Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-24

mick and other ladies, had done their
work we'll The general committee in
charge consisted of Mr.. A. e. Shoemaker,
chairman; Mr.. James L. Ewln the presi-
dent of the Anti-Saloon League; Mr. Jesse
c. Suter. special financial agent, and Mr..
Edwin S. La Fetra Messrs. Owen P Kel-
Ter and Hermon c. Metcalf made up the
committee on music
After the meeting had been called to
order Mr.. James l.. Ewin president of the
league. gave a brief historical sketch of
the organization and its work, and the Rev.
Presbyterian Church. made an address of
welcome in which he wished the league
sodspeed in the work which it IS endeay-
oring to accomplish.
Mr.. Doney's Address.
The speaker of the evening. Rev. Carl G.
Doney of Hamline Methodist Episcopal
Church. was then introduced and spoke
upon the subject, AN Indictment of the
Saloon" He said in part:
Some time since a learned article in one
of our magazines supported the proposition
that the planet Mars is inha bted. 1t is g
very safe position to take, for probably it
will be long time before 1t can be dis
proved or proved.
But let Us suppose that it is peopled by
sensible persons and that in some way one
of the men of Mars pays a visit to the
earth. You would probably be delighted to
act as guide for the foreign visitor. You
would explain to him the purposes of our
buildings, railroads and boats. He would
be interested in the great factories and
stores and shops. With some real pride
you could explain the purposes of TIE
schools of hospitals, of libraries and
churches. You would show him our dwell
ings, the cottage home, the stately man.
sion. the lordly palace. and all places for
the rest and joy and upbuilding Of the
people.
Purpose of the Saloon.
by and by you could hide it no longer.
and 1t would be necessary to explain the
purpose of the saloon. You would tell
him that this is the place where is dis
tributed strong drink, and he would ask
ii this were a necessity. like food and
clothing, fuel and books and machines.
Now, what would you tell him? II you are
informed and truthful you Will tell him
that it is not necessary. is evidenced
by nations who do not drink. and by mil
lions in this land who are total abstain
ers. You will tell him that. directly or
indirectly, it costs this nation $2O0O,OOO
every year; that every twelve months 1t
takes the lives Of $4,000 people; every
| day in the year 200 human sacrifices.
''Ycu would explain to him our great
system of jails. prisons and reforma-
| tories; say to him that three-fourths of
the unfortunates in those institutions are
| victims of strong drink. You would take
| him to almshouses. to the asylums for the
| full history; show him one hundred thou
| sand homes where wives and mothers and
| children are broken-hearted. weeping.
| starving and tell him that liquor is re-
| sponsible for 1t all. Let him know what
Is the chief cause of diseased bodies. tot
| tering decaying minds, blighted and
| crushed hopes. Tell him that the saloon
| Is the enemy Of home, church and school.
| Tell him these things, tell him the truth.
Paint the picture with brush dipped in
| the SCOT Of smoking hell; you cannot
make 1t blacker than 1t Is.
''Methnks this visitor would cry out:
| I am In a nation Of madmen-a nation Of
| madmen.' When he had become calm you
| would say that this liquor business pays
| the local and general governments $780,.
| O00,OO0 a year. and that is the reason the
| powers that be permit it to exist. No; we
| are not a nation of madmen, Slt We are
| not very good or very bright. We are an
awful mixture of wisdom and folly, of
| goodness and wickedness. We present a
startling paradox. We toll laboriously for
| that we have builded; We write and preach
high truths and then throw stumbling
| blocks in the way of their attainment.
Mightiest Power in the World.
The mightiest power in the world Is
| man redeemed and fully realizing his posi-
bilties consecrated to the cause Of right
For this man centuries have been striving.
The race has had visions and dreams of
this heritage, and toward the realization
of that heritage men have through the
ages pressed forward
THAT heritage is the possession and usage
Of mans inaienable rights-the attainment
of all that is possible for man to become.
For these rights man has suffered and
fought and died. He has gone through
wilderness. over desert and mountain. and
he has wrested from injustice and tg-
norance and bigotry high place tor him
self He has attained religious liberty and
civil freedom and vast economic rights.
These he pledges himself to foster and pre-
serve.
Man must have Neutrality-suspicious. liberty,
economic liberty, political liberty. Toward
| these necessities and essential rights the
saloon is ever an enemy. 1t is radically
selfish and cruel and its hand Is against
| everything except itself Man Is the child
| of light He is stained and torn and weak.
| but Gods image is within, and he presses
! toward his high destiny. The saloon is the
| child of darkness and the destroyer of light.
| 1t knows no pity, sees no vision, has no
| conscience. 1t stands for self.
Antagonistic to Church Work.
| Here is the paradox. our folly. our in
| dictment, before planest wisdom and AL
| mighty God. Our religious privileges have
cost the generations more than we can
reckon. We have founded great institu-
| lions, vast Christian organiza tions yet in
| the bosom Of the church there nests
| viper. DR.. Parkhurst gays that three
stroyed by the saloon. and where Is the pas
| tor who has really touched practical church
| work who does not say that this Is true
Il am thoroughly opposed to any one
| tearing down any portion of what / build
| up, and ii is quite incomprehensible that
| there should be anywhere a Christian
preacher or layman who is not in the bat
tie against the saloon Here in the Dis
trict of Columbia We have law against
smoke, and it is a good provision. 1t keeps
the walls, merchandise and furniture clean
err than they otherwise would be. do not
know that there Is any way to secure ex-
emption from this law. 1t simply must be
obeyed or the offender will be punished.
But for less than $4,000 over six hundred
saloons are permitted to blacken and de-
stroy the bodies. minds and souls OF men,
That appears to me to be the perfection
OF folly. No person is here allowed to ride
a bicycle without bell on It, and even his
automobile must be numbered. But the
saloon. by payment Of a license Is per-
United to quietly. insidiously and constantly
to steal from men their manhood. from
homes their glory and from children their