The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-10-27

by BrOfs jas. h. hODerthOns
OF more than passing interest are
the papers and circulars that are
issued and distributed by the two
opposing societies Of Kentucky, with
headquarters at Louisville; the Anti
Saloon League and the National Mo-
del License League. One stands for
the complete abolition Of the SALON.
from American life and the 9th II
Stands for its retention under strict
er regulation. Both societies are ably
managed and both are comparatively
free from coarseness of language and
from florid rhetoric. They argue their
case and appeal to the reason.
One cannot read the utterances Of
these societies without fuller realiz-
alton of the fact that the saloon is
the center of the greatest reform
movement of modern times. Already
IL has been pushed onto narrower
ground. The activity OF the League
has driven the saloon from large
part of our country and its strong
hold is largely confined to the cit
les.
Scarcely a word of defense is heard
for the saloon of the old type ex-
cept by the patrons who frequent It.
The line of battle has been drawn
for a regulated saloon, respectable
and properly located in places where
the sentiment of the public is not
against 1t. This is surely a change,
so great that it is hard TO realize
it. A whole generation has grown
up in some parts of our land with
out seeing a saloon or coming IN
der its influences. Sections of our
country that have abolished it have
SO improved materially and morally
that they would no more think of
bringing back the saloon than they
would think of returning to prim-
tive life.
Various causes have been at work
TO bring these changes about. There
has been. rise in the ethical stand
ards of our people. The modern in
dustrial system cannot tolerate in
temperance. The awakening of civic
conscience and a desire for better
government and cleaner politics, are
opposed to the saloon. The demands
of modern life for greater efficiency
in the individual, the spirit of the
age that seeks to do good to others
and to throw protection about the
weak are opposed to the saloon. The
instinct Of society to protect itself
against poverty, disease and crime;
the attempt to save the wastes
in social life; and the belief in
the conservation of human life as
the best resource of a nation, all
count against the saloon.
1t is not necessary to say that all
saloons are equally bad, that all
saloon keepers, brewers on distillers
are criminals. and that all
advocates of licensed saloons are
fools or rascals, because we know
they are not. 1t does no good to call
names. The saloon must be judged
as social institution and it must
rise or fall according to its tendency
to benefit or injure society at large.
AS an institution the saloon has so
linked itself with everything that is
bad that it can never clear itself
of the character 1t has won. II
has grown strong by the degradation
of manhood; 1t has been dictatorial
in political life and domineering in
civic affairs. 1t has been a means
to luxurious consumption of wealth
and cause of lessened production.
II has robbed our homes of comforts
and deprived our children of their
rights. 1t has been breeding place
for crime, disease and poverty. II
sounds very plausible to talk of reg
(continued on 9Th Psge.l