The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-25
A MORAL WAVE IS ON.
The City Council Backed Up by the
Churches
An Saloons Voluntarily Closed Yesterday.
Mass Meeting Endorsed from Every
Y PuIpit--Scrrnon by Rev. Riley.

Ut is very uoubtful that the eight alder
men Of the city council when they voted
q close the gambling houses, imagined
hat they were going TO set on foot such
moral crusade as that to which their
action has given Impetus.
The reform movement was referred TO
either directly or Indirectly in nearly every
pulpit in the city yesterday, ali OF the
ministers taking occasion TO announce aud
lndorse the citizens mass meeting called for
tonight at the Milby & Dow hall. to In.
Horse the action Of the council In closing
The gambling houses.
The action of the council seems also
to have strengthened the Influence OF the
anti-liquor league. MS every saloon IN Hous-
ton voluntarily closed It's doors yester-
day and kept them closed between the
aonrs of a. M. and y. IN.
~
While all OF the ministers preached ser
mons the texts Of which bore more or less
directly upon tho reformed conditions. Rcy
H. II. Riley, pastor Of the First Bap.
list church, preached sermon that wns
not capable OF aay misunderstanding. He
said the Ministers association had decided
10 hold up the hands of the city council
its effort 10 stamp out vice In uous
on, and that the citizens mass meeting
Monday night would be another move Ia
.his direction. The best sentiment of the
elty, said he, which had been dormant
Tor some time, Is now thoroughly aroused
and tho evil doors had better stand from
Indcr.
He took for his text Jonah l. .. arise,
20 TO Nineoch that great city, and cry
against 1t: for their wlckcdncss is come
up before me-"
He referred to the examples In the Bible
oil the destruction of cities for their vice
and wlckcdness NHtiunai capitals as n
rule are the ccnters of vice and iniqulty
because the centers of political power and
politics and vice are twin sisters.
He referred TO the causes TINT led to the
growth Of cities and the influence that all
large cities exercise upon the surround
Ing country.
Wealth, large Institutions, manufactures,
schools, churches, libraries. gldcd saloons
and gambling dens serve to draw people
TO the cities. once within the city The
people iall into two general classes yirtn
GUS and Vicious. Thousands engage in lc-
Ultimate pursuits while other thousands
pursue the opposite course. Dsnppoiut
mcnts. depression. Illness and want, to say
nothing of n tendency Ia Yield to tcmpta-
ton, are the causes that lead the people
into the maelstroin Of the salonus and the
gambling houses. These Vices become
holder, and holder. no tho ylrtuous clnss
there comes no suggestions Of demorali-
walton. hegenerscy and crime until II be-
gins dehantly to show Itself ON the other
nand. true To it's genius, wickedncss, tho
. Dnrent OF lawleSsneSs, iniquty and crime.
wakes stronger and holder. IL VIII on.
eroach upon law and order Just SO far aE
! dares, and IN proportion to the indifter.
encc OF the better element. The better
class goes about It's work ono 10 his mer-
'handse, another TO his office. another TO
aus shop anu are naturally transporting.
This very Indifference cmhudcns the In ".
less element 10 prosecute lts ucfnrinus pur-
noses. by degrees tho lawlcss element dc
rives its inspiration from the saloon, socks
% get ltS grip upon whatever means viii
unre 10 It's success
The. direct aim Of every suloon In every
american city Is to get control Of the
Ely government, hence IN the ereatest
hitlfS Is found tho greatest mSnnnagc
mem Of affairs. In thiS New York Is u
shining example Tho saloon Is today Tho
nnlentiest factor IN American politics. It
Is me most defiant menace to American
BY means of midnight cliqucs aud con-
clavcs IL concocts It's plans for fastening
an Incubus upon n community in order
that II ma. dcbauch It's citizens and rem
q harvest from its criminal procedure
These ubiquitous dens are now controlling
affairs In Houston. They dchauch our
citizens. They grow fat unon their politl-
en- influence and when they succeed In
electing n candidate to office, thosr ihoy
elect are bound TO indulge them I'm hcl6.
Ing them to satate tfhr greed for fnr-
ther political power. What striking II.
lustration of this official Standardization was
round IN the answer OF the chief Of police
q few days ago when asa ID hv a reporter
honl he Intended keeping The gamblus
II would have. closed them long ago IL
bad known the people wanted IL.
ms IL what we get for suffering this
monstrance. The better class Of neoplc
nrc entirely too absorbed In their priynte
MARS nmairs and they lose corrcspondlngy that
Pubic anairs. But the vicious are never
asleep. 1t behooyes them TO always be
nctiyn In public affairs, thus thrlvcs their
business. IL Is one of the strongest and
most formidable organizations I'm thc
world--the saloonists
since our mothers and wives are the
Erehtest sufferers II Is - wonder that I'm
certain sections the women are tnktne tho
in,untiye In this crusade against vice.
eve inc saloons an inch and they viii
as elsewhere that they become defiant of
INV, override dceency and morals and
c con- pphtles 9t the city fall under the
Dirrs. Jail birds and rufnaus.
lhey openly violate the law ana only n
INV r1 nnss aso LIQUOR was, publicly sold
pretenSe OF serving MS.h
ni oh sundays IN the very face Of the
Ssns ne ss,s stat ,h the saloons, dives aud
were seni,clvillzed community. WIS
ininnitye se nisgal Dives and cesspools or
81 civilized moral life. Here within these
sums are fcstcred and reared the criminal
.,,.S'n .iu ihusNts tnat ufnct society
1nu SAP the foundations OF onr clerisscS
iin NIL, nome. school, church. Wa
JUN hnu maintain schools; we found md
snss.er cnnrches; and at the same tlmc
.ermn e. ~ shocking lawiessness that un-
There ore hrutes In this town. and
from attending church for fear tl,ov MI,
business. y p''Suu'Niai 70 thelr
But 50 long as the better class ~ ain.
IIehs remain Indifferent 10 nmbllc wnai
9ust 20 long do they encourace tba ,nstn
tshance OF these fetid Stronghold ~ hrJn,n
tnat SEND forth a reeklngl stencil ~ , ,n''
tamlnate and ruin our Young and ,,.aar,i
nnuermine our society ot""'
- great foreign dfplomat ,n,., saty,
tnis country, and truly too: ar shi,s,,', ~
shohid ever befall your conntrv thp ',nn
upon which II Will splir will 10 Vow NJ , Lovh
tivu 70 Your private interests "a ~, "Ns ~,
pelsc OK Your duty 20 fho State - : wy 'N-
~ Hes easily within sbe mower 90 a.,
prvple OF thls goodiy city fn chaar ~ IA
stump out theze ylcions infinenpas ~, Hnu
Hcea not wonder at tile growth AZ $3.50. = !,
anu crime SO long as we ar,. inai'ra,.s',.,. Stss
Eternal vigilance Is the pr..s "a -,td,..
tohay, lust as much as Il WINS ,yben I'M,
fruIfm was brst uttered ''A 'uis
houston, Is destined 70 bes,ona IN ,.....
eet CITY. OF this entire Soufhwestnre s.a,,,
try. hut commensurate with ia erouth LIN
PC rs cfiminaiity, n not checked. "'''
~
IL line VITA the spirit Of reform no,,
asserting iisclf, the following reso,n,ions