Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-26
A "cHRlsTIAN LIQUOR SALOON"
Dispensary at Raleigh, North Carolina
Run by Church Members.

| Run by Church Members.
| One of the most remarkable Develop
| ments of the prohibition campaign in
the south is the establishment and sue
cessful operation of Christian liquor
shop in Raleigh, North Carolina. The
real title of the enterprise Is the dis
pensary:" although the scoffers refer
to it as the tabernacle Baptist saloon"
the prime movers In the enterprise be-
ing members and officers in the Taber-
nacle Baptist church of that city, and
the Raleigh Anti-Saloon league. 1t is
however, no less than its name indicat-
es, a shop where alcoholic liquors are
dealt in under the supervision Of the
"dispensary board" composed Of w. N.
Jones, president of the Raleigh Anti
Saloon League and deacon In the Bap-
the Christian church and superintend-
ent of the Sunday school, and w. N.
Smelling, steward of the Methodist
church. There Is staff of bartenders
composed of an Episcopalian, w. p.
Bachelor, and two Baptdsts. A. ].
Heilig and George Norwood.
The New Voice. the leading prohibi-
ton paper In the country, says of the
attempt that Its history evidences that
it is no passing show
Last year the Anti Saloon League,
from the base up a church movement,
forced a vote on the dispensary ques-
ton under the Watts law. The local
liquor men fought hard. but they had
no outside help. for the wholesale deal
ors, threatened with prohibition, saw
that the movement insured them
against prohibition and enabled them
to sell to responsible parties. A few
prohihitionists held out, but the
churches We're particularly aggressive
for the reform, under the leadership OF
the pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist
church. They were not content to
leave the dispensary to degenerate In
the hands of semi-respectable sa-
loonkeeper of the politicians, but de-
cided that it should be a de facto
church institution and the church does
not seek to avoid the situation. So
roomy place was rented in the heart of
the city. about $4,000 worth of liquor
purchased. long list of rules and reg
ulations were formulated, very similar
to the requirements of an up-to- date,
on the morning of Jan. /. The rules
are vigorously adhered to- When clos
ing time comes, the doors close with
bang No drunkard need apply for liq-
uor. There is no place to sit down.
Two per cent of the gross receipts
go to the state. One-half of the ball
ance goes to the county and one-half
to the city. The old-time license re-
oeipts amounted to about $4,000. The
dispensary profits for January, the first
month of it's existence, amounted to
about $4,000. At this rate, the dispen-
sary profits will amount to 100000 per
year. During the period of its opera
ton there has been a heavy decrease
in arrests for drunkenness, but it is not
safe at this time to reckon this as a
permanent result. Whatever the out
come may be. the experiment will be
watched with the greatest interest
turnout the country. If the Chris
tan saloon works in Raleigh the
logic of such success would be start
ling indeed; 1t would mean a monopoly
of the saloon business by the church In
all places where prohibition is unat-
tainable.