The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-12-12
MODERN ATTACK OF SALOON.
New Methods should He Employed to
Dreak Its Hold Upon the cemnsun-
tiles Where 1t Ii EBtrenched.

The only true basis Of reform is a
thorough understanding of actual con-
ditions. 10 lead u successful assault
on the camp OF an enemy, one must
know exactly the number and character
of the fortified tions, the source Of
supply, and the secret of its strength.
In our efforts to diminish he evils aris-
ing from mintemperance, and to dislodge
the saloon as it exists incur American
cities, it is necessary to know precise
ly how it has obtained and continues
to hold the patronage OF SO large
number of the population.
In 1895, an investigation in the city
of Boston estimated that about 225.-
900 people daily visited the saloons in
that city, or approximately ;0per cent.
of the entire populations. A still more
recent inquiry in Chicago fixed he daily
patronage in the saloons Of that city
at something over 100000, or over so
per cent. OF the population. The qnes-
tion to be carefully considered is:
Why does one ont of every two persons
il these cities visit the saloon:
Close investigation has revealed that
the saloon has entrenchcd itself firmly
in the total Of the life Of the com
muni,y and ministers 10 many desires
besides he thirst for drink. The
American saloon to-day is not only
drinking place. 1t is a social IchdeZ-
vous. The center for gossip and fellow
ship for many Of It's patrons. /, fills
the place of the club Of the rich man.
1t is Il political headquarters. as many
saloons openly advertise by their
names. 1t is the only restaurant which
thousands Of workingmtn ever frc-
qucnt- and ny its free meals offers ire.
sistible attractions for many who 9TH
crwise wot.ld not enter. !, iSan amuse'
mcnt center and offers the baseball
scores. The pnsilistie news and vaude-
vile rntertailiment, all free of charge.
1t is a labor bureau. post office. some'
times even a lodging house and always
conyenicn, place TO spend u hall hour
and TO meet ones friends.
The literature descriptive OF this
aspect Of he iiqn"r4nrstinn is scompar-
a,ivtly recent. Readers may recall an
article in late number Of The Out
look. on "Why Wnrkingmrn Drink
This vivid narrative clearly sets forth
the iirm hold of the saloon on working
people. Prof Nykoff's "fhe Workers"
and the last volume Of he Committee
of Fifty on "SuhS,i,ules for he Sa'
looms" are other contributions in
which w aspect Of The saloon is set
forth The conclusion to which these
invt stieulious all" point is hat he
saloon can never be dislodg"d until
other methods are devised for supply.
ing the varied opportunities Of the sa-
loon. Places OF popular amusement.
reading rooms. cheap lunch rooms.
model lodging houses. clubs and gym.
nasiums al! these nsed to be provided,
free Of COS, OF at normal rates, for he
working people, without he drunk. BY
this means Ihc great hold which the
saloon now has On The affect ions and
loyalty of he people will bc weakened,
aud be s;l.nru il self can either be ban.
i>htd entirely or its capacity for harm
greatly diminished.
In this work Of proviGing social at.
fractions for the people as rivals to the
sa,oon, the Wnman's Christian Tenn.
pclance tuser can be of the greatest
assistance. ReaIiny.roonis~ be
opened along our streets; fve-cent
lunch rooms can be operated in The Vi
cinity of factories. club rooms can be
offered to labor unions at very low
rates, gymnasiums for young men can
be opened at small cost, aud Will never
fail to be filed. lnthese and kindred
ways an attack will be made on ,hf sa.
loon at a most vulnerable point. In
closing this article. reference viii be
made to the experience Of u union in
Denver, which succeeded Ivy this
means in closing two saloons, which
were having most harmful influence.
tuence.
Some six or seven years ago the
street railway company built 'argc
barn in the Fifteenth ward As here !
"S'F hSuhliN III ~ uAihbN' VI 'hV
employees of the company in ard about
the barn. tn" liquor men lost no time
in locating two saloons ahh u pool
room. just across The street, Thr in.
Nitable results followed, and com.
plants were common TegFding lie
law'essncss Of the reishboi hood. In
1896 the Woman's Christian Temper
ancc union applied 10 the supc,lnt-nd-
ent Of the railway company fora room
in he car baSn. in which to establish
a rcadiug-r"om; This the snpcrnterd
cut gladly furnished them free OF
charge. Al The present time tihrcc
years Iater) one of the saloons has gone
out of business. and the other has
scarcely half the patronage that II
once haH. The ma iority Of the railway
employees spend the most Of their
spare time in he rsadng.roon; wbi!e
the gang that once ierrorHcd he
neighbolhood has melted Rawnr.
This is only one illustration Of what |
may be done by this method. viii not
many morc unions join in This modern
attack upon the saioon?- Raymond |
Calkins, in Union Signal.
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