Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-19
MINISTER RAPS
LIQUOR TRAFFIC
REV. w. H. HORNED TALKS TO
MEN ON SALOON AT Y. M. C.
A. AUDITORIUM.
II E RID BY M A N Y
Speaker Gives His Views on Saloon
Problem in Citing His Eighteen
Years Experience Tells
of Kansas.

of Kansas.
Every chair in the Y. NJ. C. A. audi
forum was taken by the immense
audience of men that greeted DR.. w.
n. HORNED of the East End Presbyter-
ian church, yesterday afternoon, to
hear his address on THE Labering
Man VS.. The Saloon
He took as his text, Isaiah 55:2;
Wherefore do We spend money for
that which is not bread, and your
labor for that which satisfeth not?
My first Indictment against the liquor
traffic is, that it is one of the greatest
hiiderances to the progress of the
word of God" began the speaker
Those who uphold the saloons or
are implicated in the liquor traffic are
not engaged in the Christian enter
prises of the city, giving our men and
bows and homes helping hand to the
highest ideals of life. You do not find
these men in the churches, prayer
meetings, or, in the Sabbath schools
where our families are being taught the
principles of just and honest living. On
the other hand this business is in
partnership with every thing that
drags our homes and community down.
AS a rule the natrons of this business
belittle the church, the preacher, and
thu Bible. / could prove by an hours
reading of the Bible, in your hearing,
that the Bible and the church are the
best friends and the sanest labor
agitators that the workingman has.
Where these two friends of humanity
have the freest chance to operate,
there we find, within and without, the
church the mightiest champions OF
labor. Wherever in the world you find
the most open Bibles and the freest
II IL, IL. u, G,,J ! !,
most and the sanest labor agitation.
There are no labor unions and there is
no labor agitation in darkest Africa. In
all histor-- the highest civilization fol-
To- the Bible. The worst damnation Of
the laborer and of the human race
goes hand in hand with the liquor
traffic. l have no greater condem-
nation of the whole business than this
indictment
An Unnecessary Expense.
THE laborer, his home and his
country can do without the saloon.
The sight of millions of men and wom-
en- doing all kinds of the hardest work
and filling all grades of the most re-
sponsible positions in the office, the
farm. the factory the store and the
home, as total abstainers from alco-
holic beverages, is one of the grandest
sights in this country that God and
men have ever looked upon in all of
the worlds history Sweep the entire
traffic into the sea with it's billions
of annual expense and the working
man will be infinitely better off. The
liquor bill for last year is estimated at
s1,15O, 900, OC0. Think also Of the
ruined fathers and sons as bread Win
ners for their families, the suffering
and rank injustice that is annually in
flicted upon millions of innocent wom-
en- and children. One of the most ag-
| I'LL loI, ~
problem is the drink traffic. The liquor
traffic has a blanket mortgage on the
early home training and the public
education of the child and how relent-
lessly this mortgage is foreclosed no
one knows better than the minister of
the gospel The saloon is not the
poor mans club in any way so much
as it is a club to drive him and his
family into hell on earth and to keep
them out of the pathway that leads
to Heaven here and in the world to
come. The enemies of the saloon are
the ardent supporters of the church
and Of all the kindred institutions
which in every city in the union, day
and night, are open to give help
ing hand to the man in any class who
is trying to reach up to the best
things. In every one of the towns.
great and small, where l have been a
pastor, my heart has rejoiced because
Of the many friends and institutions
there are to encourage those upward
who honestly desired to live a better
life. The saloon in no case, under my
observation, has been such a helper.
While the saloon is clubbing the poor
man who lives in the tenement houses
and other narrow apartments, his wife
and children must be content with
their wretcl.ed quarters made so
largely throuS-l drink.
Labcr's Direct Enemy.
1.-THE three great institutions which
cooperate together most for the well
fare of the iaborer are the home. the
church and our free country with the
ballot. The saloon patron units him
self to meet the problems of the home.
He units his mind and body for it's
best work in it's interest. both in the
shop as we'll as by the freside. He
cannot spend his money for drink and
have enough left to do his best for his
wife and children. He cannot honest
ly patronize the saloon and be active
| If the church. The saloon atmos-'
phere and the ideals supported by it's
patron blind him to his best interests
| at the ballot. Count Tolstoi, the great
| e.. friend of 'abor in this generation
! says that the laborers of Russia
are so stepped with liquor and tobacco
that they are unable to do independent
thinking. IN my experience Oh elght-
cen years among laboring men, l am
| convinced that one-third and most
important parts of the labor problem
will be solved when this traffic is de-
stroyed from the land.
The more money that is put into
this business by the laboring man the
| less wages he will receive. The aver
ago amount of wages paid to labor for
every 500 worth of produce in legiti-
mate lines of manufacture is $20.10.
For every s1C0 worth of LIQUOR man
ufactured only s1.67 is paid to labor.
GAS to employment. in legitimate
lines of business 955 men are employ
ed for every million Of dollars in
vested, while the drink business gives
employment to only 12S men for every
million of dollars invested. Put the
saloon out Of business and you will
give work to 955 men instead Of only
12s for every million dollars invested.
You will be paying s2010 out of every
500 worth of produce placed on the
market instead of only s1.67. The
| laborer will be better fitted as pro-
Queer and have ten times as much
money to spend for things that will
build up his home and family and