Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/15

 THE AMERICAN

JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

VOLUME II! JULY,

NUMBER

THE SOCIAL VALUE OF THE SALOON.

WHAT is the saloon in society ? What is its social value ? What are the demands which it supplies ? are questions which have received a variety of answers. In general it may be said that these answers have fallen under two main heads, determined in each case by the point of view of those giving them. The patron of the saloon speaks : " It is a necessary feature of my life. It furnishes me with many things which I cannot get else- where. It does me no harm ;" and his words savor of convic- tion. But another is heard: "I am opposed to the saloon and to the liquor traffic in all its forms. It is unnecessary ; it is waste ; it is more than that ; it is positive evil and vicious in the highest degree. It represents no necessity and sup- plies no legitimate want." Diametrically opposed to each other, yet both have spoken from conviction and each has stated the truth as it exists for him. But there is no truth in a con- tradiction until it be resolved. Society has at least become -conscious of the contradiction; its resolution can follow only upon a complete st.itnnrnt <>t its trims ; and it is in the hope that m partially neglected facts may lu-ivin be brought forward, which shall contribute to such a complete statement, that this paper is submitted.

The nineteenth ward of Chicago according to the school census of 1896 has a population of 48,280. It is a workingman's