Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-29
Organized Anti-Saloon Work.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Kindly allow me space in your columns to
express appreciation of what seem most ex-
cellent features in the declaration bv the
committee on the suppression of the LIQUOR
traffic. reported to the Columbia Baptist
Association. as printed in The Star of Fri
day the 9th instant. The committee. of
which the Rev. f. Hez Sven was chair
man. characterized the liquor traffic as the
parent OF the largest share of crimes mark
ed on our courts records, and recommend
ed measures for its suppression which those
not knowing their Bible as we'll possibly
as the members of the Baptist Association
may know it, might regard as too drastic,
and stated that ''untiring vigilance should
pc exercised to confne the traffic to the
limits prescribed by law With the exer-
clSe of such vigilance no law-abidine citi-
zen can, of course. find fault The means
to be taken by the several churches to pro-
mote this suppression and limitation. as
recommended by the committee and in
dorsed by the association, should II would
seem. meet the approval of all church mem,
bers. They are stated in the following
paragraph:
Your committee does not believe it ex-
pedlent for individual churches or the
churches as body to undertake this fea-
ture OF the work but representatives of the
churches banded together in such a body
as the Anti-Saioon League may render eff
fectiye service in the cause of morality and
religion"
The history of temperance campaigning
III the District of Columbia as thoughtful
students admit. bears evidence that the
committees plan for church work In this
field Is a wise one. The leading part borne
by the Good Templars in these struggles IT
is maintained. unquestionably proves it to
oe So Inc fundamental principles of this
international order, Ii is said, provide that
Good Templary shall carry moral suasion
IN Its left hand nearest the heart-the active
organ of persuasion-and legal suasion in
us right hand, the reader and more effec-
1--WE When hard blows must be given
The annals of Good Templary show its
adherents declare, that the Good Templars
III Washington conducted their campaigns
alohg TINS dual line for twentyeight years.
but with results greatly disproportionate to
the labor and expense involved In the
early ntneties, however, supporting the in
itiative taken by their Grand Lodge leeisla-
i've committee, of which the late Andrew
n. Garfield was chairman, It appears that
they made a new departure The new move
ment, II is said, was precpitated by col
loquy at a hearing before the District Com
missioners. The Good Templar advocate
was making a strenuous plea for denial of
an application for license, in the course of
which the chairman of the board remarked:
MIR. Garfield, you are right the Good
Templars are all right; but who are the
Good Templars? The people do not object
to the issuance of this license, they have
entered no protest"
Mr.. Garfield at this point 1t is said, closed
pea anu Ieiiidfheu. V cry well, Will
see to it that the people do protest.
A plan was drawn and steps were taken
Immediately for a federation of all the So
cietieS in the city that could then be found
to agree on this single proposition: 1.-The
saloon must 60" The Good Templars' right
hand. 1T is said, merged It's services then for
life In the Antl-Saloon League an agency
now twelve years old conducted by men
and women who seem to enjoy in full meas
ure that confidence reposed in them by the
Columbia Baptist Association. Mr. Cam
field. the leagues founder, died six months
ago. but he lived to make good his declara-
tion: We Will see to it that the people do
protest.
The considerations that governed the COM
mittee of the Columbia Baptist Association
in framing its report, set forth In a re-
cent interview, were, among others these:
That work through the Anti-Saloon League
brought desired results; that efforts to sup
press and restrict the liquor traffic had been
as successful as could reasonably have been
expected. or as can be hoped for while the
policy of the general government touching
this question remains as It is today; that
the advocates of the league, in both It's
local and national character, understand
clearly every phase of this difficult problem,
are harmonious in plan and execution of
plan. and have established character, stand
ing and influence in the departments having
to do with law-making and law-enforce-
ment. qualities always the outg10wth of
ripe experience and intelligent service.
s. w. RUSSELL.