Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-13

those in its vicinity, and at pr, sent the
most talked about, is the one called the
Subway tavern. One of the reasons
why this saloon is in the public eye so
much at the present moment is the
fact that when 1t was formally opened
q few days ago. 4 bishop was present
and took part in the ceremonies. The
bishop was the Right Rev. Henry c.
Potter of the diocese of New York.
Since this occasion Bishop Potter has
been much censured by many of his &c
clesiasticaI brethren for lending his
countenance to any kind Of an institu-
ton where Intoxicating liquors are dis
pensed. OF course the Subway tavern
is not the ordinary kind of saloon, or
the bishop would not have been on
hand at Its opening. The idea of those
who have started this saloon in bust
ness is to furnish a place which will
serve like the ordinary saloon as a
poor mans club" but will not present
temptations TO excess in drinking, and
where everything will be conducted in
an orderly manner and in conformity
with the law. The plan is to encourage
the use of soft drinks and beer rather
than strong alcoholic beverages.
No person will be permitted to drink
TO excess in the Subway tavern, and
it is said that since its opening not
an intoxicated person has entered
or left the place Earl Grey, who
was recently appointed governor gen
eral OF Canada, is at the head of a
company in England which has taken
over many public houses for the pur-
pose Of managing them in the interest
OF temperance. 1t Is claimed for the
plan that it has so far worked we'll in
that country. The men who have
financed the Subway tavern do not ex-
pect any large profits from il, but hope
TO contribute something to the solu-
ton of the temperance problem.
The act of Bishop Potter in being
present at a saloon opening" no mat
ter II II was a model saloon" has
been freely criticised. The idea of a
shepherd of the flock giving any sort
of approval to a place where intoXi-
eating drinks are on sale, even If the
proprietors encourage the use of the
miIder sort, is too much for most Of
those who have expressed themselves
on Bishop POtter's course. The lat
ter's position is that the attempt to
remove the saloon altogether is hope
less task, and that conditions should
be dealt with as they actually are
rather than as it may be thought they
ought to be. His critics cenSure him
for giving any approval to the sale Of
beverages which intoXiCate. Their po-
sitiOn is that prayers and whisky won't
mix and is aptly taken off in letter
published in the New York Evening
World, which ran as follows:
To the Editor-Say. Mr.. Editor. me and
a few masked friends are going to open
safe early some morning next week on
Nassau street, and we'd like to open 1t
with the doxology. Can You give US
Bishop Potters address?
ONE EYED MIKE.
This is not the first time that Bishop
Potter has been censured as too liberal
He has given a great deal of thought
to how the moral and economic condi-
ton Of the working classes can be i'm
proved and to the question of conflicts
between capital and labor. He has
often helped 10 arbitrate labor disputes
and has the confidence of the working
men. ODe OF eOCitAitS III Nht A@l'4S
copal church in New York which have
received much of his support and inter
est is the Church Association For the
Advancement of Labor. Several years
ago during the heat of the summer.
while many of the metropolitan clergy
were summering at cool resorts, Bishop
Potter transferred the Episcopal resi-
dence for q few weeks TO Stanton street
in the heart of the slum section, and
labored there as missionary in order
TO come in closer contact with the peo-
pie of the tenement district and become
better acquainted with their physical
and spiritual needs. When he was
rector OF Grace church. New York. he
transformed il from a comparatively
sleepy parish into a great center OF