The daily gazette., 1877-04-17
For the GAZETTE. r4l I.....l..
WHlsKEY, TEA AND TOBACCO
PROF. CHI ARIES. D. GREEN'S oPIN on OF
THE EVILS, .I. Nr
PHILADELPHIA, April 18th.

few evenings since,
coanCed to hear some loud speaking in
Lincoln Hall, and so stopped in to hear
th9 cause thereof, 1t proved 70 be de-
bate OF scientists and philosophers on the
question, SIS tea drinking conducive to
health?"
Among the speakers was Prof. Charles
u. Green, the eminent surgeon, native
OF and well known in Delaware. AL
though speeches bad previously been Jim
tied to five and ten minutes, DR.. Green's
fluent and forcible remarks were SO at
tractiye that the audience urgently insis-
ted on him continuing until he had spok-
en- forty minutes, when he refused to
speak longer. His argument was so elo-
quent and 10 the point, that l took por-
ton Of it down in short hand. He said:
"Mr. President, do not wish to iu-
suit you, or the members OF your scien-
tific association, but, sir, l differ most
sterOly from the scientific gentleman who
preceded me, on the other side of this
question. l maintain that the iDiudic-
ious use Of alcohol often tends to acts of
violence, causing a change in the nutri-
| ton of the brain and nervous system; but
sir, 1t does not stimulate the ':instincts of
craft" 1t makes people sing "Auld
Lang Syne," or "He's Jolly Gfahd Eel
low" it makes them laugh or cry, or
jump about, Iall down fat, or embrace
| each other, or swear eternal friendship, or
eternal en- nifty or give ca ch other black
eyes; 1t even makes men beat their wives
cloud laughter.) 1t never makes men
''sly." A man far gone in drink never
forges check, if his last "five" is gone,
be sticks by some grog bar until he gets
his "rot gut" 1 do not believe there is a
drunken detective on the police force in
this city; but watch the effect of tea
Look to Its effects upon man's constitll-
ton! You never find people sing "Auld
Lang Syne," over their tea; noe do they
fight over it. No, NJ. President, all is
calm, peaceful, aud serene on the sur
face, but underneath! De careful, l never
| drink tea without feeling as if l should
like to overreach somebody directly. l
feel as if it would do me good to 60 in
for a comparative examination on the
spot. ! invent wooden nutmegs, wooden
hams and even invent dummy engines,
| and ship bolts. 1t makes me think my
head is on some other mans shoulders, or
that it is too heavy for me to carry. l
think of some abstruse conundlums /
long to stare bubble companies aud forge
trade marks, like certain lea drinking
friend OF mine. In short time expert
euced general relaxation of fibre; find
| have no physical courage, no pat
riotsm, no love of man as man, no
motto but, cdueGt emptor, or the devil
take the hindmost. Let us look at the
physical as we'll as the physical relations;
am surely convinced there is more
weight given by tea drinking shop-keep-
ers than by tipsy ones. All this seems
to agree with the alleged effect of lea up
on the animal economy in arrestiDg
waste; as it makes you want to keep all
you get, it is natural that it should make
you want to get all and keep all you can!
Mr.. President, to this great question,
invite the attention of patholigists, psy-
biologists, refoimers and legislators.
While we have been turning our eyes up
on tbe more obvious and vulgar evils at
tendant upon the free use of alcohol, we
have been blind, have been overlooking
the sneakipg, iDsiduous action of bland
peaceful, seducing liquid, which has been
sapplng the foundation OF manhood and
honesty. (Uproarous applause.) Alco-
Dol sends few 10 the Jail, or to the mad
house; but tea acts through the nervous
system on the conscience, aud turns us
into nation of sDeaks and thieves. Look
at the Chinese, the Japanese! Nations of
sneaks and thieves. 1t was the throwing
of the tea overheard that made our fore
fathers men; and their being deprived of
their tea made us what we are, an inde-
pendent nation. Let us be men; let us
take instant action, let us discard all ex-
citants, unless incidentally taken. We
eat disease and drink our poison. The
young man who tipples at Is frequently
lost his personality.
1t would be difficult at present to pro-
hibit entirely the sale Of tea, but pray,
Mr.. President, do what you can, you do
not hesitate to pick my pocket in order TO
educate somebody else's child.
Why should you hesitate to rob me Of
either money or pleasure, in ordec to pre-
vent the relaxation OF otherpeople's NOR
al fibre by the use of tea. l say let the
whole tea trade be placed under instant
legislative checks Set up visitors to go
from door to door, as your school direc-
tors do, and let them inquire into the
quantity of tea drunk in every household
whether black or mixed, aud the strength
of the infusion. Let every tea dealer
keep a register of his customers and up
on monthly or quarterly average, it is
found that his sales go beyond quarter
of pound year for each adult, fine him
or nail his ear to the door, or something
of that sort. Perhaps (the recent reaction
of the scientists who have spoken on the
other side of this question) in favor of
severity would even support you in ap-
plying Gas they do in my native State of
Delawale) the cat in such cases.
Mr. President, ask as soon as ever you
bring in parlmentay lie to carry out
these objects you will oblige me with a
private intimation, so that L may take
care of myself;-I am fond o. tea. by lay
ing in stock that will last my natural
life, or (since tea deteriorates by keeping)
that may have time TO import and cul-
tivate the tea plant itself. If such con-
duct as this on the part of the introducer
ofsuch bill seems little at variance
with principle, it will at least be admitted
that it is in harmony with that spirit of
enlightened compromise which distingu,
ishes our age Il G, carpet-baggers. south)
gentleman Mr.. President the learned