Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-21
TEMPERANCE.
The Effort If a Memphis Branch of the
WOmen's Christian Temperance
Union.
Figures and Facts to support the Move
ment of the Good Women of
Hemphis-Etc., Etc,

Our readers are aware OF Tie iScL tnaG
for sometime past aseries OF meetings OF
the Women's Christian temperance
union have been held in this city, un-
der the immediate supervision and di"
rection OF lady lecturers from the north,
this being theit first tour south.
This temperance union is the re-
suit OF the temperance crusade,
and claims to have millions
of members, twenty-three State ,auxili-
airy societies, and thousands OF, local
clubs, composed Rlmost entirely of
women, old and young, who, dsplOring,
feeling and suffering the curse Of drunk
enness, endesvCr to reform mankind in
this respect and eradicate intOTicstiOn.
The meInbeTs pledge themselves to alb
stain from the use of all malt, vinous
and alcoholic liquors, either as drink
or az seasoning ia food, and will not al
low it in their homes. Not satisfied
with this, they pledge themselves not to
receive the attentions oil, nor to associate
With, any member of the male sex who
drinks any kind Of liquor, beer, ale,
wine or spirits, who visits saloons,
or uses profane language. This
they claim TO adhere to, and
are conscientio Is in the belief that they
can accomplish great moral reforma-
ton. To argue this question is useless,
Is We all have oGr opinion based on ex-
perimental statistics, daily observation,
and Judgment cool, dispassiOnste aud
impartisl. In this country drunkenness
is on the increase with that OF its popU-
iation, but this vice seems ali the Fceater
because it is one which cannot be con-
cealed from the public eye. Hence its
caopoinCl1 FaoCrnIfnHn
tras ted with hypocrisy, dishonesty, and
other turpitudes of our nature. Among
those who hsVe contributed interesting
figures-how true, we know not-upon
tue subject of intoxication in the United
States, is DR.. M'Kinley, Of Chicago, who
claims to have visited nearly all the
States in the Union, tWenty-siX peni.
tentiaries, three hundred tails, fOlty
almshouses and hospitals, the hsuDts of
the vicious and the palaces OF the re-
fined. "Out of every 800 men we are
told that l22 never drink ardent spirits
at all, and of 700 women 600 never taste
alcoholics Of any kind. or the I78 men
who drink IS do so to intoxication. OF
these IS We are told that a'e confirmed
inebristas, 25 are periodical drinkers, 80
are ephemersl drinkers. In other words,
l out of every men in the country
drinks to intoXie9tion. The statistics
for the whole Population or the country
show that out o. 5000, COO there are
20, coo habitusl drum ksrds; in g. nation
Of 1000, 0O0 there are 400, 900 habitual
dTuakards. Dr.. Mckinley states that
very large proportion Of the excessive
drinkers are men D. Culture and refine
nent-sctors, lawyers, physicians, legis-
lators and ministers OF the gospel. Out
OF IL congressman is q perpetual
drinker, l an occasional drinKer, 5
drink periodically, and only are sober
at all times" Without entering into
an argument, We will say that
largely over one-half of the inmates of
the insane asylums have caused their
sffiiction by the indulgence net of
drink, but Of habit too hideOus 10
mention. However, the supposed
growth of intoxicstiOn, both Ia America
and England, has been called to the at
teDtion OF the learned and those IN au.
thority. The London Quarterly ReUjsU,
in Z recent number, estimates thaA there
are six hundred thousand habitual
drunkards in England and Scotland,
who riot in the presence of terrified
children aud departing wives. Seine
curious statistics concerning the con-
sumption during the last mildred years
is given by the ReUielg, showing how
the de nand has been Effected by ott-
ward causes, such as fluctuations Of du-
ties, the wars that interfered with its
importation, smuggling and public poll
cy to certain Wine-gTOWing countries.
From 1855 10 1894, with population Of
twelve million five hundred thousand,
the annual consumption OF wine
amounted to three bottles per head,
which decreased to an average OF from
two to three Gttring the wsr lasting from
1894 to 1915, the population being six
teen million five hundred thousand;
thence to 1925 it was reduced to two
bottles per csput; from 1925 to 1851,
during which the population grew
to above tWenty-seven million, the
consumption OF wine averaged little
more than one bottle per head. From
1880 to 1854, the demand was stationary
at about 500 600 gallons, but in 1893 it
bounded Up to 10 100000, and by 1873 it
had risen 10 just IS O00, 600 gallons. It
is claimed That the effect OF this iR'
creased consumption upon the habits
and manners Of the educated classes has
not had dsteTiostiDg character. This
condition is attributed to 3 number Of
caUsas, chief OF which are the weaker
qualities of liquors drank, and the more
general diffusion OF the habit Of drink
ing, the consumption not being any
loDgar confined to limited class OF hard
drinkers. 1t is we'll established that as
the appetite increases, the Leverage must
be strengthened, = fact illustrated in
QueeDsberry lodge, England, an institu-
ton for the treatment OF female inebri-
ates. Tdere women have been known
to take methylated drinks OF the most
nsuseOus kind, sometimes mingled with
shellsc; ia sOne cases an infusion OF to-
becc0 leaves has been used to strengthen
the whisky, and one patient used tur-
pentine and shoe blacking. These are
awful and horriiying fsctg, revealing an
amount of inherent weakness that
makes rs shuider. But whether they
can be corrected by an organization go
proscrjp,ive and which makes social os-
trscism z condition CT profane and
liquor Drinking men, as does the Wo-
mems Chi tisn temperance association,
remains 70 De seen.
OUR home packet, the steamer H.
uOis, is the hos 0-day for Nicksburg.
Shipnerg apd tgc travelling public gen-