Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-21
Sounded at Annual Meeting of ILL.,
nOts Liquor Dealers AssO-
citation.
CYCL0NIC CLOUD is SEEN
Temperance Folk Are Making More
Vigorous Crusade Than
Ever Before.

IT'S a jubilee all around" said one
of the delegates. Were jubileeing
here. and | suppose some of the bar
tenders left in charge at home arc
holding little private silver jubilee
of their own with the cash registers
BelleFille is about the nearest APP
prOach to German town to be found
outside of the empire itself, and the
visitors are being treated TO object
lessons in wide Openness that would
cause Carrie Nation, if she were pres
ent, to swap her Ratchet off for a
brOadax.
speak English Like Natives.
Time was not so long ago that an
American born person needed an inter
prefer if he had official business TO
transact in BeIleville, but that is
changed now. Practically every citi-
zen speaks English like a natiye-of
Bellevillc.
President Maiwurm's report attract
ed attention and it also sounded note
of alarm. a dark cloud he said.
of cyclonic force is lowering over the
trade in Illinois, and although we sue
the local option bill at our last legis-
lature. the work of reorganizing was
Immediately commenced by the Anti
Saloon league. and, buOyed up with
large contributions of $4,000 each
from Andrew Carnegie and J. Fl.
Heinz and smaller donations from
thousands of others. have caused them
to enlarge their headquarters and en-
dor. n.y.
their pet scheme at the coming session
of the legislature
Line Up for Fight.
He calls upon the trade TO get ready
to fight the measure, and says that
many liquor dealers do not realize that
had il not been for the heroic work of
this association during the last %
years in defeating Objectionable legis
lat:on and in other ways protecting
their rights and liberties. they would
long ere this have been driven out of
business.
The passage of a local option bill
in Illinois," he says. lis but for the
purpose of adding fresh burdens to
the salOonkcepCr. 1t is one of those
mythical laws that may sound right in
theory. but not in practice, and which
are too often forced on us by these so
called law and order leagues-Only to
give annoyance and increase expenses
to our governing bodies without any
corresponding Improvement in the con-
dition of affairs
The passage of any law that re-
striCtS the number of saloons" says
President Maiwurm. results in the
substitution of the drug store. In Chi
CagO since the passage and strict en-
forcement of the 2 o'clock closing or
dinanCe it is estimated that over 800
drug stores that formerly closed at II
O'Clock now keep open all night, and
in our prohibition districts the terri
tory is simply flooded with drug stores
and at the junction of cross town lines
there is located drug store on each
corner"
Cites Bishop Potter.
Secretary NJ. J. McCarthy's report
was largely statistical, but not alto
gether SO. He made a plea for the re-
spectacle liquor dealers on the ground
that their business is strictly legiti- |
mate and Creditable. In Bishop Henry
{. Potter. of New York. he recognizes
broad-minded person who should be
power for good. But he does not
Concedc that the subway tavern is
unique.
In no way" he says does this so
called model saloon differ from that
conducted by a large majority of our
members, vet its opening was graced
by no less a person than Bishop Pot
ter. who has been in the past so out
spoken in favor of the legitimate liquor
dealer and the absolute necessity of a
properly conducted saloon. and in the
course of his remarks so aptly deClar
ed that 10 shut up the saloon is the
most tragic and at the same time the
most comic feature of modern history
1t is hardly necessary TO say that
the good bishop has been most cruelty
criticised by the fanatical element
whose theories he has so openly de-
nounCed: but he has earned for himself
the hearty approval of all the leading
journals and the greatest minds in
this and other countries
DcnounceS All Dives
1t has been the policy of the Anti
saloon league and other temperance
fanatics" Mr. Mccarthy saws. to in
discriminatory abuse and viIlify all en-
gagged in this business. irrespective of
the business qualifications of the deal
er. We claim, and justly so. that those
who are members of this organization
should. and do, keep respectable places.
and ii il unfair 10 class them with the
dives. which We all detest and despise.
conducted as they generally are by If
responsible persons who have been
started in business by some brewery.
because of their supposed ability 10
sell beer. and without any regard to
their knowledge of the business. their
moral character, and their regard for