Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-01-30
Ministerial; Donation


Christian charac' er and religious life
OF Rev. j. r Adair. of this city. con-
frlbnted of their means fer the sup
pMt of the church Of which he is the
pastor, as \ small token Of respect fr,
his Christian character as u teacher.
In connection with this donation, il
is proper to give short exp snatlon of
the causes leading tothis action
During the past year, Ms is We'll un-
ders'opd by the people, THAI there has
been in this city a lively contest ss to
the propriety of granting saloon H.
canse under the Mn!ct law. some for
aud some against the proposition, ard
at Last the contest YVES brought to y
close by petition, when about 50 PER
cent. of the voters uf this city signed
the petition of consent, and asking the
Board of Supervisors to grant the re-
quest, which was done. The contest
was fought out between the temper
ance league of the c'unty and the citi
Zens of the Valley, without regard TO
party or creed. as business PROPOSE
ti"n, and resulted as stated above.
The right of petition and remon-
stra, e. is sacred and fundamental!
right, dear to every American heart,
and is fully acknowledged by all, and
it was supposed by the petitioners
that With SO large a majority IN their
favor the question was settled.
During all this contest Rev. Adair.
although astrorg Temperance advocate
and unalterahly opposed to the a'oon,
did not Din in the crusade against the
petition, but continued to preach and
exhort from his pulpit the necessity of
temperance and opposition to saloons,
and practiced what he preached.
There is two sides to this question,
and to fully understand the subject d
short statement of its history may not
prove uninteres,ing to the public.
The State Is about $4,000 republican
majority. the legislat ure in both hous-
es, 10 about two-thirds republican, the
State, by good majority, adopted 9
constitutional amendment prohibiting
the manufacture or sale of intoxicants
in the State, but the Supreme Court
over threw the amendment, and now
we have the Mulct Law, passed by a
republican legislature, approved by =
republican Governor, and sustained by
republican court, all assisted by the
vote, as general thing, by the mem
bers of the temperance league of liar
rison County. That places the Mulct
law upon the statutes of the State, and
makes it as much the law as any other
act of the legislature of the State.
Many here who have taken an active
part against the petition voted for the
makers of this law, and would, no
doubt, do so again, and now when a
practicable application of the mulct
law Is to be made, backed up by 50 per
cent of our best citizens, these men,
who voted for the makers of the law
hold up their hands in holy horror at
the mere idea of the application of its
provisions. Like q man setting fireto
building and then trying to extin
guish the fire with pail of water
The time to work against the sale OF
liquor is when the members of the leg
sislature are to be chosen, and then see
that no mulct advocate is elected, and
not help to elect one in favor of 1T.
In this country it is supposed that a
majority is to rule, but some men act
as though the small minority should
rule, and are not satisfied to submit to
the majority, .ut keep up continual
trouble to the petition of large ma
jority, asking for right to do that for
which these opposers voted.
The right to conduct a saloon in this
state is nnqaested, PROVIDED it is done
in accordance with the law, and none
should ask more If not wanted repeal
the law
AS Rev. Adair, although strong
advocate of temperance and opposed
to saloon, always firm in his faith in
the pulpit and practices what he be-
lieves, yet he has not gone out of his
way to enter into legal contest to de-
feat law enacted by the State of Iowa.
The people of this city, without re-
gard to party or creed, have taken this
method to express their approval of
his ministerial bearing, and their adj
miration for a minister who has kept
his place on the walls of Z'on and pro
claiming the Word of Lord to dying
people, leaving the legal question of
The liquor tallic to the law making
power of the State, while lie faithfully
breaches and works for Bible temper
ance and morality. The donation was
not an Endorsement of any or all of Rev
Adair's religious faith, but for their
high appreciation of Christian Min
lister who is willing to attend to the
Masters business and leave the world
to fight the battles of the ID.
In a PreCariOus Condition.
DIR. Colt was called to Council Bluffs
yesterday in consultation WITH DR.
Lacey of 81. Demands hospital, re-
gardlng the condition of Frank
Adams. the stnckman who Was in