The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-01-25
ector Of St. Luke's Episcopal Church
objects to the Methods Used
by the Citizens Asso-
citation.
or REAL TEMPERANCE
ut Wants It Obtained by Legitimate
Means and Condemns Manner
Of Conducting the
! Saloon Fight.

Rev. Charles j. Shut. rector OF st.
,uke's Episcopal church at Desi
MONIES and publisher Of the Iowa
Ehurchman, discusses the saloon
Question in an editorial in the latest
ssue Of the paper, The Rev. MT.
Shut objects to the methods OF the
Citizens association, of which he
saws he is member. The editorial
Follows:
1.-THE temperance cause sustained
severe blow at the hands of its own
most ardent friends in Des Moines as
result OF the recent crusade prose-
cuted by the .drys' against the vets
That the 'drys' have none but them
selves to thank for their defeat is the
Judgement Of large number of Chris
tian men, OF keen discernment, who
watched the battle through 4 I'M
prejudiced although not disinterested
glasses. A fair fight, it is believed,
would have won signal and glorious
victory. We write this reluctantly
and with deep regret, as we hold the
temperance workers of our city in the
very highest esteem. They are q
noble band OF earnest Christian men,
who have at heart the betterment OF
socia, conditions and the best inter
tests OF the community and their
Fellows.
4We do not question their sincerity
II integrity of purpose. Neither are
Re surprised that they should lose
their wits in the heat of battle. No
wonder that they should yield to the
temptation to take advantage Of the
V flaws in the petitions and in the
court proceedings Of their opponents
SSWhen facing, as they were, in strong
battle array, the entrenched forces
sSs88SSScf possibly the greatest CONNER
s cialized evil of our time.
# "Thus it has come to pass that q
~ splendid body of Christian men, by
their paid attorney, took advantage OF
mere technicality in an attempt
some months ago, to close the saloons
asking the courts to throw out a petit
ton on the ground that notary pub
failed, although inadvertently, to Sc
cure the renewal of her commission
And again, in the more recent pro
ceedings the courts were urged tt
throw out the names OF number Of
citizens who had signed the petition
alleged flaw in the returns made from
certain precincts at the last city cleo
ton.
Principles Involved.
But we venture the assertion tina
no member of the Citizens associa
ton, who had right conception OF hi
Christian profession, would go int
court and ask for verdict in his owl
behalf on the ground of some tech
nical flaw in the proceedings. Surel
he would want to win his case on tn
principles involved or not at all. Gu
good friends did not stop at this. Mel
chants were threatened with with
drawal of patronage If they signed tn
petition Prominent citizens. who ar
in the habit of thinking for then
serves, were put to the annoyance Q
being solicited to take their names o.
the petition and held up to scorn an
shame by the publication of photo
graphed copies OF the petitions upo
which their names appeared. Men
bers of churches who signed the pet
ton were communicated becaus
they refused to withdraw their name
condemned as unfit to associate eve
with those brethren who, in yer
large numbers. refused to obey the n
less stringent disciplinary requir
ments regarding dancing, card pla
ing and theatregoing. Thus consis
ency, fair dealing and Christian cha
ity We're thrown to the winds In tn
mad rush to gain victory!
All this occurred in the name
Christ. during the holy season wha
the whole world was re-echoing tn
angels song, Glory to God in ii
highest and ON earth, peace, goc
will toward men, From all such a
un-American, un-Christian, Billy SUI
dayism crusades may the good Lon
deliver us, How one can square h
conscience with belief in the cor
mandment, Thou shalt love thy neig
Dor as myself in the Golden Rule an
IN the Brotherhood Of Man, while Al