Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-21
Nssc Pieces Witch Are Taking the Place of
Rum Drinking.
Rlatnn Post

Ram Drinking.
Boston Post.j
recent address of Gov. Gracelon before
the Maine temperance convention calls atten-
tion to various kind of intemperance viii, b
have generally escaped attention Of reformers
in that State. He has been many years an emf
nent physician of large practice, and close
| observer of the habits of the people. He spoke
Of the use of tobacco as an increasing evil, es-
pecially among the young, the tendency of
which IS to cultivate an appetite for stronger
stimulants. besides being deleterious in itself
In addition to chewing and smoking, he saws
snuff-dipping is becoming almost universal
AS he added himself this fact many are ignor-
ant of, and excites surprise. The use OF opiates
has also increased IN an alarming extent
Many man, he says, has appeared upon the
| stand advocating temperance who had in his
| pocket a bottle of laudanum or black drops,
which pave the way to an early grave. The
| lady, too, carries choroform and ether to mois-
ten her handkerchief with which to allay
nervous excitment. As practising physician
and observer of human nature, he placed all
these forms of intemp erance in the same
category with the incorporate use of spiritu-
| GUS liquors, all of which demand correction.
Such views were very timely, and all the
more needful from the fact that the temper
| ance reformers have confined their efforts too
closely to but one Phase of the great evil and,
As rule, prescribed but one remedy for that
They have proceeded too much upon the ground
that if they could prohibit the sale of intoxi-
| eating drinks there would be no more drunk
enness and the work Of reform would be COM
plete. Hence hanging rumsellers has been adj
vocated as the suitable penalty for their Of
lenses. and as the appropriate remedy for in
temperance. This is Gen. Neal BOWS specific,
| and his views are potential on the subject
| In view of Gov. Garceons disclosures there is
a demand for something more effective than
the hand of the executioner. Or, if that is to
be the accepted agent for curing one kind of
intemperance, and il efficient, it should be
prescibed for the dealers in opium and tobacco.
There can be no question that opium eating
has increased to fearful extent Not long
since from Staunton, Va, conference of
druggists reported that the ratio of increase of
sales in 1877 over 1876 was IS per cent, in 1877
over the preceding year "a per cent, and in
1875 over the preceding year so per cent. That
was in another section of the country, and
was thong hit to be peculiar characteristic of
the Shenandoah valley. But We will venture
the assertion that the percentage of increase in
Maine has been quite as large, and
that the sales Of druggists is
nee the prohibitory legislation has
been in vogue will so show. If such is the fact.
the change from the use of Intoxicating liquors
to opium is far from being an improvement.
Gov. Garcelon has done the people a good
service by directing attention to new channels
Of inquiry. If followed up it will be found
that the Maine law has not been the grand
instrument Of reform claimed in its behalf,
and that, after all that be said and done
to correct personal and social evils, nothing
will be found 80 effective as good example and
an appeal to TIL higher nature of the individ-
ual and society.