keeper would not permit a woman to drink
in his establishment. Undoubtedly the
saloon as it now is is responsible for the
destruction of civic honor and the debase
ment of home and virtue. Rarely if ever
has such viciousness gathered about the
saloon as in this city. The saloon is bear
ing dreadful fruit in the debasement of the
most sacred relations of life.
There are within much less than 100
miles of the place where ! am standing
! the vilest of places. Either the police do
not know of their existence of they are
derelict in their duty. The people have
! had laws enacted. The authoritea> should
| be made to enforce them so that the
! sanctity of womanhood shall not be vio-
! lated. In your heart Of hearts you resent
the imputation that the saloon is the poor
| mans club. The poor man has his home
1T is very dangerous business to give
the saloon full power. 1t will sweep away
! all which we hold most dear. If by po-
! litical influence or corruption the saloon
| is permitted to flourish it will sap the
| commonwealth and drag down the loveliest
! hopes to ruin.
| Father Doyle then told of the settlement
| within the confines of the parish of the
| Paulist Fathers. where every effort was
! being made tc counteract the work of the
| saloon. He said that the sum of $1,000
| had already been spent upon the settle
ment house. He said that the decent man
was not a hangeron of the saloon, and
| there was no reason why he should be.
| At the close of the service cards on
which total abstinence pledge was print
| ed were distributed among the congrega-
| ton.