The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27


food. for this department Of the. business
will be entirely his own venture, and TO
his own private purse will accrue all that
can be made out OF it.
FEATURES OF THE REFORM
This slum public has hitherto been un-
Clearly 1t has been place where filthy
language could often be heard, and where
the landlord, who has barely eked out
living. would have every incentive to en-
courage excess and to break those whole
some provisions Of the law which forbid the
selling of liquor to children and drunkards.
But under the Peoples Refreshment House
Association all these features will be
changed. Everything must be scrupulously
clean. The occasional unexpected visit of
an inspector will insure that this rule is
regarded, and also that the atmosphere is
kept as pure as possible morally. and that
none of the restrictive features of the IL
cense laws are broken. Tea, coffee, and
cocoa will be obtainable at all hours and
these, with other temperance beverages.
will be kept to the front in the arrange
ment OF the stock-in-trade. Always, too.
there will be pitchers of good, cool water
on the counter, with glasses at hand, and
the general public will be informed that
All the same though. this house. like the
others managed by this Reform Associa-
ton. will keep in stock every kind of liquor
and beer. and the manager and his bar
maids will serve the same to all corners
who are of proper age and who do not give
evidence of inebrity They will be obliged
to do this. just other publicans are, by
the provisions OF their license.
4
at all, these changes will reduce the con-
sumption OF alcoholic beverages, and this.
L must say. is a point which the experience
Of this association, so far as it has gone,
has not clearly settled. Captain Boehmer
was given every opportunity to assure me
upon this point, but he didn't do it, and
the three reformed houses to which he
referred. which were the first three the
association tackled, were rather against the
theory of reduction than in favor Of IT.
The first was dirty place. and being
frightened up under it's reform manage
ment, It drew more custom. In the second
case the inn taken over by the associa ton
had not been badly conducted before, but
no custom was lost through the change, the
cali for beer and spirits being under reform
government about as it was when run for
profit by a private individual But in the
third case there was falling off. This,
however, not attributed to any abate-
ment of alcoholic craving wrought by the
new form of management, but was due, he
thought, to a more aggressive bid for
patronage on the part of public houses in
the same neighbOrhood that were run on
the old lines. But the movement is per-
haps not far enough along TO permit a clear
judgment upon this point, and meanwhile
it is surely some gain to the cause OF
decency and sobriety to have heightened
management brought to bear upon such
places. to have the law rigidly kept, and
to know that the profits are for the benefit
| of the many in public improvements rather
than for the enrichment of the few.
PROVED BY RESULTS.
One thing, at any rate, has been demon
strated by this new movement, and that is
| that public houses run on the reform basis
can be depended upon to yield both the 5
| per cent. guaranteed to shareholders and
| the per cent which is to be laid by as a
sinking fund. The Peoples Refreshment
| House Association, though ii has been at
| work but four years, is annually meeting
| these drafts, and it still, for two years
past, has had surplus of about $500 a
year for distribution to the public One Of
| the principles upon which these profits
are distributed is that they must never
| relieve local taxation, but must be given
| 10 objects which are desirable, but which
still are beyond the province of either rates
| or taxes. How far this rule has been OBJ
| served and how widely varied are the local
| improvements made possible under this new
plan of running the saloons for the benefit
| of the public-of these things the reader
may judge from the following appropria-
! tons for single year: Improved water
supply, S55; erection of fountain, $50; for
| district nurse, $50; clothing club, nursing
fund and village green, $55; Mutual I'm
| provement Association, infrmary, flower
show and foal show. $780, village reading
room, SIS; school fund, s25. These sums
were given. Of course. in different places
and the aim Is to benefit every locality
where this association is engaged in the
| liquor business in about the ratio in which
that particular neighborhood gives their
business a paying support.
But eighteen reformed houses in the
whole of Great Britain-what small part
| of the great mass of such places and how
slow the progress since the movement be-
| gan in 1885, True enough, and If the flu
ture development were still left entirely
ISOLATION the situation and prospects would
| hardly warrant your correspondent in so
| fully describing them. But recently there
has been marvellous increase Of interest
New names OF the highest distinction are
being enrolled, and unlimited capital is Of
fering. The reform indeed seems Just now
TO be gathering TO itself a large share of
the social and financial strength of the
| Nation.
THE PUBLIC-HOUSE TRUST
With this quickening of interest a new
organization has come into being called
the Public House Trust Company The
aims of this do not differ from those of the
older society, and it's plans of operation
will be the same. But the Peoples Re-
| freshment House Association while doing
| good enough work on limited scale
/ showed no signs OF organic multiplied ton
/ From its headquarters in London 1t looked
| out over the whole Kingdom and tried from
/ this center to meet all the needs of the
/ case, whereas the Public House Trust Com
| pany will only inspire and direct the move
ment from London; the management and
] local propaganda will be in the counties and
large towns. II is hoped that before long
every county and borough will have its
own Public House Trust Company Twenty
OF these are already formed and getting
ready for work though the new movement
Is scarcely year old. 1t is happy fact