The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-02-15
HARRISBURG, W. VA, FEB. 10, loot.
MINISTER PREFERS SALOONS.

The attitude of one of Morgantown'.
prominent ministers on the liquor qucs,
ton viii prove quite grinding at least
TO the fellows who are always lending
their efforts to the blind-tiger and speak
easy, in preference to the saloon. Bul
it shows that he has studied the ques
ton TO his own satisfaction and has ar.
rived at conclusions so convincing Ia
himself, at least that he has the courage
of his convictions and. does not hesitate
to express them. He deals with a situA.
tion, which, in his own words, is the
most horrible and repulsive imaginable
situation that the law has proven
itself powerless to cope with, and suct'
as existed here many years, the memory
OF which is fresh. lie has taken radical
grounds for minister and yet his mo-
tive is merely TO do away with great
evil for less one, as he himself express
es it. What action will be taken on his
utteranccs along this line remains to BE-
seen, but in all justice to the gentleman,
it must be conceded that he means for
the best and appears to have the good
of the community at heart.
Here is what he says and which is 60
ing to stir things up in religious and
temperance circles, especially in TEN.
perence circles, since that element OF
the population can not reconcile itself
to the legalizing Of the sale Of liquor,
notwithstanding that Outlines improves
conditions and keeps the sale within rea-
sonable bounds:
ave know that liquor is being sold
here in speakeasies. Everybody in the
town knows it. There seems to be no
way of stopping the sale which has been
the practice for years and will probably
continue until the end of the chapter >
he continued
81 have always been opposed to the
open saloon. but ! really think that az
open saloon properly regulated by law
in its operation would be infinitely pre-.
ferable to the blind tiger which hides
from the light where officers cannot dis.
cover how they are run.
"-rhey sell to minors and every one
else. They sell TO students who are fire.
quently drunk on the streets. The fac
ulty could prevent students from enter
ing open saloons and the town could
make IL contrary TO law for students to
be allowed in saloons.
-srhis town bears on every hand evi
dences that liquor is being SOLD here.
The streets are covered with broken beer
bottles in every direction. Everybody
sees them. All efforts to prevent thein
from running have proven friitless in
the past and am afraid that they viii
prove equally futile in the future
s'The revenue feature does not appeal
TO me, but ] think that on the ground
that the saloons may be better regulated
and the whiskey evil confined to proper
bounds with more ease with license than
under existing circumstances license
would be preferable. I am tired Of the
whole business
For some reason the name Of the min
lister Is withheld by the Morgantown
Dominion, which publishes the interview
but any man of the sacred garb. who
has the courage TO thus express himself
win also be found with sufficient sort
Of stuff to disclose his identity at the
proper time.
The suggestions and comparisons be-
makes are wortly of careful thought.
Prejudiced, he began to study this ques-
ton, but At the end be arrives at con
illusions Of great force, showing that
the truth Of The situation actually out-