The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-03-09
OPEN DOOR
To RUIN
Rev. g. L. Pearson
AssaiIs the
Saloon.
Urges Citizens to Sup
port Local Option
Measure.
Tells Congregation That Alarming
Conditions Confront Foes
OF Liquor Traffic.

An alarming condition confronts the
people of the Territory with regard IL
the liquor question according to the
Rev. George L. Pearson of the Method
list church. Mr.. Pearson is also posi-
tive that the people will awaken sooa
to the danger that threatens them from
the traffic, and he hopes to see the day
dawn " hen the citizens will exercise the
right at the polls to say whether or no.
they want saloons or the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors in the Islands. He looks
to the local option bill. recently in
troduced in the Legislature, to become
law so that when the voters pass the
ballot boxes next time they can say by
their votes whether or not this or that
district shall have saloons.
1--WE have struck an alarming stage
in the liquor question" said Mr.. Pear
son at the Methodist church last even
ing. ST have been thinking a good deal
along the line of temperance in this
country, and 1 am sure there is a some
what alarming condition of affairs con-
fronting every man, woman and child
here. 1 am not an alarmist, far from it,
but can see the trend of affairs.
II think l see a larger opening for
the liquor traffic. for 1 see the influences
behind it pressing to that end. We
don't want more saloons. We don't
want a greater power exerted by these
forces to extend the saloon system. We
don't want all these people around us
to come under the influence of the
saloon, for the saloon is only the open
door to a ruined and shattered life.
More and more the streets are show
ing the progress the saloons are making
More and more of the young men are
vending their way into the saloon and
taking up the drinking habit. also
see a growing indifference on the part
of many people to this danger, when
they should be awakened to action and
prevent it from spreading.
1T makes my heart yearn when 1 see
the ruination that is being spread
among young men through the drinking
habit, but the yearning is more for
suffering womanhood. 1t is the wom-
an who has to bear the brunt of the
wrong done the men in the sale of in
liquors. You may not have |
sons to acquire the habit, but you may
nave daughters who may marry hus-
oands that may become drunkards. |
You may have neighbors where you
ray see the women and the children
suffer-
Mr.. Pearson spoke Of the local op-
ion bill in the legislature. 1t is the
peoples bill, he said, and it was for
hem, in the event it became a law, to
exercise the power it gave them with
heir votes. to prevent the saloons from
emaining within the borders of their
wn district. He hoped to see the ISL
nds plastered with local option dis
riots. The islands were so remote from
he mainland, that once the local option
lea spread it could continue until all
he districts were included, and this
fould insure the keeping out of the II
roup Intoxicating liquors altogether.
The speaker said that now when these
latters were being considered by the
legislature was the time for them to
CT. The temperance cause was on the
ight side and it was the cause of God,
nd truth in all times had been vic
orious. 1t was now time to array all
lfiuences possible against the liquor :
-affic, for the forces of the latter
ere aligned and ready to meet OPP s
osition.