Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-06-03
SATU RDAY PRESS.
Mr.. Johnson Reviewed.
lime 3. 1852

EDIToR SATURDAY PEEss: ] would pre-
mise by saying that ! am as staunch an
advocate of total abstinence with the ex-
ception, that do not believe in its extern
zion to therapeutics) MS is Mr.. Eli Johnson
Nevertheless, ! differ with the lecturer as
to the propriety of making random state
ments; such are necessarily detrimental TO
any cause in proportion as they are known
and noticed, and regret exceedingly that
some statements should have been made
that are either greatly exaggerated, or
totally unfounded in fact. Such things
tend only to supply to the opponents of
abstinence principles negative argument
against the cause, and are entirely unneces-
sary and uncalled for where plain and
unanswerablo truths are so numerous and
accessible in their support. The present, is
an age impatient Of demonstration, and in
tolerant of dogma; and ono statement, by
an advocate in any cause, which is in-
capable of proof, may nvaldate in the
minds of hearers, n host of others that
may BIO literally true.
During his last lecture, Mr.. johnson
stated that in 1910 the natives of these
Islands numbered one hundred and eight
thousand; that to day the native popua-
ton did not exceed forty-four Thousand;
and that the terrible decrease in the inter.
val, had been owing solely to "rum-drink-
ing" as n cause. Such statement be.
trays, at least, lamcntable ignorance OF
existing facts, unless he DO able to prove
that rum.d drinking is the cause of small
pox, measles, syphilis and leprosy. IL is
estimated that not less than twenty thou
sand of the population succumbed during
the epidomics of the two first mentioned
diseases which ravaged the country in the
years Of 1852 and 1858. Add to this the
fact that measles frequently leaves behind
it the seeds of fatal tubercuous disease, and
the mortality from these causes alone ag.
gregated, is further increased. Our best
physicians estimate the native population
to be diseased with syphilis in the ratio Of
between sixty and seventy por cent, while
one at least hos placed it at about ninety.
eight per cent. Stcrility of women and q
great increase in the mortality among in
fants, are among the concomitants of this
disease, as is also noticeably the case with
leprosy; and these diseases in thousands
moro of cases have killed their victims
sponsible, as the "sole cause Of death" il
this case; or any thinking man assert hi
ability to ''prove it" so?
Mr.. johnson also tells us of the fearful
extent to which liquors are adulterated ant
poisoned in almost every country of th,
known world, and in proof of his state
ments furnished to buyers little book a
cost Of twenty-five cents, containin.
formulas for the imitation of the differen
wines and spirits of commerce. He call
these compounds, on account of the adul
terations which they contain, ''vie creature
of the Devil" whereas the uilest creature o
the deDH in most of them, is the alcohO
they contain, which is also the basis of al
unaduheydted wines and liquors. Leav
out this, and the compounds referred t.
would DO comparatively harmless. N
mention is made of the most common ant
most poisonous ingredients used in tn
adulteration of wines, viz, acetate Of lea
and Sulphdte Of copper.
Upon reading such book, it would i'm
s.l'' lo"""st.
there made, that after all the talk abou
the authorizations of liquor, there was a
least little that they contained, excludin,
the alcohol, that was actually deleterious
Much as | regret to have to say so,
am constrained to believe that the book nov
being sold as No. l, Vol. l, of the "Popu
lar Temperance Library" will be in reait,
moro valuable to the vendors of spurious
liquors than to the cause of abstinence.
s G.