The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-16
Taking Pains to Be Wrong.

Taxing PAINS TO be wrong.
The action of the general conference
of the Methodist Episcopal church on
the army canteen is severe reflection
upon its intelligence and sincerity. 1t
IL the same sort Of folly that is seen In
many a municipal campaign. when we'll
meaning people join hands with the
dregs Of the city to oppose decency and
order because they cannot obtain rati-
ficatIon of their own extreme views. AS
Gov. Roosevelt has said there is no
greater enemy Of good government than
the so-called "reformer," who considers
that his way is the only way. and that
nobody who differs from him can posi-
bly, be disinterested or right.
In the first place. it is something of
an assumption for a convention of cler-
gymen and business men to refer to an
opinion Of the attorney general of the
United States as 'puerile and absurd"
because 1t does not happen to coincide
with their particular wishes. The public
will continue to think that the chief law
officer of the government is better
Judge of the meaning and intent of
law than the members OF any church
convention can possibly be. In the Sec
ond place. fairness is outraged by the
reflection upon President Mckinley for
recognizing that opinion as having bind
ing force. No more amazing assertion
could be made than that the president
is a higher legal authority than his at
torney general; and that he should sub
stitute his own opinions for those Of his
legal adviser, emanating from the
source especially designated 10 inter-
pref the meaning Of the statutes. This
part Of the conferences action points
Enthusiastically to partisan suggestion.
leaning too successfully upon unthink-
ing prejudice.
on the practical question the confer
ence again took pains to be wrong: TO
set an abstract theory above established
and convincing facts; TO hold a name in
more deadly adherence than the thing
which the name is supposed to repre-
sent; to choose the encouragement of
vice rather than TO yield impracticable
notions TO practical facts. There is no
mystery ana no manner OF doubt about
the value Of the army canteen. We
| know what the condition Of the army
| with reference 10 drinking and drunk
| enness was before its introduction We
| know what Il Is now. We have the
| conserving testimony Of all who are IA.
| miliar with the facts and interested in
| the soldiers welfare. From one aud all.
| commanding officers who have wrestled
| Intellectually with the drink habit in the
| ranks for years. private soldiers army
chaplains, comes the same report All
| are united In declaring the splendid re-
! founatory work Of the caR.een system.
| the change for the better that IL has
| wrought la the habits OF the men it,
| effects in decreasing intemperance AMI
promoting morality. Because It does
these thiugs but does not wave a banner
inscribed prohibition" 1t Is denounced
in terms that do not SAVIOR OF either
| temperance or Judgment.
Real refonmers have labored with pa
ticuce for years against the extremists
who would have the impossible or MOTH
ing That is a part OF their burden and
their disbursement: that they must
see their natural allies arrayed more
than half the time on the SIDE OF the
enemy, holding up the hands Of the
evils that corrupt society because their
ideas as TO methods happen to be i'm
possible, 1t is not often. however, that
| these impracticable persons take the