The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-17
A MINISTERIAL SIDE SHOW.

OF all the clerical freaks abroad in the land
to-day the Reverend E. A. WATSON is the limit.
We have far too much respect and concern for
the good name of his church to identify him
with it, We have no desire to bring shame to
any ecclesiastical organization Suffice 1t to say
that this reverend gentleman holds pas
torate but between times offers consolation to
conventions of liquor dealers in various parts
OF the country
He has broken loose again This time before
the Liquor Dealers Protective League OF New
Jersey, To repeat some of his brilliant cpl
grams and logical arguments will suffice to re-
veal the character Of this ecclesiastical pervert.
After declaring that it was more his bust
ness what men women drank than what they
bought or wore he asserted that he would rather
see woman drink glass OF beer than to
hobble skirt.
He went on to inform his enthusiastic and
appreciative audience that the prohibition move
ment the creation of short-hared women
and long haired men. and assured them that
the ministers who agreed with him in their sup
port Of the saloon were more than they who
opposed it, only the prohibitionist preachers
possessed so much more mouth than the clerical
brethren who upheld the sale Of liquor
Another startling discovery he has made
and which he handed to the sellers be-
fore him is the fact that the liquor business
demands much higher moral standard than
any other. inasmueh the law permits other
lines of business to dispose of their wares
without restriction. but in the of the liquor
seller demands that he look his patron over to
see whether he be of age whether he can
afford the drink and whether he be already
showing too much the effects of the commodity
that liquor selling calls for high exhibition
of the unsefsh spirit, Logical. isn't 1t?
He soothes them with the assurance that
what has brought dscredit upon their business
is the bad men in it and comforts them with
the thought that there are also black sheep in
the ministry. Every one who reads this address
will at least agree at this point.
He concludes with the statement that the
best way TO make community dull is to make
it dry. Would you go to dry town to have
a good time?" he asks. "Do bridal couples?
Not much. They head for Atlantic City The
reyerent brother has pretty irreligious idea
of what constitutes d good time, 1t appears.
1t would be silly to yield to inclination and
make any reply to such harangue, It's posi-
tons are so absolutely antagonistic TO the
principles of the gospel which he processes to
preach: its conclusions are illogical and alb
surd and indeed must needs be so. when de-
duced from such false premises; his spirit is so
palpahly out of tune with the results Of modern
thought scientific. sociological. economic and
the observation and experience of after
the long operation Of the saloon. that to join
battle with such an advocate Is to waste time.
We merely recite his statements that readers
may gaze upon the widest ecclesiastical freak
out of captivity We are quite sure that no
such paying attraction could be obtained any.
where as an address by this individual Some
enterprising manager should at once sign him
up and carry him tour OF the red light
district of every great city Howling multitudes
would crowd to hear him and riot unrestraned
would break loose among the crowds of social
pariahs who would dance with glee at the hear
ing of such sentiments spoken by the cloth.
II would be money in the pocket OF any man
who could run him as a side show under such
conditions
We fear however that he is only shame
to that great church whose sanity leaders and
whose solemn conyocations have declared in
no uncertain terms against the inquty and
havoc OF the liquor traffic