The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-11
BY WILLIAM T. Ills.

BY WILLIAM I. Ills.
The social and moral welfare of the
people has become national passion
Whatever promises to make the lot of
mankind freer, easier and happier, can
get g majority vote nowadays. In this
era of insurgency, hoary traditions and
! established institutions have small
! consideration Wen they come into
in the past generation there has grown
up a conviction in the minds of a great
many persons, and not all of them
total abstainers and Temperance
cranks," either. that the liquor saloon
is baneful influence in the nations
life. The Institution has lost face
It has everywhere been put on the de-
fensive; and in many places it has been
driven entirely out of business. The
verdict of the people. it may in all
that the saloon is a factor that hurts,
and not a factor that helps. in our
modern social life.
The modern temperance battle cry
is 1.-The saloon must go!" Christian En-
deavor has raised the slogan, "A sal
confess nation by 1920i" This is no
idle dreaming. or convention resolving
Nobody knows that better than the or
ganized liquor interests of the country.
But before these purposes can be real
lied, there must come an imm ense
growth of the total-abstinence senti-
ment among the people. So long as
men want to drink they will find way
to drink. The desire for liquor must
disappear before the sale of liquor can
be ended.
An old-time temperance lecturer
used to say, 1.-THE first liquor business
to be abolished is that which is con-
Quoted about half way between a
mans chin and nose"
A well-known woman lawyer of
Washington, LIBERATED for her opposi-
ton to the abolition of the canteen,
and her general anti-temperance acti-
vities, has once more come to public
attention. She was recently found living
in miserable lodgings. and about to be
disposseSsed of these. To a reporter
she complained bitterly that the brew
ing interests, with whom she had an
agreement for a life-income, and whom
she had served faithfully, had aband
oned her in her old age Now that she
is no longer useful to them, being IN
has been cast off 1t may be that all
of the years of this woman's work for
the saloon will be more than offset by
her bitter revelation at the close of
her life.
Even the most biased opponent of
the saloon will scarcely claim that it
is a social center worthy of the COM
mon level of American life Admitted
ly, the man who seeks his social inter-
course in the saloon. steps down from
his proper sphere. The Brewers con-
vention itself would scarcely care to
offer to the world. as typical of the
American standard Of society and fell
lowship, the average saloon.
The saltwater fountain is an
American institution the praises of
which have not been adequately sung.
The old world has nothing like it.
American travellers abroad miss it so
greatly that in London and Edinburgh,
and a few other cities. soda fountains
have been opened. There are few
item perance drinks to be had on the
other side: ginger ale, lemonade, which
is bottled drink; and lemon squash
! which is the American lemonade, al
most complete the list The variety and
attractiveness Of the harmless drinks to
be had at the American soda fountain
are a marvel to foreign travellers; and
they are a real aid to the cause of tenn
perance.
The time-worn argument for the
saloon is the license it pays; men with
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