Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-05-15
Live and Let Live.

The eliminating act of the W. c
T. L. convention, held in this city
last week. was the adoption of the fol
lowing resolution. which they-trust
ing;creatures! -have..a asked us to pub
fish:
Resolred. The Thurston County W. c,
7. t., representing Christian woman,
hood and Christian motherhood, are
startled To hear that the Olympia Brew
ing company offers money prize for the
best essay on the Good in a glass oil
beer" written by pupils Of the Olympia
High School. In view OF the strong law
enacted by the State of Washington for
scientific temperance instructions in the
public schools in view of the constantly
multiplying evidences of science against
beer; in view OF the present activities OF
statesmen and school men in Germany
against beer. their so-called national
beverage; ia view OF the evidences writ
ten upon the face and form OF every beer
drinker; We call upon teachers and pa
rents, good citizens and students OF the
high school, to set Olympia ablaze with
these truths, flashing the light into
the mind and heart of every one who
thinks, SO there will be no response to
this appeal SO that no such advertise
ment for the force that laws hold in hell
can be secured from our high schools.
In the name of the cherished prin-
cip.c of free speech, why should the
students of the higher grades be de-
barred from expressing an opinion,
upon subject which these good wo-
men declare is fraught with SO much
Importance? Why should they ac-
cept, with implicit faith, the cut-and-
dried, stock-in- trade, so-called scien-
tific deductions, compiled to order,
and reject the testimony of the larger
portion of the community that the
use of beer in moderation is in nc
sense harmful, but may be at times
as beneficial as the tonic prescription
of a doctor. Surely the owners Of
the brewery, headed by as educated
and discriminating a director as Mr.
Schmidt, has seen no improperly in
Offering prize for an essay upon the
possible benefits in a glass of beer
and can see no reason in the claim
that it is an unmitigated evil. Still
his opinion goes for nought although
he probably pays as much for support
of public schools as the whole W. C.
T. U. membership. He knows tina,
the alcoholic principle is so small, like
the strychnine in the physicians pre-
scription that it does good instead o.
harm. Whence that craving for {
stimulant at times unless from Ma
ture? Why is a substitute required
when it is withheld? And why moi
allow the individual to be the Judge
OF his own requirements, surrounded
as he is by law to prohibit theil
abuse?
Such demands as the w. C. T. U.
make are futile because unreasonable
They affirm that beer is intoxicating
without the slightest personal knowl.
edge that it is true. Fifty years
ago, we remember weeks discussion
between Amory Holbrook, an emf
nent lawyer and politician. of Oregon
City, and Rev. DR.. Atkinson, of the
Presbyterian church in the same
city, upon the question, "Boes
beer intoxicated" and it ended
in draw" Lest the good ladies
might not know what q draw is, we
note it was horse-and-horse," O
split" in which neither party
won, and when an appeal was made
to the users Of beer, there was like
doubt expressed. and the matter met
with no more decisive end than that
embodied in the old Germans opin-
ion, who said: well, don t know
how it would be ven a man makes q
hog nit himself, but Id drink dwenty
or dwenty-fife glasses day and don I
feel some effects"