The United Societies’ Threat

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 11, 1909

The United Societies’ Threat

THERE is an organization of liquor dealers in Chicago, calling itself The United Societies, which has been greatly stirred by the temperance agitation throughout the country, and to such an extent that it has thought it necessary to pass the following resolution:—

And it should be understood that any man who belongs to a temperance organization and advocates either local option or prohibition, no matter on which ticket he may be placed, will be opposed by the members of the United Societies.

We stand broadly for the personal rights of the individual as guaranteed by our Constitution, and to this end we shall support only those candidates who will answer squarely and fully the questions which we shall propound to them, and sign the pledges which we shall present.

Concerning this very plain declaration the Northwestern Christian Advocate says:—

The “personal rights” for which the United Societies stands are the rights of saloon-keepers to nullify the law, and to debauch boys and girls by the sale of liquor at so-called dance halls, which are the most degrading class of saloons.

By these resolutions the United Societies serves notice upon all candidates for office that they must be willing to sacrifice their manhood and the welfare of the homes and the young people of the State if they wish to escape the unrelenting opposition of the United Societies. Time will show how many candidates will do that. The saloon and its allies are willing to go to any length to protect that lawless and treasonable institution.

The most lamentable feature of the prospect is that so large a portion of the political place-hunters are numbered among the “allies” of that organization already. It is a bold stroke for an organization so notorious in its defiance of law to declare its intention of going to the very source of the law and polluting that. But nothing in its past career would lead us to imagine it would hesitate even at so great an insult to the people of the land.