Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-08-13
THE USE N ABUSE


"HN III utHauCc VI IVuututtTN etnt
ives 'n'emperance is moro prevalent in the Uni
sea states to-day than il has ever been at any
lo'"ef period. This is Statistical fact which
sne well informed philanthrop,st cannot deny.
however much he may regret it, and il proves
one Of two things either tina, the vice il past
10 past remedy or mitigation OF that the strin.
gent means adopted TO p-ev ent the sale and use
OF stimnlants have been unwise and irrational.
Human nature Ia no. 30 hopelessly vicious as 10
be hey ond the inilu snce OF reason aud persua.
sio~n-howevcr obstinate il may be in ito resist.
ance to arbitrary and Inconsistent laws. and tho
inference. therefore,. Is. that the extremists who
have declared uncomrromising war agains. IN.
use Of liquor under any circumstances. have
oreysAot tAe marx. and actually increased IN.
evil they intended 70 crush out. The United
States law authorizes the importation, msnufac.
ture and sale Of spirits. and while thia is the
case, no local law eau ever prevent the use OF tn
article. Tho statues which impose taxes and
duties on liquor. pre- suppose that it will be
used. and recognize the right OF the people 90
use il. That right Is denied by the prohibitions
lists. aud they make by laws 10 prevent the citi-
sens from exercising n personal privilege guar
anteed to him-by implication at least by the
law of the land.
This Ia the whole case in n nut. shell, and II -
for these reasons that the Maine law and every
other enactment ofits class have proved n dismal
failure.
Every good man admits that intoxicat,en is
terrible vice the fruitful parent ofevery species
OF crime. Blu, 1t does not therefore follow that
alcoholic stimulants should be- abolished. Wipc
them out aud what becomes IL one Of tho most
important departments % medical arty Only
ignorant fanatics. or men whose better judgment
Is warped by prejudice. will attempt TO deny
tina, lives are saved daily by tho timely admin
~istra,ion OF spirituous stimulus a. a terminating
and restorative agent. II is the basis Of all the
s~inctures of the pharmacop@ias. and IT has pre-
served The lives Of thousands on the battle. field,
in military and other hospitals. and in private
practice. without 1t medical science would be
like the play Of Hamlet with the part OF the hero
omitted. Most especially is this true Of apsvs
m.dscdi sSimEiast. Unquestionsbly the extrem
list Of the NaiL Dow stripe. would like to sup
press all med,catcd preparations containing al-
cohol. They would probably begin with .
LETTERS STOMACH BiTTERS, reputed To be
tno mOSt VOtcut TeetoretiNt u uttcIWtlNo VI "
day. They would deprive tho asuc and fever
districts Of the South and Wcst Of this power
full specific. They would meet the traveller in
the valley Of the Mississippi. or tho miner in
the places or canons Of California. or the voy-
ager about TO sail for tho insaiubrious coast Of
Mexico or the West Indies. aud demand the
surrender u this great antidotc to malaria. and
protective against the effects OF unwholesome
water, IL he happened TO be provided with it
Nay, they would probably 40 further than that,
and destroy the great factory ut Pittsburg. where
it is prepared. and every bottle OF it upon
which they could lay their hands throughout
thu length and bresdth OF the land. In vain
would i: be prove ed TO them that the article was
manufacturer from the pnrest II al known dinu-
s,ye stimuli and the most valuable Of medicinal
herbs and roots. away with IL away with
it," they would cry lit contains alcohol. aud
therefore it must be destroyed.
But this is the language Of insane bigotrv.-
Enlightened Scicnce-aye, nnd enlighteded BE.
ligion and Morality, too condemn 1t utterly
bishop tAsspuaS, tae Reverend Dr. WoRcRsrkn.
and other great diviaes have recently gwen
their testimony agvinst sueh Wholesale %hcstiliiy
10 stimulants. and have declared that the vice
Of drunkenness has been greatly increased by
the undiscriminatIng onsloughts OF the prohibi-
~tiouists. The great AGAssiz, and slch men -
Professors HoasvonD and JACKSON, together
with Drs. BiaHL0w, CLARxR, HOLMES, WINS aud
many other eminent practitioners, whose stand
ing Is physicions should secure respect for their
opinions ON a point like this. have stated that al
coholic prepar ations are absolutely essential in
the treatment of many diseases. and MS %restors-
tives. They only insist that the prepa, ations %
pure. They are in favor Of stringent laws
against adniteration their motto Is "rsyaiafs
not Destroy.
