The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1908-07-31
BISHOP POTTER
A Man Who Always Tried to Help

enjoyed a national reputation. He was
II minister OF rare ability. a bishop of
broad minde1ness. He vas business
man Of unusual scope which gave him
great opportunities to study the prob
lens OF life from "A practical point and
he had the wonderful faculty OF grasp
ing situation at glance and doing
or saying the right thing at the right
time. Bishop Potter was many sideI
preIate and man not afraid to speak
his mind on any subject with which he
was confronted He never suffered
from Theological lockjaw.' He was
years conspicuous figure in all ma
tlonal movements Of the civic nature.
Ii he believed he was right he placed
his shoulder to the wheel and pushed
his idea, to the front. He had many
enemies. He made some every time
he took firm stand on any question,
because he waged his campaigns with
vlgor, but even his enemies had the
greatest respect for his opinions, be-
cause they were honest. Two years
ago when he proposed and dedicated
model saloon in the subway in New
York, Bishop Potter came into the
lime light III all parts of the civilized
globe. He was literally sizzled on the
skillet OF public opinion long before
Ia +.r
churcnmen and laymen seemed to doubt
his wisdom in endorsing a saloon, but
lie went ahead and opened his tavern
with prayer. Only pure liquors, in
limited amount, was sold to patrons.
The novelty took fairly well in the be-
ginning but Il year witnessed its end.
The manager said in good faith that
it did not pay because the rules pro-
hibitcd selling to customers enough to
get them drunk. Bishop Potter SILENT
ly listened u the criticisms Of those
who did not agree with him, many OF
which were little less than personal at
tacks, until after the place had been
open for several weeks and he closely
observed It's effect ou the public, Fin
ally he consented to answer his tradu-
GERS and the following is his statement,
| which in many respects is considered
did from high prelate:
81 have publicly said that | never
dreamed Of regarding the present sa-
loon as either blessing or a necessity
and no word Of mine, whether recently
or at any other time, warrants any
SUCH Inference. | have simply regarded
il as inevitable and necessary evil, un-
til it is displaced by something better.
| To close it, whether Sundays or any
other particular days,i not to displacc
it by something worthy Of public re
spect and legal protection, and my con,
troversy is simply with those who have
no other aim in dealing with a mis-
chievOus institution than to suppress
it, whereas the only hope Of reform
here is in displacement by substitution
And it is no eXaggeratlon to say that
nothing which has occurred during
this century has done more to restore
the Church Of England and the sym
pathy of the common people and the
friendship and respect of the multi
tudes who are not Of her fold than the
organization and work of the Churcl
of England Temperance society
Founded on the narrow spirit OF in
tolerant prescription, it has welcomed
men to its fellowship, whether they
are total abstainers or Inconsistencies
1t has been content to point men to at
mitted evils of national intemperanCt
and then to associate them in practica
measures for their illumination.
1t has not assumed to say that thOst
measures could only be Of one kind
nor that intemperance could be Del
with in only one way. 1t has seer
that reform is principle which may
have many illustrations and may EN-
ploy many dissimilar agencies. AnC
today the future of England and OF
English homes is just SO much more
brighter because wise and large heart
ed men have joined together in behai'
of the work of temperance reform.
Bishop Potter did world of good
he was known to the people in every
walk of life. He was fond of the soci'
ETY. of workmen. He understood them.
He heartily liked and enjoyed thcr
sentiments and they liked him and
his sentiment. He did much towards
settling differences between capital and
labor He could bring down the tenn
perature Of red hot anarchist fifty
degrees in five minutes; he had hap
py faculty Of talking angry men into
calm reasonableness in few sentences.
Bishop Potter cannot be judged by one
not perfectly familiar with the sphere