The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27
A Serious Effort TO Apply In England
Modified Form of the Plans i'm
Vogue in Norway and Sweden.
A NOVEL, DARING DEPARTURE
REFORMERS THEMSELVES ENGAGE
IN TIE SELLING OF LIQUORS,
But the Managers of Public Houses
tails of the Proposed Scheme.
,orre.nonaenoe Of the 1ndIanapoIls journal.

Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
LONDON, oct. IA most unheard-ot
thing-some OF the best people in the coun<
try really Christian people. including
bishops. lords, professional men and emf
nent philanthropists. astounded and dis
tracted by the problem of the liquor traffic
that they are actually trying now to lessen
the evils of this business by going into it
themselves" This was a remark shot out
last Sunday. with raised eyebrows and a
look OF horror, by DR.. John Clifford, whose
prominence in London a Nonconformist
preacher is almost equal TO that Of Dr.
Joseph Parker But Dr. Clifford horror
stricken as he seemed at this new depart
ure. didn't really condemn il. He seemed
rather to hold that intemperance and the
saloon had grown to such amazing strength
in England that a real well-wisher of his
kind might well look tolerantly upon any
effort to lessen these forces, however mis-
guided that effort might seem, hoping fo-
good even out Of what he might think evil,
and still hoping even against hope. This,
too, is largely the attitude toward this dar-
ing movement of other advanced champions
OF intemperance, including most of the
large temperance societies. What is known
as the Church Of England Temperance So
ciety is so little hostile that il publishes the
literature of these public house reformers.
Not. however. with Endorsement, for 1t is
careful to say that its attitude toward the
scheme of reforming the drink traffic by
engaging in it lis one simply of interested
watchfulness and benevolent neutrality"
Meanwhile, however, the movement gains
Roadway. and is. small scale, so far
beyond the merely experimental stage that
it deserves interested watchfuness from
all classes; no less from those who uphold
the liquor business than from those seek
ing to stop or limit il.
The first serious effort to apply in Eng
land a modified form of the systems of
n rway and Sweden was made in the
house of Commons in 1877. This was pro-
posal to put the traffic entirely in the con-
troll OF the municipalities. It's author was
Joseph Chamberlain. who, whatever ne
may have become since was then a re-
former of the first water. Failure met this
first effort to reform the traffic by Iegis-
lation, and the same fate overlook a bill
introduced in 1893 by the Bishop of Chester
This. had it passed, would have author
fed local companies to acquire all the
licenses within their own districts with a
view to conducting the business on i'm
proved methods. But 1t didn't pass, and
efforts at legislation met such overwhelm-
ing encouragement that they were aban-
doned. Evidently what was done would
have to be done under the laws as they
were. This conclusion led in 1896 to the
organization OF the Peoples Refreshment
House Association. a society which now
has eighteen public houses under it's con-
troll. Its president is the Bishop of Ches-
army man. Maj. II. ]. Craufurd, who. in
his army experiences. had been so i'm
pressed with the well-managed canteen as
a promoter of sobreity that he was deter
mined if possible. to try what effect good
management would have in reforming pub
lie houses
BASIS OF THE PLAN.
Since an army officer originated this
movement, ii seems not inappropriate that
another OF this ilk. Capt. F. c. Boehmer.
should be it's secretary. In Broadway
Chambers. Westminster, one finds the in
teresting center from which, under the
patronage OF the Bishop OF Chester, Capt.
Boehmer as ne smokes his pipe with true
English assiduity, directs the operations OF
eighteen drinking saloons. Excepting in
their management. these places are just
like the 10000 other public houses in Great
Britain. Even their names are character
istic One doesn't. it is true, find amongst
them THE Silent Woman" although this
name. illustrated by woman with her
head off, adOrns the front OF more than one
English drinking place. But in the Bishop
OF Chester's list of licensed houses one does
find The Mermaid" the Dog and Dou-
blet'' and the Green Man." the latter be-
ing common and suggestive as the
name of a barrOom that it has been a stand
ing jest at English temperance meetings
from time immemorial These eighteen re-
formed publics are widely scattered Mostly
they are I'm villages and hamlets. NO"
said Captain BOehmer, we've no foOthold
in London yet. but we're just getting one
It's dirty public house in one Of the slum
districts. We shall try 10 make il re-
spectacle. but shall no doubt have hard
work until he neighbOrhOOd is cleaned up.
We didn't seek this place; it was offered
20 us. With other property in that slum
section. il has been bought by the Elec-
tricaI Supply Company. Soon they will re-
build on large scale, and in improv-
ing the street they want our help as man.
ayers Of this public house"
General principles can be best explained
by particular examples. and TO show how,
I'm its management OF public houses, the
Peoples Rcfreshment House Association is
aiming to raise the standard of sobriety
and promote temperance. one can do no
better than indicate what Will happen when
the association begins work al that dirty
public house in one of the slum districts OF
London. This forecast Will be based, not
only upon their published plan, but upon
what they have actually brought 10 pass
elsewhere The capital employed can never
get "A return of more than per cent, no
matter how great the profits are. After
that the next per cent. is applied on the
principal and reserve fund against
wear and tear. and beyond that whatever
is made will be- used for the social and
educational benefit OF the locality. This
makes IL certain that outside of "a reason
able return upon money invested. in
diyiduals will profit from this venture. but
thai the community in general Will get the
profits. This drinking place will be man
aged By a man who will have no interest
whatever in pushing the sale or alcoholic