The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-11-02
w. C, T. U. COLUMN
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS.
Our Wine Drinking President.


ant church, in an editorial on our
wine drinking resident has this %
say:
William Mckinley, as President
Of the United states. has a character
to maintain which is becoming 10
the official position which he occu-
pies. There is d character which
accords with the position Of Pres-
dent Of the United States which be
must maintain or else bring re-
proach upon the Office and the peo-
pie whose government he repre-
sents. Mr.. Mckinley il also
member ia good standing in one uf
the great and influential churches
lof the nation. AS a Christian and
member cf the church of Christ
he also has q character to maintain
which is becoming to them. And,
further, his character as President
of the United States must not be
made TO conflict with his character
as a moral man and a Christian.
Being in the public eye bis character
must be made to harmonic through
out, and always on the side Of the
dignities of his office both as pres
ident oil a Christian nation and as a
member of the Christian church.
If he fails voluntarily in either re-
'spect, his conduct j. legitimate
Subject fer adverse criticism. Be-
cause n man is president is no rca-
son why he should not be criticised
for lending his influence against
Christian ethics and public morals
Now Just here Is where we feel
/, that President Mckinley has been
caught nodding. Neither a presi-
dent nor as Christian has his in
) iluence been against the liquor
, power or the drinking habits Of the
! ecountry. Rather has it been on the
/ tother side. The position OF tie
{ flpresident in the matter OF the anti
3 canteen law is we'll known and
( needs not to be repeated here. But
! the attitude of the president has
e emphasis from his associations and
his relations to the social uses OF
liquor on his recent western trip.
I'VE have before us letter from Rev.
i Miss Starr, of Ohio, H., which
I gives facts which, TO us, seem in
, consistent with character becom-
: ting a president and a Christian.
i Miss Starr says:
: 81 was in Peoria few years ago,
and know il to be fact that Presl-
Q dent Mckinley was entertained at
: the home of Mr.. Greenhut, and
!. know ii to be a fact that President
y Mckinley was acquainted with Mr..
. Greenhut, and knew his business
h before coming to Peoria and accept
n ing entertainment in his home.
e One Of the leading Republicans Of
! Peoria, man VINO has served in
h the legislature, and an internal rev.
l. enue collector, wrote to Senator
e Cullom, Of the presidential party,
10 urging that the President should
: not stop with Mr.. Greenhut, be-
,e cause it would be against him in
% the coming campaign, but his pro-
= test was not regarded. Mr.. Green
hut is not only millionaire liquor
dealer, but he is president Of the
Liquor Trust Of the United States
and President Mckinley was aware
of the fact, having known Mr..
Greenhut for several years.
; Mr.. Greenhut is reported to have
spent $4,000 in decorating his
house for the occasion. In keep
ing with the attitude Of the presi-
dent in this matter was the pub
lished statement that, on the follow
: ing Monday evening at the banquet
in the auditorium in Chicago, Mr..
Mckinley "allowed his glass to he
filled time after time, from the bot
ties Of the walters, who, according
to the menu card, were distributing
'sauterine,' 'claret, champagne
and liquors, he in the meantime
emptying il as often.
Now all this is apart from policies
OF expansion or contraction or any
other kind Of policy, except the pol.
icy Of maintaining charactorwhit h
is becoming to Christian president
OF the United States. 1t is not
worth while TO interpose social usage
in extenuation, for wines and liq-
uors were banished from the White
House during President Hayes nd.
mnistration, and Gen. Grant trav-
eIed around the world and was dined
and banqueted by the aristocracie
Of the world, and yet he had the
courage ever to turn down his glass
to social usage. 1t would be well
for the president Of the Il. :. to re-
. member that il IL more important to
: maintain Christian character than 70