The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-02-18

ss.,--T--
your own article, or you would not
have made such inconsistent and
puerile assertions. -
An ex-mayor of Caldwell says
that while mayor he was appealed
to by prostitute who urged that
an ordinance excluding women
from the saloons should not be en-
forced. That il it should be, her
profits Nould be cut down half. "a
For seven years I had close &C
quaintance with the fueds and
murders of the Kentucky and Ten
nessee mountains, and can testisfy
that in most cases the saloon is re-
sponsibIe for those fearful crimes.
The force of robbers and thieves
is very largely recruited and trained
in the atmosphere Of the saloon.
If there is any gambling anywhere,
it is always understood that it will
be found about the saloon. The
idler drifts there as surely as the
water flows toward the sea. The
patron of the saloon is not always a
poor man; yet / have never seen
the poor patron made richer by his
patronage, but always poorer.
Irepeat my request for evidence
that the saloon benefits a people in
any way. care nothing about
Bishop Potter's testimony, but if
you have ever known of a saloon
that was not an ally of crime, tell
US about it. -
DAVID A. CLEMENS.
Feb. IS, 1905.
In reply to Rev. Clem.n a few
words seem necessary. He makes
the general charge that, "Always
the moral support of each issue (of
THE TRIBUNE) has gone towards
the liquor interests" And this in
face Of the fact that during the past
two or three years in each issue
colu mn or more Of this paper has
been devoted to the discussion of
the liquor question from the point
Of view of the w. c. T. u; and
during all that time, we question if
half a dozen columns Of THE TRIB-
UNE have been consumed in dis
cussing the question from any other
point of view. 1t seems to Us that
Mr. Clemens charge involves &C.
rious reflection on the author of
"Searchlights."
rs. Mr.. Clemens diferentiates be-
tween the saloon and the saloon
keeper. He says, in effect, that
the saloon is an institution" dedi-
Gated to the promotion of vice and
poverty, but the dedicator-the sa-
loonkeeper-may be and, to his
knowledge, sometimes is, kind,
and capable. The ques-
ton is, would kind, generous and
capable man knowingly establish
an institution for the promotion of
vice and poverty? Would a mau
OF that character become the pro-
prietor of saloon or distillery if
ne believed thar such an institution
In its very nature was the allv of
murder, robbery. prostitution, idle
ness and poverty? Could a gener-
ous and capable man segregate
himself from the monstrous institu.
ion which he called into being?
Shall a man erect building, people
It with courtesans, hang out a red |
light and thea justify himself by say.
ng, as an institution house of pros
;itution is to be severely condemned, |
but condemnation should not run
against the proprietor because he is
4 kind, generous and capable per-
'onaee2 We don't think that kind
ot justification would pass among
ordinary people. Therefore, we
are driven to the conclusion, that
he proprietor of a saloon, or any,
body interested in the manufacture
Or sale of intoxicants for general
is the responsible
party and not the inanimate build
ng' bottles and shelves, which are
merely the convenient tools Of
rade. .---.- ---...,
Mr.. Clemens stoutly maintains
bat he did not say word to re.
iect on the moral Characteristic
leart or brains-of anybody con-
lected with the liquor traffic. oh,
10; he merely expressed the con.
'iction that the business in which