The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-10-11
METHODS ARE NOW JUSTIFIED
Drink Evil Among Women
Must Be Fought Hard.
PASTORS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS
Rev. Peter Clare Is Not Surprised at
the Startling Disclosures, the
Other Ministers Talk.

The alarming facts brought to igh
by Rev. Frederick Z. Hopkins of tn,
Plymouth Congregational church o
Chicago in his scathing remarks about
the prevalency of intoXication among
Chicago society women has caused con
siderable comment throughout the coun
try. There has been not little crit
icism of Rev. Hopkins remarks anC
of his methods in bringing the matter
before the public. Many different pc
sitions have been taken by men of the
cloth on the matter throughout the
country and in order to learn just
what stand the clergy of MankatC
has taken a Free Press representa-
tive was sent to interview the di-
vines of the city. They responded as
follows:
Upholds Rev. Hopkins.
Rev. Peter Clair, First Methodist t;
Il am not in position TO say much
on the subject, not having much ex-
perience with Chicago society. However,
having lived in Minneapolis six years
and in st. Paul three L have some
knowledge of society life in a large
city and it is my opinion that this
intemperance is found almost entirely
among the higher classes of society
and the very lowest, the middle being
on the whole temperate. The trouble
with the society women in Chicago is
that they have great deal of time on
their hands and also more money than
they know what to do with and while
idling their time away at their clubs
they indulge in various sorts of gam
bling ard naturally become addicted
to iatoxicants. Rev. Hopkins certainly
has good grounds for the position he
has taken and the method he has
adopted is an excellent one. Publicity
is the best cure for such an evil
and a pastor would not dare to make
such statements from the pulpit unless
he had good grounds for fear of pub
lie censure.
Elf these are the facts then the con-
dition in Chicago is certainly alarming
and should be denounced from the pull
pit lust as Rev. Hopkins has done.
Somethin" has to be done to wipe out
such evils before they ruin the coun-
try. a great deal of good in this line
can be done from the pulpit. The pull
pit should be fearless but never SEN
sational. / do not think Rev. Hopkins
means to create sensation but merely
TO bring the alarming conditions before
the people,
Rev. Winter Discusses Matter.
Rev A. /. Winter, German Luther
an: Il do not wish to say much con
corning this matter as my experience
with Chicago and with the -four humid
red of society is quite limited, but
if these are the conditions they are
certainly deplorable.
IF Rev. Hopkins has stated facts he
is justified III his denunciations. | do
not want to lay the blame of this
wrong upon class of women In Chi
cago because | think one class is not
more addicted to drink than another.
L Il
among women not only in Chicago but
all over the world but if Rev. Hop
kins' statements are correct then in
temperance among the Chicago women
has reached an alarming stage and
must be stopped.
'It is a pastors duty to warn his
people of an evil and to prevail upon
the proper authorities to obliviate it
The authorities and not the clergy are
the ones take the steps to stop evils
which are a menace to society"
Believes Rev. Hopkins.
Rev. Z. III. Willisford, First Bap-
fist:
SIN the first place, assuming the
facts stated by Rev. Hopkins to be
correct, he is certainly justified IL
taking the steps he has. 1t is hardly
possible to conceive of man IN his
position making such statement un
less it is true. Although that is
only one method of arousing public
interest it is an effective one ano
may be bringing so strongly before
the people and cause them to be al
least more temperate. A great many
people will do things privately that
they would not do if they thought ii
would be known by the public. | be-
lieve that there is considerable drink.
ing among the smart set of oul
large cities and it is deplorable
fact that the high society women
drink considerably. 1 doubt very much
as to the increase of intemperance
among the women of the middle
classes. If Rev. Hopkins is merely
trying to create a sensation or il
he is seeking notoriety his efforts
will be futile; on the other hand
If he is sincere in what he says and