The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-11
PREACHERS PLAIN TALK
LIQUOR TRAFFIC. DENOUNCED BY
REV. G. G. ROwLINSON.
strong Arrangement of the Saloon
Last Night by Third Christian
Church Pastor.

1.-THE Problem of the Liquor Traffic" is
the general subject OF series OF three
Sunday evening sermons to be delivered
by Rev. Carlos C. Rowlison, pastor of the
Third Christian Church. Last nights dis
course was the first of the series. with a
special title of Charges Against the
Liquor Traffic" Mr.. Rowlison announced
that he intended to be very conservative in
his remarks, since he realized that it was
possible to be too radical. even in discus
sing the liquor question. However. he
made some startling statements in his SER
mon and at times his utterances created
something of a sensation. The charges
against the liquor business are: ut has
never made man a better moral man; it
has never made a man healthier: Ii is OPEN
ly opposed to the church; 1t produces moth
ing intellectual or material of value; Ii is
an utter waste; 1t is allied with every
form of vice and almost every violation of
law-theft, murder, gambling, the house Of
ill-fame. the low theater, beer gardens and
wiEerooms, which are but other names for
hell; ii is in closest alliance with every
political machine for defrauding the peo-
pie of their rights; it fills our courts with
lawsuits and our jails with prisoners; it
supplies convicts for our penitentiaries; our
insane asylums with patients; our homes
with imbeciles; it is more effective than all
other causes combined in producing
paupers; 1t is the great moral, social, and
physical cesspool of our country. 1t is
more sinking than a pigpen: 1t is more
repulsive than smallpox or leprosy; it is
more hideous than deaths heads; 1t is more
fatal than yellow fever. The law every
where recognizes 1t as a menace to the
community, and hence requires that 1t be
kept under restraint
Mr.. Rowlison said that there is in many
quarters a commendable sentiment against
the Incorporate use of liquor, and yet the
frequent spectacle of beer wagons stopping
in front Of residences tends to break down
and destroy this sentiment. He referred
to such novels as David Harum." which
makes 1T out to be the decent thing to be a
tippler, or at least to take wine at meals.
In referring to the widespread movement
against. excessive drinking in the United
States, the minister quoted an uttcrance of
Professor David Starr Jordan, whom he
stated no one would suspect of being an
ardent Prohibitionist. to the effect that few
business houses, factories or railroads
would employ drinking men nowadays.
In support of his declaration that the
liquor traffic supplies convicts for peniten-
tiaries. Mr.. Rowlinson cited some interest
ing statistics from Iowa, where he formerly
resided. During Governor Larrabee's ad-
ministration. from 1886 to 1889. when the
Prohibition law was in operation, the popu-
lation of the two penitentiaries shrank
from 900 to 600. Governor Boise's admins
tration, which followed, was characterized
by wide open' policy, and in the ten
years from 1889 to 1899 the striped clothes"
population grew in numbers to 1,4OO. In
the three years of Larrabee's administra-
ton costs in criminal cases decreased an
average of 100000 year. while they in
creased at the rate of $l53S94.E year dur.
ing Boies's term of office.
The speaker discussed some of the rea-
sons given by liquor men to prove that
their business is proper. They declare that
1t pays taxes and paves streets. Opposed
to this, Mr.. Rowlison cited the triangle
Erie & Western Railroad and the Belt
Railroad, where there are at least fifteen
saloons and noteworthy absence OF
paved streets as compared with the fash
ionable residence districts Of the city which
contain few saloons. Another argument
for the traffic Is that it employs labor.
In opposition to this Mr.. Rowlinson gave
some figures concerning industries in
Rochester, N. Y. In that city the brew
cries have an investment of $6455,000 en-
ploy 434 men and pay wages amounting
to $685., 900; the clothing stores and factor
les have capital amounting to $6.150,00O. en-
1872 men and pay out 81, 56l. 900 in wages.
and the boot and shoe merchants and
manufacturers, with $S.2S1,000 invested in
their business, employ 1858 men. to whom
they pay In wages the sum of $2.03l. 900.
Mr.. Rowlinson closed with a vigorous de-
nuncation of the open sale Of liquor in
Tomlinson Hall during the Democratic
state convention last week, the sale of
intoxicants on Sundays End holidays. and
intanded
do with these facts. A pleasing feature of
the services was the singing of the large
choir. headed by Messrs. Fassett A. Cot
ton and Charles r. Kennedy.