The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-07
DEDICATION OF A SALOON.

1 The event of the past week that has
| provoked the most discussion was the
| opening in New York city of what is
| called the subway Tavern 1t is q
saloon where whiskey and all other
| intoXicants are sold. The Tavern"
belongs to a company which has been
organized to establish a chain of
''taverns' in the city, where soft and
hard, intoxicating and non-intoXi-
eating, drinks are sold just as at any
other saloon, the chief difference being
| that the only profit charged is such
as will give the stockholders a profit
of five per cent, 1t is proposed to
employ the profit in establishing an
other tavern and so on until there
is a chain of "taverns' throughout
Greater New York. The promoters
take the ground that the matter of
profit is one of the worst elements
in the saloons and that they are often
the headquarters for the criminals of
the city. They believe that men will
have social drinking and they aim in
the "tavernS" to meet this demand
by diminution of the evils of the
saloon, as conducted for profit.
Some years ago Bishop Potter as
tonished the Christian world by adj
Vocating some such system of saloons
as the tavern system, and so. when
the first tavern" was started he ac-
cepted an invitation to open ito
dedicate it, as the papers put it. He
was present, made an address, and the
dedicatory exercises closed by sing
in-:
Praise God from whom all blessings
flow
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above We heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost"
The echoes of the singing of the
doXology had not died away before
bar-tenders were busy serving drinks
of all kinds to the throng of Gus
toners.
There were naturally two opinions.
both as to the Temperance saloon"
and az to Bishop Potter's presence
and approval. The promoters of the
"taverns" and those who believe in
them, warmly praised the bishop, and
said he had performed n wise and
courageous act. But among church
people the general trend was one of
criticism that he should, even if he
thought the tavern" idea the least
of drink evils. countenance the selling
by holding services at the opening and
singing the doxology. Some said it
was sacrilegous and lowering the tone
of Christianity and leading Episcopal
ministers spoke out vigorously in criti-
cism Of Bishop Potter. The hope of
the country lies in free speech! If
the ministers should be silent. out of
Difference to their bishop, it would
be an evidence of decay i'll the clergy
Nobody doubts Bishop Potter's good
intentions, but few ministers approve
his presence and the religious charac-
ter given to the opening. Indeed,
there is no defense of that perform
ance from any point of view. Grant
ing that the tavern" Will prove a
great improvement on the saloon-and
that is certain-it does not follow that
a minister of the gospel ought to
dedicate" any place where LIQUOR is
sold
In addition to criticisms by minis
ters of the Episcopal and other de-
nominations of Christians, there were
criticisms by the press and leaders OF
temperance work. Robert Graham,
founder and secretary of the church
temperance society, which runs the
Squirrel Inn and the Night Lunch
Wagon. paid a visit to the tavern and
said later:
II am certain that Bishop Potter
made a great mistake. BY his attltuue
he is going directly against the WORK
of this society for the tWenty-three
wears of it's existence. L have given
lifelong attention to the saloon evil,
and have investigated its every phase.
NV conclusion is that the number OF
saloons ought to be decreased. Now
Bishop Potter helps in the establish
ment of a saloon which is to be only
one of a chain of similar places,
should it prove successful. His action
is directly antagonistic to the organi-
Zed temperance movement OF the
da.
"a most unwise feature. in my
opinion, IS the wOmans department.
the soda fountain. Certainly it is
mistake to encourage drinking by wo-
men. II the members of the Church
Temperance Society and its board of
managers were not scattered on their
summer vacations l would call a
meeting inStanter to attempt some
action"
That seems a moderate, earnest and
wholly proper criticism. Now. while
nothing would justify "a Christian min
lister in dedicating place where
liquor is sold. if Bishop Potter could
close up all the grog-shops and replace
them with the "taverns.' he could de-
fend the action by showing that 1t
was largely minimizing the evil. But
as Mr.. Graham points out. the num-
Der of saloons is. increased instead OF
being decreased by the establishment
of the ''taverns," while the "church'
and other temperance societies have
been seeking to decrease tn number
Mr.. Graham'S criticism too. of max
ing n 'Woman's department is one
that cannot be whistled down or