The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-16
Tuesday August is, 1904.
ONE STEP TOO FAR.

The Observer of Charlotte was pro-
nounced in it's opposition to prohibition
at the time Of the recent election in
that city, though it did not take any
part in the campaign. Therefore the
following editorial in that paper is he
more remarkable and of greater force
than had it appeared in the columns
of a paper which advocated the closing
OF the saloons of the city. We think
The Observer perfectly right in what
it says. We think the Rev. Mr.. Dean
has surely taken Just n step too
far" We cannot approve of Bishop
Potter's action in 'dedicating'" this
tavern"
Rev. DIR. H. Baldwin Dean, rector of
St. Barnabas' Episcopal church, of
Greensboro. who preached two notable
m on prohibition during the re-
cent campaign in that city, has writ
ten a communication to The Green's
bOro Record in defence of Bishop Potter
against attacks on him for having in
voked Gods blessing on the Subway
Tavern which opened in New York
last week with the design of selling
better liquor and under better regula-
tons than obtained in the average sa-
loon in New York, DR.. Dean says the
Subway Tavern is the inception of a
carefully, lovingly wrought out scheme
for the dispenSation of li0uorS-a
scheme which should present a danger
Gus but entirely lawful indulgence, fully
permitted by the law of God and the
example of our blessed Lord, under the
best conditions which a body of eX-
perienced, philanthrOpic and godly men
had been able TO conceive. 1t is a plan
which recognizes and provides for the
right of the poor man or woman to the
comfort of a stimulant and a decent
place in which to receive it; provides
the best quality of that stimulant; and
d~iscourages treating" We pass by
the fact that after having been
in operation for a week or ten
days, the Subway Tavern is found to
be not materially different from the
other New York rum mills of the better
class. AS a practical measure for the
promotion of temperance it was from
the outset marked for failure. There Is
no room TO doubt the good purposes OF
its promoters. and it is not for ordinary
men to indulge too much criticism OF
h remarkable act of the venerable
prelate who may be said to have "dedi-
Gated his saloon. But DR.. Dean, we
observe, falls into the fault of SO many
men who assume trying positions. HI
asks IN the course OF MS cOn11nunlca-
ton: rs it a crime TO take a glass OF
alcoholic stimulant of any sort? Have
the poor any rights in the matter which
we are bound to consider" This is {
tacit endorsement of the drinking q
liquor. DIR. Dean would better have
said: ut were better not TO take alco-
holic of m sort But the
poor have equal rights with the rich in
the matter and since both classes, eS-
pecially in the centres of population
will take il, they should have opportu-
nifty to do so under the best condi-
tons" He would thus have offered his
defence of Bishop Potter without lend
ing his own countenance to drink
whatever the good bishop may have
lone in this regard, but he has com.
mitted himself too far, as he did in one
perhaps both. of his recent sermons
He is entitled TO the fullest respect in
his views as an anti-prohlbitionist, but
one may hold the right of his neighboI
TO drink without suggesting to him that
ii is we'll for him to exercise it. He
who does this, whether he be priest OF
layman, takes upon himself a fearful
responsibility. DR.. Dean, without in
tending to do so, has gone just one step
too far. In defending the bishop he has
defended liquor, when he would have
been on better ground if ne had ac-
companied his defence. Of the former
with an admonition against the use OF
the latter