Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-03-15
lcopyright, 1893, ~ Tie Advance Publishing Col
CHAPTER ".

Pursuing the plan he had originally
mapped ont when he came TO Milton,
he spent much Of his time in the after
moons Studying the social and civic life
Of the town As the first Sunday OF
/ the next month drew near. when he
! was TO speak again on the attitude Of
| Christ 10 some aspect Of modern socie-
tv. be determined to select the saloon
as one Of the prominent features Of
modern life that would naturally be
NOTICED by Christ and doubtless he de-
nounced 10y him as a great evil
In his study of the saloon question he
did n thing which he had never done
before. and then only after very much
delibcration and prayer. lie went into
4 the saloons themselves on different oc-
casions He had never done such
thing before lie wanted to know from
actual knowledge what sort of places
the saloons were. What he saw after
a dozen visits to as many different
groggeries added fuel TO the flame of
Indignation that burned already hot in
him The sight of the vast army OF
men turning into beasts in these dens
created In him a loathing and hatred
of the whole Ubiquitous institution that
language failed to express. He won
dered with unspeakable establishment
in his soul that a civilized community
in the nineteenth century would tOler-
ate for one moment the public sale OF
an article that led. on the confession of
society itself TO countless crimes
against the law Of the land and Of God.
His indignant establishment deepcned
vet more, If that were possible, when
he found that the license OF $500 a
year for each saloon was used by the
town TO support the public school sys-
tenn That. To Philips mind. was an
awful sarcasm on Christian civiliza-
ton. 1t seemed to him like selling a
man poison according to law and then
taking the money from the sale TO help
the widow To purchase mourning. II
was full ms CHASTITY as that would be,
lie went to see some Of the other
ministers, hoping to unite them in a
combined attack on the saloon power.
1t seemed To him that if the church as
a whole entered the crusade against
the saloon it could be driven out even
from Milton. where it had been so long
established. 70 his surprise, he found
the other churches unwilling to unite
in a public battle against whisky men.
Several Of the ministers openly de
Tended license as the only practicable
method Of dealing with the saloon. All
of them confessed il was evil. and only
evil but under the circumstances
thought it would do little good to agi-
tate the subject. Philip came away
from several interviews with the min
listers sad and sick at heart.
He approached several Of the promi-
nent men in the town, hoping TO enlist
some of them in the fight against the
rum power. Here he met with an I'M
expected opposition. coming in a form
he had not anticipated. one prominent
citizen said:
MIR. Strong, you will ruin your
chances here if You attack the saloons
in this savage manner. and I'll tell you
why: The whisky men hold a tremen-
dous influence in Milton in the matter
of political power. The city election
comes off the middle Of next month.
The men up for office are dependent
for election on the voL's of the saloon
men and their following. You will cut
your head off sure if you come out
against them i'm public. Why, there's
Mr.. -- and so on Che named half a
dozen mem in your church who are up
for office i'm the coming election. They
can't he elected without the votes Of
the rummies. and they know it. Bet
ter steer clear of it. Mr.. Strong. The
saloon has been a regular thing i'm Mil
ton for over 20 years. 1t is as much a
part Of the town as the churches or
schools. and l tell You 1t is a power"
What" cried Philip. in unbounded
| astonishmcnt, do you tell me. you, a
leading citizen of this town of $4,000
infinite souls. that the saloon power
has its grip TO this extent on the civic
/ and social life of the place, and YOU
| are willing to sit down and let this
| devil Of crime and ruin throttle you
| and not raise finger to eNpel the
monster? Is it possible? II is not in
/ Christian America that such a state Of
affairs in our political life should be
| endured"
Nevertheless" replied the business
man. these are the facts. And You
will simply dash your own life ont
! against q wall of solid rock if You try
to fight this evil. You have my warn
ing"
MAY I not also have your helpF'
cried Philip, hungry of soul for CONE
partnership in the struggle which he
saw was coming.
ct would ruin my business TO come
out against the saloon" replied the
4 man frankly
And what is that?" cried Philip ear
b nestly. 1T has already ruined far
more that ought 10 be dear 90 YOU.
Man. man, what are money and bHsi-
ness compared with your own flesh
J and blood? DO you know where your
Own son was two nights asoG In one