Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-02-01
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
Pursuinc the plan he had originally
mapped out when he came to Milton,
ht 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
Thirst to some aspect OF modern Socic-
ly he determined to select the saloon
rs one Of the prominent features of
modern life that would naturally be
notl,cd by Christ end doubtless be de-
nouucCd by him as a great evil.
In his study of the saloon question he
did a thing which he had never done
before. and then only after very much
dcl.bcration and prayer. He went into
the saloons themselves on different oc-
caSion. He had never done such
thing before. He wanted to know from
actual knowledge what sort of places
the saloons were. What he saw after
a dozen visits to as many different
grOggclicS 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 dcnS
created in him IA loathinG ami Il hatred
Of the whole iniquitous institution that
language failed TO express. He Won
dcrcd with unSpcakablc establishment
in his soul that Il 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 dccpcncd
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-
TEN. That, to Philips mind, was an
awful sarcasm on Christian civilian
ton. It 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. 1t
was full as cha>tly as that would he.
He went to see some of the other
ministers. hoping TO unite them in a
combined attack on the saloon power.
]
II whole entered the crusade against
the saloon it could be driven out even
from Milton, where it had been 50 long
established. To 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 rs the only practicable
method of dealing with the saloon. Al
Of them confessed il was evil, and only
pyil. but under the circumstances
thought it would do little good to agi-
tate the subject. Philip came away
rom several interviews with the min
stcrs sad and sick at heart.
lie approached several of the promi-
ncnt men in the town. hoping 10 enlist
come Of them in the fight against the
rum power Here he met with an I'M
rHpcctcd opposition, coming in a form
bc had not anticipated. One prominent
citizen said:
Mr.. Strong, you will ruin your
,hancos here If YOU attack the saloons
n this savage manner. and I'll tell you
why: The whisky men hold n trcmcn-
douS influence in Milton in The matter
Of political power. The city election
comes OF the middle of next month.
The mon up for office are dependent
for election on the votes of the saloon
men and their following. You will cut
your head off sure if you come out
against them in public. Why, there's
Mr.. - and SO on Che named half a
dozen mem in your church who are up
FOR office 10 the coming election. They
can't be elected without the votes of
the runnics, and they know it. Bet
ter steer clear of il. Mr.. Strong. The
saloon has been Il regular thing in Mil
ton for over 30 years. II is as much a
part of the town as the churches or
schools, and tell You it is "A power"
what" cried Philip, in unboundcd
astonishmcnt "do YOU tell me, You, a
leading citizen of this town Of 10000
Infinite souls, that the saloon power
has its grip to this extent on the civic
md social life of thc place, and you
are willing TO sit down and let this
devil of crime and ruin throttle YOU
and not raise a finger TO eXpcl the
monster? Is II possible? It is not in
Christian America that such state of
affairs in our political life should be
endured
Nevertheless, replied the business
man, "thcse are the facts. And You
will simply dash your own life out
against wall of solid rock if you try
to fight this evil. You have my warn
Ing"
"May not also have your help
cried Philip, hungry Of soul for com
panionship in the struggle which 1t
saw was coming.
at would ruin my business TO come
out against the saloon" replied the
man frankly.
and what IL that?" cried Philip ear
nestly. at has already ruined fan
more that ought to be dear to you
Man, man, what are money and bust
ness compared with your own iesl
and blood? DO you know where youl
own son was two nights ago? In on,