And this is the true policy. dictated alike by
philosoahy, experience and common sense -
What, on the other hand, IL the tendency OF the
policy Of prohibition II does not prevent, 1t
never has prevented, II never can prevent the
| sale OF alcoholic fluids, but IL leads 10 their dsfs-
rioration, and thus increases n thousand fold
the evils that ii proposes Ia annihi ate.
when liquors are sold secretly. ann atthc risk Of
personal liberty. of course the dealers Will seek
to compensate themselves for the hazards they
incur by inordinate profits, and 10 obtain those
profits, they will adultcrate what tbey sell. Ii
is notorious that the liquor sold ia ttates where
prohlbitory laws exist ~ Tor the most part
poison. 1t ~ as sac Tor the vender 10
give his customers u fiery and destructive COM
pound asa good article the penalty being IN
each case the same. Strict and faithfully exc
cuted inspection laws would prevent this
horrible adulteration. Prohibitory laws pro
mote II. II is well known that most Of the IL
auor recently forfeited in New York, Brooklyn
aud elsewhere. for evasion of the Government
tax, has been Of the vilest description. The
manufacturers In view Of the possibility OF sci.
xure, have got up tho countcrband articles II the
least possible expense. in order thst their less.
IN case Of DISCOVERY. might be omparsitvcly
s-nali. The safety Of the public health demands
thst such pernicious stuff be destroyed, and un-
der . proper system of tests il would be con-
demned and emptied into tho docks. But no, ID
1t il sold BY the Government, Mt the average rate
OF about o. per gallon, TO pay the tax. In this
war alcoholic poison IL distributed broadcast
among the people. The whole system OF iegis-
istion bearing upon the LIQUOR trade in this coun-
try Is, although not so intended, In the interest
Of intempersnce. 4 moderate excise and wise
sanitary laws, In relation to the testing Of al
distilled and fesmented beverages. are the best
safeguards against the great evil which all think
ing men deplore. but for which few have the
wisdom and boldness 10 propose any remedies
appreciation Of the wants snd weaknssscsof hu-
man nature. What . pity Il - tina. professsd
reformists wilt attempt To drive, when their true
| policy would be 10 lesd, advise and sestsain.-
All patriotic ditifens would be glad, II they could
to sweep out Of the trsde and Of tbs
country. the vile brain -msddening potions that
are now sold In every public groggery and every
secret den Of intempefence, with - little risk TO
the dealer a. The pursst products OF the vst and
the still.
The question 10, How shall Il be donss And
the reply Of every right thinking man is-bya
rigid examinetion Of the articles, and the ipfic-
tion Of h avy penalties, pecunissy and p%ereon.i.
In oil cases where aduiterstion 10 detected. 10
il not . shame that the common poisonef and
the dealer u : pure preparation should only be
held 20 the same accountability BY the authori-
tiesf And yet this 10 the case under the present
liquas laws.
There are many forms Of di6usive stimuli used
by the medical profession. and the great object
OF the Trustworthy physicians 10 10 Obtain them
| unmixed with any deleserious sSticle. HOSTEL.
| TRR'B STOMACH BlTTERS, % readily obsesv-
ed, has the reputation Of being the pufest prep.
asstion Of ita class q present manufactured, and
was. therefore, cited a. = rose in point. u Il
just. 10 il fair, 10 il for the g~restsat good Of the
greatest number that the Law should place this
valuable medicine on . par with ''aghting -Sum''
What sort Of legislstion 10 thai which mskes no
distinction between u health giving tonic and
alterAtivc and . life consuming bsnsf Truly.
both Congress ard our State Legislatuses have
much to learn vSon this important subject. and
the sooner they begin 20 profit BY the palpsble
lessons oi tee hour, the better Il will be for the
moral and ph ysicsl health Of ne people. Under
the present contradictory incopgruous and short
sighted general and State laws affecting The IL
gucr question, intemperance, with oil 10 horri..
BILE consequences u ~ sure 70 incfesse and
multiply 81 the sun u 70 g~snsrsts miasm. from
: scamp, OF flame 10 grow fercer By feeding u
with suf pentine. The subject IL too brcdd TO be
discussed In . single article, and viii Be taken
more light upon II. "Tempersuce ID al sninEs'
- a = = AAA TAFT That thA