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


made by the American Young Peoples
Christian Temperance Union of Kan
sas City. 1t is in vigorous language
and is addressed to the bishop. 1t is
as follows:
MAY God have mercy upon your
benighted idea of striking the keynote
of attack upon the liquor situation
you are rather endorsing the key
that opens wide the doors to hell for
the army of 100000 souls who annual,
ly leave the kings highway and STUN
bic into drunkards graves.
1.-The present situation across the
water of fifty-five bishops in tha
church of England as stockholders in
breweries and distilleries with thu
shameful farce of bishop in the great
Episcopal church in our own land talk
ing a leading part in the opening eX-
erciSes of q saloon, and concluding
same by singing the doXology, shouId
make every professed Christ-folloWer
in the great Episcopal church hanS
his head in very shame"
Mr.. Joseph Johnson. Jr.. the orlsl-
nator of the Subway Saloon idea ana
president of the Tavern Company,
thus makes reply to the Sun and other
critics:
MAY 1 beg you, as the chief critic
of the subway Tavern. to give me
space for what L have here TO say
1t was | who first suggested the en-
terpriSe who have persuaded olneFS
to furnish the funds. and who nave
done all the work of organization
and establishment / am happy 10 ste
that none of our subscribers has re-
canted after the storm of protest that
oil
head; but whatever happens to the
saloon as the 'instigator of 1t L pre-
fer to be it's Loeb.
eff you were merely blaming the
bishop as a church dignitary Tor ap-
pearing at our dedication L should
venture to say nothing. me Blshop
is amply able to talk back in his own
behalf. But you are saying in sub
stance that our experiment is worth
less.
Il am little concerned as to whether
Episcopalians approve their Bishop
course; but 1 am. deeply concerned
that this experiment, which he mas
publicly Endorsed, should have an
honest chance, and escape mlSfepre-
sentation during it's initiation.
First, as to the criticisms which
have appeared in the Sun and other
newspapers. May l ask these critics
whether. in considering the temper
ance problem, they acknowledge she
existence of the 1900 places in New
York city where strong drink is soldE
Let me ask further, whether they be-
lieye there is any posi- bility of legf5-
lating them out of existence; ana still
further. whether. law or no law. men
are going TO stop drinking. Is 1t not
true that saloons exist and that men
drink? VIII not. then. our extremist
friends allow me to wrestle with the
condition? L shall leave them TO
wrestle with the theory.
81 shall be happy if they shall
come into the Subway Tavern and
snatch the bibulous away from the bar
into the pale of teetotalism But
shall he unhappy if they Interfere with
my work of snatching the bibulous
away from indecency, immortality and
depravity. Are there to be no helping
hands extended to the climbers half
way ND the hillside of confluence?
In the name of all the wretches IN
all the groggeries who drink that
the proprietor may grow rlch as lney
grow poor. / beg that | may be per-
mitted to help them if l can, L may
not raise them to the throne where
the pure hand of absolutism would
deign to touch them. but l may just
raise them to their feet, so that they
may walk toward the hay height
of perfection.
'"ro the good women of the w. c. T.
L., let me reply that l believe i'll
them except as to their attitude to-
ward the army canteen ana their.
silence on Intoxicating patent medi-
cines and drugs. l know that those
ladies have been urged to attack the
hidden drinking in the prohibition
communities where are consumed,
especially by women, remedies and
tones containing more alcohol than
any whisky sold in the Subway TaV-
ern But there they had their loved
prohibition with it's immense and
ludicrous hypocrisies, and they turn
ed deaf ears to the Macedonian cry.
They turned ears as deaf as they
now turn to the Macedonian cry from
the Philippines, where drunkenness
and disease, following the abolition
of the canteen, are heWing down the
young manhood of America faster
than all the battles and canteens since
the instruction.
"You, sir, work as hard as the men
who come into this tavern for rest,
refreshment and recreation. They do
not begrudge your highball in your
club Gf you are not a teetotalef),
your book by the lamp or your turn
at the billiard table. Are you pre-
pared to say that they Will fare no
better in the Subway Tavern. where
they may rest and refresh themselves
Darkroom rumshop which is.-preva-
lent in parts of this city? Why do
you choose your club rather than the
ginmill of Park row? Is 1t not be-
cause your club affords you greater
ease, better comrades and superior re-
freshment Please allow, then. the
Subway Tavern to offer the poor man
club; allow il without questioning
the motives of those whose pubic
records and private lives stand for
their sincerity.
81 have nothing but sympathy with
the Christian and other societies that
urge men not to drink at all. But,
again / ask, what is to become OF the
vast army that do drink? Must they
drink in indecency or in wholesome
environments? Must they drink IN
debauches or in sane and cheerful
friendlincss?
Il am not pleased that the notorlety
which has befallen us has Increased
our sales so largely. l would nave
preferred that the experiment De
given chance without the visits OF
the. curious. But. as your editorial
says the curious will fall away ana
then we shall see.
THE fun you are having in the
news columns of the Sun has imposed
a graVer responsibility upon me IMAM
l expected. The widespread criticism
of our arrangements has evoked
fiXedneSS of nurDoSp that J. might not