Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-01
WOMEN WHO, DRINK.
STARTLING CONDITIONS IN THE HIGH
lest SOCIETY," f 81
what Two Prominent New York
&C1ergymen Have Seen With Their
Own Eyes and Their Deduction.
Therefrom

OOoAA u calvary M0luOulSL episcopal
church and the Rev. DR.. Louis Albert
Banks.
At the close Of a, recent service, when
he preached temperance sermon for
women, DR.. Odell had the pledge free
~ circulated through the CONGREGATION.
1t has been signed by 1000 women Of
his church. The pledge reads:
Il solemnly pledge myself to abstain
from the use Of all spirituous and malt
liquors, wine and cider as beverage
and to discourage in all honorable
ways the manufacture, sale and use
Of the same by Others"
DR.. Odell says:
1.-THE situation is really alarming.
Evidences multiply on every hand that
liquor drinking is rapidly increasing
among women. One has but to watch
the delivery wagons which call at the
homes Of this city to see that cases Of
wet goods are an important item in
the list of requirements for many
households. Special attention is given
by the liquor interests to supplies for
the table, and dealers are wideawake
to the opportunities Of charging their
business in this direction.
AT hotels and fashionable clubs and
restaurants liquor is everywhere in ev-
idence. 1t is common thing to see
group of women chatting together over
their glasses while obseQuious walters
stand ready to serve them as they do
similar parties Of men. The absence of
any consciousness Of improperly at
tests the commences of the practice.
''Not long ago, sat in a downtown
restaurant alone, quietly eating lunch,
when beautifully gowned woman en-
tered the room and took a seat at the
next table. She was so near l over
heard her directions to the waiter She
said, Bring me a whisky straight In
few moments the order was filed.
The waiter placed whisky before her
and small glass of water. She pushed
the water aside and drank the whisky
at one draft without blinking Then
she arose and passed out. Evidently
that was not her first experience. She
poured that liquor down with as much
relish as any Bowery loafer ever
drank.
''Bishop Coleman Of the Protestant
Episcopal church said recently that he
was thoroughly convinced from his
observation that in the city of New
York drunkenness among women was
rapidly increasing. He continued: I
am sorry to say that this intemperance
IS found among the mothers who have
the care and instruction OF our future
men and women. 1t is sad outlook
ness and chastity
1T would be easy to gather abundant
testimony to sustain the bishops asser-
ton. Any one who has his eyes open
cannot be In doubt about it.
"Sad as are the results of drinking
among men. they are not so fearful as
those which follow the use of liquor by
wives and mothers.
Here we have before US an evil Of
dreadful proportions. It is impossible
to get away from the facts. The intern
perance of women is frightful reali-
ty. 1t Is steadily increasing among us.
1t is destroying all that is refined and
beautiful in those whom God intended
to be the chief supporters of righteous
ness. It Is running the families Of null
titudes and training up a host of youth
to wickedness and crime. 1t is under
mining the very foundations of society
by attacking the defenses Of virtue"
These views are fully shared by the
Rev. DR.. Banks, who cites one specific
instance Of drunkenness.
"'Only a few weeks ago." says DR..
Banks, "from Fifth avenue mansion
a we'll dressed woman was taken in a
carriage to the alcoholic ward of one
Of our city hospitals. Everything that
could be done was done to conceal the
identity of the young wor-an."
These clergymen attribute the growth
Of the drinking habit among women to
a variety Of causes, among which they
place first the nervous, excited life peo-
pie lead in a great city like New York.
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