The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
Moderate Drinkers.

Moderate Drinkers.
Almost every one has in his minds
eye men who call themselves moder-
ate drinkers, who think that one or
two drinks of whiskey per day is
good for the stomach's sake. If they
are unwell at any time they think
that little whiskey is the best med
icine they can take. 1t is observable,
however, that moderate drinkers are
mostly young men. When they
marry and go to housekeeping, they
consider it necessary to always keep
little demijohn of whiskey in the
cupboard, and if a friend drops ia
they think it would be lack of hos.
pitality if they should fail to offer
him IA glass of something. They
don't wait for the visitor to ask for
refreshments, and it soon becomes to
be understood that it is the establish
ed rule of the house. The moderate
drinkers, and some that are imnOd-
crate, find it is pleasnt place to Wis
it, and the host feels that it would
not be the correct thing if he should
fail t. take a glass along with each
visitor. His children are also grad
ual y taught that little strong drink
is good for the stomach. They grow
up with the idea that when they
have houses of their own the demi-
john is an article Of furniture that
must not be overlooked. A toddy at
dinner and punch before retiring
is supposed by them to be invigor-
ating, and they will1start out inlife-
priding themselves upon their self
control to keep from exceeding their
Init. Some few VINO live to old age
may continue moderate drinkers,
but it is like opium or laudanum-it
grows upon most men. What they
consider moderate. in the first years
Of their manhood will not satisfy
them a few years hence. They will
require little bitters before break
fast, an appetizer before dinner, and
an oecasional glass ofbeer during the
day. Then their heads will begin to
swell, and their hearts become ir-
regular in their pulsations. =
If FIVE look around among those of
our acquaintances who are recogniz-
ed as excessive drinkers, and who
are virtually staggering to premature
graves, we will find that5in early life
they b0asted ofbeing moderatedrink
ers. If we take view OF the young
men who are drinking to excess, we
will find that most of them are sons
of men who regarded the demijohn
as a household necessity. The few
old men who keep to the moderate
standard are so inconsiderable that
they can only be regarded as excep-
tions that prove the rule that the
moderate drinker ultimately swells
the ranks Of the confirmed drunkard.
The troubles and misfortunes of life,
which all must encounter, suggest to
him an extra glass to revive his spir-
its. Even business success is apt to
draw him to deeper cups, as he is
able to take more time for pleasure
and requires more eXhilarating en-
joyments.
Depend upon it, the moderate
only has transient eXis-
tence. A very small dose of opium
produces the desired effect when first
taken, but the same quantity Il year
hence would have no effect at all. A
glass of toddy will eXhiIarate those
who are young and not accustomed
to strong drink, but it must be taken
stronger or more frequently to have
the same effect after "a year or two of
the habit. What is considered mod
crate drinking a few years hence
would have been regarded as a drunk
ards potion in the. earlier stages Of
moderate drinking.
In looking over the list Of deaths |
published daily there can always be
found some who have eshortenedtheir
lives by excessive drink. In their
days they boosted a sutiici-
ent amount ofself-control to ocoutinue
on through life as moderate drinkers. J