The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-30

There appears to be no good reason
to be served by further Withholding
the fact that I am the individual who
has felt laid on himself the RESPONSE
bility of taking the initiative in the
organizing Of a Boys or Mems club
or clubs thruOut the city as substl-
tute for the attractions of the saloon.
TO the open-minded student of the
saloon question two facts are clearly
evident: r:
First--That the saloon exists because
it supplies a demand filled by no other
institution, and,
Second the dispensing of liquor
is an incident merely in the service
rendered.
The club I have in mind is not
competitor with the saloon in. the dis
sion, except indirectly, to the man with
an acquired thirst. My club is, more
over, in no sense reformatory insti-
tution-it is mainly constructive, large
" substitutionary and, incidentally,
preventive.
Fortunately there are numerous ex-
amples of what such club as / have
in mind can accomplish. Several in
New York, notably "Gordon House,
a club Of "boys from 10 to 60 years
of age,' with over 5000 members, with
NuoS iuilllllS lTOul ~ W ~ COhto q
month, the club building costing $780,
of $20,O00.
The Good Will club of Hartford,
Conn, with membership Of 1900 and
an annual carrying charge Of about
one-half that of Gordon House.
The Boys club of Fall River, Mass,
with a membership of 1859, building
costing $4,000, and an annual expense
account Of $4,000.
The Bunker Hill Boys club of Bos-
ton, Mass, with approximately the
All the above clubs have been in
operation from FIVE to twenty years
and are in no sense experiments. 1t
should be an easy matter, therefore,
in view of the information available,
| tosaVoid all mistakes and experiments
in the. conduct of our proposed local
club. 49,
Ny club is not "Y. M. G. A.; it
will have no prayer meeting, no Bible
study, no controlling church influence;
neither will it be all industrial club, al
tho it should have industrial depart
ments; it will not bea settlement club in
the usual sense of the term, in that it will
cater purely and simply to it's members
1t will be a club, pure and simple, sus-
tanning the same relation to its mem
bership as the Minneapolis or CONNER
cial club, only that it shall be much
more comprehensively equipped. With
in it's walls each and every member
shall be distinctly at home, free to avai
himself of all the club privileges, while
1 always observing the comfort and con
| venience Of his fellow ,members-tht
standard club spirit.
My club shall pc equipped with bowl
ing, alleys, billiard room, card room
smoking room, magazine and readln,
, room, a frst-class gymnasium, splen
, did swimming pool, a small auditorium
with stage, lunch room, serving pies
}. sandwiches, coffee, soft drinks, cider
cigars, etc. 1t should ultimately hav
q debating society, dramatic society
q bowling club, a tramplng club, hand
; icraft guild, with courses in clay model
ing. wood working. basketry. cabine
making, free hand drawing, decoration
and poster work. It should have
singing class; it should have a cours
of lectures on topics suitable, and b.
men qualified. to interest the members
but, at the start, it should be a clu
pure and simple
:. Can such a club hope to compete wit
the attractions of the saloon? Of cours
, it can it will give all that, and NOR
:, than, any saloon in the city now gives
barring the ,iquor-and, as stated, m
club is not a competitor with the saloo
l. IN its legitimate province of diSpensin
liquor.
Attractions to Be Offset.
Let me parallel the relative advar
! tages Of the present saloon and the clu
, [ have in mind.
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