The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-04-13

Idaho, Wyoming and Montana the
saloon business was considered quite
respectable, and lawyers, physicians,
miners and stockmen engaged in it,
says the Butte News. Everyone was
on terms of perfect equality, and men
had friends and in fiuence in accord
ance with their real worth as citi-
zens, and not because of their wealth.
If they were honest, fair-minded and
broad gagged they were accounted
good men, free to enter any society
or to accept any position within their
capabilities, no matter whether they
were placer miners, bartenders, sa-
loon proprietors, doctors or lawyers.
Many of the saloon men of the ear
" days in the states named were
placer miners, unable from some
physical defect to continue work in
the ground sluice or mud box. Not
many entered in the business except
as a last resort, not because of
fear of losing caste, but because it
could be entered without much capt.
tai. 1t was not uncommon for the
missionary to become acquainted
with the saloon man; in fact, preach
ers and priests not infrequently &C
cepted the hospitality of the saloon
keepers home, enjoyed his good dim
ners, his comfortable beds, and, who
knows, perhaps his good liquors, for
be it understood that the early day
missionary, earnest and Jealous
christian though he was, after all, a
human being. Anxious to walk in
the footsteps of the Master they met
their fellow humans on terms of per-
feet equality ever seeking to spread
the glad tidings of great joy.
What old-timer has not at some
time, while travelling on stage or 9th
er conveyance, stopped to rest at
some wayside inn, and stood elbow
to elbow in front of the bar, each
taking some liquor that would assist
tired nature to continue through the
sleet and snow to a much-desired
destination.
Was it wrong? 1t was right, re-
plies the pioneer, and besides being
right it served the purpose of max
ing the rough, who knew nothing
about churches and ca ed little for
parsons, know that this particular
parson was not upon a pedestal far
away from the real life of the cOun-
try. He was above the others, be-
cause it was known that his mission
was to go to some mining camp to
give solace to dying miner, but yet
he was approachable, and for the
time being, at least, one of them.
Dreadful, will be the exclamation
of great majority of the church
going people of today. In this day
of steamheated cars and modern sur
roundings it is unnecessary that
preacher should visit saloons for any
purpose, but there was no room for
the silk stocking clergy in the early
days of the west The west got just
what it needed in the way of spirit
ual advisers, good, vigorous speci-
mems up on steaming hot whiskey;
men who could break a trail through
the snow and assist stage driver and
passengers to shelter, and who were
not above warming up a steaming
hot whiskey; men who did not fear
public opinion; men who were not
hypocrites and who were at all times
ready to undergo any discomfort to
assist those in sickness or distress.
More than one of the churches
constructed in early days were
planned and financed in the rear
room of a saloon, and more than one
of the parishes thus established
would have been abandoned but for
the liberality of tire saloon keeper
Not few Of the schools were estab-
lished and the money raised FOR their
maintenance in the saloon and listen.
oh We christian OF today, some Of
them were taught by bartenders.
At least one of the most highly re-
spected of the district judges of Mon
tana that could be named and it will
be found that they were once engaged
in the saloon business, and further
inquiry will also disclose the fact
that they were then as now respected
citizens.
Let the oninion of the present day
population differ as they will about
the responsibility of the retail liquor
dealer there can be no doubt about
the honesty, integrity and the social
standing of the men engaged in the
business when cayUses furnished the
transportation power for passenger
travel and bull teams hauled the
freight.
1t would probably stertle the
church members of today if the
names of some of the men who are
now prominent in the business and
church life of the state of Montana,
prominent and ambitious, too, in the
political doings of that great COM
monwealth, were given, and the
times and place when they retailed
liquors and cigars. 1t would Of
course, be said of them that they had
reformed, but this would not be a
true statement of the facts. Many of
them were good men then, and they
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