The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-08-14
THE LATEST TEMPERANCE MOVE
NEWT.

SUBWAY HAS OEOu8nt IOTtn hO
end Of criticism, expostulation. denun-
citation and various other things. The
good Bishop himself comes in for no
little scolding because. as some of the
ultra temperance people express Il, he
has given his influence and countenance
to the drink demon.
We repeat that this was to be ex-
pected. and no doubt Bishop Potter
himself anticipated 1t. Further, we
have no doubt Of his perfect sincerity,
and that he acted on the belief that he
was doing good by adopting what he
conceived to be the best course to
abate or obviate some of the evils aris-
ing from the habit of drink. He was
not blind to these evils. any more than
any other intelligent man Is who reads
and thinks and keeps up with the
events daily occurring around him.
But we have no intention now of dis
cussing the Bishops personality or
whether his act was a proper one for
a man occupying the high position he
does'in the church. We prefer to look
at 1t from a strictly common sense and
human view. leaving the religious
feature to be discussed by Others. and
1t may be that a calm consideration of
the subject may show that his idea is
not deserving of the censure 1t has re-
| ceived..
Man, being reasonable. must needs
get drunk" said some old bibbler. and
whether he was correct or not 1t Is
certain that man Is the only reasoning
| animal that voluntarily takes the drop
too much. About the first thing old
Father Noah did after he got out of the
ark was to plant a vineyard, and
as soon as he could raise a supply Of
grapes he made wine and got drunk.
Men have been getting drunk from
that day to this. and we presume they
will keep 1t up to the end of time I'M
less there is a material change in
tastes and habits.
Another point to be considered is
that as long as men have taste for
liquor they will drink 1t and to drink
~ thcS oUtuAn H. anu Outdih II
they will, on some terms. Temperance
people have worked and talked and
legislated for generation after genera
ton to put an end to drink, and have
failed. They have been consistent and
sincere In their efforts; the teachers
and the preachers have labored. both
by precept and practice. and they. also.
have failed. Our prisons are con-
tinually receiving accessions from the
ranks of those who make and sell
liquors illegally, and that fails to stop
It, Until we can preach and teach and
legislate the taste of liquor out of
| mans mouth he will make 1t and sell
it. Prohibition may lessen the evil
in some instances, but States have tried
the plan for years and some of them
1t cannot be enforced.
These being admitted facts, the next
question is, how can the sale of liquor
be conducted SO as to cause the least
harm to individuals and to the COM
munity? Is 1t not better that we
oAAOutu AdfC CiNdH 6dtOOHot WuSTc no
gambling is permitted. where no dis
order or indecency is allowed, where
no minor or drunken man shall be
| served, than that we have the dens
| and dives that abound in every city?
| If selling and drinking cannot be en-
| tirely suppressed had 1t not better be
done in such way as WILL as far as
possible. tend to minimize the evils of
| the business?
These are the questions that the
Bishop has set himself to solve in his
| subway Saloon" and we think it but
| fair and just to await and see IL they
are even partially solved before con-
| demning him and his plan so I'M
reservedly as some are doing. From
what we have been able to learn about
1t this new saloon is a clean, orderly
| and quiet place. Everykind of drink
is sold there. but one of the requisites
is that everything sold shall be pure.
No drunken man is allowed there, no
disreputable women, no gamblers or
noisy persons. and no minors. Any
man who behaves himself properly and
is not Intoxicated can go there and
obtain a drink with the assurance that
he will be subjected to no indecencies
or boisterous behavior.
To carry out all these requirements
| will need honest management and con-
slant surveillance. Whether it can
accomplish all that Bishop Potter hopes
for it is a question that can only be
answered after a full and fair trial,
II failure results 1t will be only one
more added to the long list of failures
and disappointments which have mark
ed all stages of the conflict between
temperance and intemperance. If 1t is
even partially successful it may open
the way for something better and more
satisfactory. At least, let US not
condemn the movement and the mover
until we see what the harvest is to
| be.
-o-aD~@--
SHORT SIGHTED.
Whatever may be the merits or de-
80 tha H1ht ooY,nantaa xuhtnh