The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-27
ANTI
MOVEMENT
A Sermon in Christian
Church Brings
Money.

Rev. G. D. Edwards delivered a
strong temperance sermon in the
Christian Church yesterday morning.
concluding with an appeal for support
to the Anti-Saloon League. The result
was that the congregation pledged the
sum of s177.6O to the funds of the
League.
Incidentally the preacher referred
with commendation to the Advertisers
anti-gambling crusade. Upon his main
topic Mr.. Edwards spoke as follows:
1t takes three parties to constitute the
liquor traffic-one to drink, one to sell,
and one to permit the selling. We all
know that woe rests on the man who
drinks. Woe is pronounced on him who
'giveth his neighbor drink; and equal
ly on him who "buildeth a town with
blood and establisheth a city by
iniquity." OF this last we do not hear
as much as we should. The man who
rejoices in the opportunity of selling
the privilege to deal out intoxicants to
his fellows in order that his taxes may
be lowered is scarcely a step removed
from the policeman who ignores gam
bling houses because he is paid to ig-
more them. Each winks at the evil and
gives his consent, because it means
money to him.
From the standpoint of the public
the saloon business is bad business. 1t
thrives on the deprivations of others,
and often of the innocent and helpless.
1t brings neither to the drinker, his
family, nor TO society any blessing not
much better acquired in some other
way. On the contrary, it's portion for
each and all is woe, woe, woe. 1t de-
prives the family of shelter and food.
II deprives the children of education
and Increased comforts. It robs the
home of happiness, blights lives and
Crushes hearts and hopes. It robs the
drinker and therefore society of pro-
ductive capacity. 1t prevents income and
diverts what is earned from legitimeat
channels OF trade so that the grocer,
clothier and all classes sell less than
would otherwise be possible. It pro-
vides the community with tumbledown
shacks instead of erecting good dwell
ings. 1t corrupts politics and govern
ment, and it consumes as much in the
prosecution of crime and caring for
the criminals due to it as is realized
from license fees. It has no blessing
to offer. 1t is abundant in its power
to curse.
Where shall conscience be found In
such a business? Certainly not in the
saloon-keeper. Nor do l decry men as
men in this We are all dual creatures.
When a man stands at the threshold of
the saloon business considering whether
he shall enter it he is in his crisis If
he enters he must yield to something
less than his best self and that by de-
Iiberate choice. He in yielding is gov
erned by such a motive Cthe nature of
the business being what it is) and sur
rounds himself by such influences that
you can not look for a conscience-led
man any more in his case where the
interests of the business are involved.
Nor can you expect effective conscience
in chaotic public sentiment. You must
look for it in laws restraining the busi-
ness. in officers sworn to enforce the
laws, in those having boys who may
be swept into the whirlpool, and in |
patriots and Christian men and women !
who love their countrys welfare more !
than money, and who wish a part in |
the world from evil.
The laws of our Territory are per-
haps not the best, but there is some |
good in them. The applicant for a
saloon license must write his applica-
ton, describe premises where he pro-
poses to sell, etc. If he states one
thing wrong ne is a perjurer liable to
twenty years hard work. He must
not be a gambler, drunkard, or one
who has previously violated the liquor
laws He can not locate where a ma
jority of the voters of a precinct pro-
test, and he must have written con-
sent of majority of the property-hold-
ars from 80 feet to 1000 feet from where
he proposes to locate. He dare not sell
Continued on Page II