The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
Temperance.

/
The performances of certain ladies Of
| the sect of teetotalism. which have re-
Gently taken place in Wichita, Kansas.
move the thoughtful observer to various
reflections. AS readers of the newspapers
| know. one Mrs. Carrie Nation. with a
small following of women belonging to
| the Woman's Christian Temperance tprop-
| erly Total Abstinence) Union. has been
engaged in smashing the property of sa
loon keepers in that town. The methods
of these ladies are what might be called
violent. They go forth armed with ham
mers and brickbats. and not only invade
the premises of the saloon keeper. break
bottles and glasses, and spill his entire
stock of liquor, but demolish his plate
glass windows, mirrors, and other furni-
ture things which the ordinary person
does not consider it crime to have
Hitherto they have refrained from attack
ing the person Of the saloon keeper and
bartenders, but it is difficult to see why.
If it is right for them to destroy mani
mate property which they consider to be
breaking the law, it may be right. for all
that anybody knows, for them to break
the head of the saloon keeper or his neck
in pursuance of their work of advancing
the cause of temperance.
The saloon keepers have hitherto en-
6ured the onslaughts of these crusaders
with exemplary meekness and self-re-
straint. Undoubtedly, if any man came
into such place with club, and pro-
ceeded TO destroy property, he would run
the risk of getting badly mauled, and sub
sequently put in Jail; but even the
toughest bartenders hesitate to take a
woman by the shoulders and put her out
of the door. The question is, whether this
forbearance would extend to non-resist-
ance IL Infatuated temperance workers
should attack the saloon keeper himself.
Would he consider 1t his duty as a gem
tleman to stand still and have his face
battered, or would he fight, or run?
The problem is difficult one. Perhaps
the sentiment of the country in general
would justify him in coming to some such
conclusion as that reached by police
man quoted by Mr.. Josiah Flynt, who used
some unnecessary roughness in putting a
bonnet and skirt ct cetera, into the patrol
wagon. The officer of the law, one side
Of whose face looked as if he had had an
argument with wildcat, remarked:
"a lady that amt a lady and can't act like
a lady, don't deserve TO be treated like lady"
The woman who presumes upon the
privileges of her sex in breaking the or
binary laws which protect property, and
committing acts for which a man would !
undoubtedly be roughly handled, is TAX
ing rather mean advantage, and it is to |
the credit of the saloon keepers CT |
Wichita that they have refrained from APP |
pealing to the law and prosecuting their |
tormentor
The latest development in the Nation !
case, however, is one which is rather sat- !
isfactory. The wife of one OF the saloon |
keepers found out that the establishment |
of her husband was likely TO be visited, |
and arming herself with a horsewhip, was |
ready for the invader. AS everybody
knows, when a woman does become in
dignant and fight for the rights Of her
husband she is rather a dangerous an
tagonist, and the wouldbe temperance
found out the force of this natu-
raj law. She was rather severely bruised.
This suggests a way out of the difficulty.
The temperance crusaders and the wives
of the saloon keepers might be left to
fight it out It is apropo, here to quote
that verse of Scripture which says that
he that takes the sword shall perish by
the sword. 1t is also apropos TO suggest
that the members of the Womans Chris
tian Temperance Union get dictionaries
and study the meaning of the word tenn
perance" and see IL it covers Mrs. Ea-
TONS behavior.