Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-31
TEMPERANCE REPORT VOTED DOWN.
1t Strongly Scored President Mckinley on
the Anti -Canteen Law.

1t Strongly Scored President Mckinley on
the Anti-Canteen Law.
Philadelphia Ledger special
Chicago, ILL.,, May 2e. Tho General
Conference was ina humble and sub.
dued frame of mind this morning. The
proceedings of Saturday were recalled
with humiliation and shame. Few
except the most extreme approved Of
the COURSE which had been taken re-
garding the amusement question. More
than one delegate was Of the opinion
that thore is infinitely less harm in
going to the theatre than attending
such u session as the one on Saturday.
Even the dance Is less harmful than to
strut up and down platform in unholy
anger. So when the vote was an
nounoed which declared that the amuse-
ment paragraph should remain in the
Discipline, DIR. Buckley moved that the
report be laid on the table. To the
Rmazement of the conference this was
DONE The same men who were yelling
at the top Of their voices on Saturday
now voted just the other way. The
report, therefore, was tabled. So para
graph 248 remains, hut it is practically
killed. As one delegate expressed it,
1.-THE amusement paragraph is dead,
hut its funeral has been postponed, that
is all.,' Perhaps it ia just as we'll,
when the church at large sees the stand
ing and rank of the men who desired
this change, and compares their
speeches with thoae Of the other side,
| there will be no question concerning
the result. Reforms never go back
ward. but sometimes they go sideways.
1t was in this chastened, repentant
mood that the conference listened to
the long looked for temperance report.
Mr.. Dfckie read this document, which
scored the .President of theS United
States, and had lots Of hard things te
say about the anti-canteen law. A
minority report was presented by DR.. j:
q. Price Of New York, which eliminated
all reference to Nj. Mckinley anG
made such notifications as appealed tt
the better judgment of the conference,
Then followed an exciting debate
speakers WAS quite marked. Strange
how incorporate some temperance
speeches are /! 1t would seem sometime!
as if blind, obstinate prejudice pro
duced sort of mental intoxication
One young brother from somewhere ou
West specially distinguished himself
He yelled in splendid fern. He threw
himself into various attitudes. III,
shook his fist at the ceiling and prancet
all over the platform. The longer h
talked the more absurd he became
both in speech and act. One Or tw,
others followed, but there was a feelin,
in the conference that such exhibition
we're not worth the price of admission
DIR. Bristol, Mr.. McISinley's pastor, de
Tended the President in an eloquen
and effective speech.
Said Chief Justice Lore; II an
heartily in favor Of tie minority report
The majority report is historical
inaccurate. President Mckinley
blamed for nullifioaton of law. The
yoa praise Secretary Long fer keepin
4 liquor out of the. navy Don't 70
know that was an act fof Mckinley?
served four years in Congress with MI
Mckinley and was opposed to him, an
:, do not agree with his present POLICY
but / loved his elemental manhood. H
was one of the purest and best mon il
the Forty eighth and Forty. Con
gress. was proud OF this conferenc
until Saturday, when it was oonverte
into a bowling mob. Let him that
, without sin cast the first stone. -
The Rev. Frank R. Lynch of Phila
delphia said il was not question {
! principle, but of method and expres
sion, and whether tine conference shout
use incorporate language or wise at
statesmaniike terms
, At the proper time Or. Buckley &c
9 the floor with an amendment so cart
fully drawn, and with such force di
, he present il, that it was Instant
! accepted, by the committee of tt
. minority, and when presented to til
conference adopted by an overwholmin
. majority.
The Methodist Church is anti-salooi
: anti-canteen, anti-intemEerance
every form, but it is not willing
y hand its conscience and Judgment ov,
g to little comrany Of extremists, wi
! frequently mean well, hut more fir,
9 auently do more harm than good.
y We are now approaching the eut
/ Three sessions today mean adjourn
9 ment tomorrow Reports of warrior
forms and Dimensions are being grour
n out like berries in coffee mill. Mar
Q of the delegates are wrapping up the
9 undelivered speeches in mourniI
!. paper. Others more wisely are tearir
them up. Nice little boonis, from whit
Q much was expected. have gone dow
y the drainage canal. Tomorrow ell wi
9 he rush and confusion. ia
W. HHl-