The Portland daily press., 1882-09-21
The Utility of Drunkenness.
A Novel Illustration of the Survival of
the FitteSt.
BY W. MATTIEU WILLIAMS.


tween the advocates of total abstinence from
alcohol and their opponents the latter believed
they settled the question by affirming that
"these things are sent for our use," and there
fore that it was flying in the face of Providence
TO refuse social glass. This and many simi-
lar arguments have subsequently been over
turned by the abstainers, who have unquestion-
ably been victorious fall along the line," es-
pecially since DIR. B. w. Richardson has be-
come their commander-in-chief.
In spite of this, am about to charge their
serried ranks, armed with an entirely new
weapon forged by myself from material sup
piled by the late DIR. Darwin, my thesis being
that the drunkenness which prevails at the
present day is promoting civilization and the
general forward progress of the human race
Nautilus demonstrated long ago that man,
like other animals, has tendency to multiply
more rapidly than the means OF supporting his
increasing numbers can be multiplied; he and
his followers regarded this I ndency as the
primary source OF poverty and social degrade
ton. Darwin, starting with the same general
law, deduces the very OPT ite conclusion re-
specting its influence on each particular spec
les, though his antagonism to Nautilus does not
prominently appear seeing that his differences
were mainly applied II the lower animals.
Darwin shows that the onward progress, the
development, or what may be described as the
collective pro perity of the q -, is brought
about by over-multiplicat' followed by a
necessary struggle fo exisl snce, in the course
of which the infer'Cr or unsuitable individuals
are weeded out, and "the survival of the fit
test niece -sarily follows; t4ese superior or
more suitable specimens transmit more or less
of their advantages to their offspring, which,
still multiplying excessively, are again and
similarly sifted and improved or developed in
boundless course of forward evolution.
In the earlier stages of human existence, the
| fittest for survival were those whose brutal or
physical energies best enabled them to struggle
with the physical difficulties of their surround
ings, to subjugate the crudities of the primeval
plains and forests to human requirements.
The perpetual struggles of the different tribes
gave the dominion of the earth to those best
able to rule it; the strongest and most violent
human animal was then the fttest, and he sur
vived accordingly.
Then came another era of human effort
gradually eliminating in the present beriod.
In this, mere muscular strength, brute physical
power, and mere animal energy have become
| less and less demanded as we have, by the aid
of physical science, imprisoned the physical
forces of nature in our steam-boilers batteries,
| etc., and have made them our slaves in lieu of
lar, raving, yelling, fighting human animal
that formerly led the war-ds nee, the hunt, and
the battle, is no longer fttest for survival, but is
on the contrary, daily becoming more and more
his eockpits- and hull batting are practically
| abolished, his fox-hunting and bird-shooting
| are only carried on at a great expense by a
| wealthy residuum, and by damaging interfer-
| enee with civilized agriculture. The unfitness
| of the remaining representatives of the prime
| val savage is manifest, and their survival is
| purely prejudicial to the present interests and
| future progress of the race
Such being the case, we now require some
means of eliminating these coarser, more bru-
tai, or purely animal specimens of humanity,
| il order that there may be more room for the
survival and multiplication of the more intel
lectual, more refined, and altogether distinct
| lively human specimens. 1t is desirable that
| this should be effected by some natural or
| spontaneous proceeding of self-extinction, per-
| formed by the animal specimens themselves
| If this self-immolation can be process that is
ENJOYABLE in their own estimation, all the oh
jections to it that might otherwise be suggested
| by our feelings of humanity are removed.
Now, these conditions are exactly fulfilled BY
| the alcoholic drinks of the present day when
| used for the purpose of obtaining intoxication
| The old customs that rendered heavy drinking
| social duty have passed away, their only re-
| naming traces being the few exceptional
| cases of hereditary dpsomania still to be found
| here and there among men and women of del
icate fiber and sensitive organization.
With these exceptions, the drankards of our
| time are those whoSe constitutions are SO
| coarse, SO gross and brutal, that the excitement
| of alcoholic stimulation is to them a delicious
| sensual delirium wild saturnalia of animal
exaltation, which they enjoy SO heartily that
every new raving outbreak only whets their
appetite for a repetition. While sober they ac-
tually arrange and prepare for forthcoming
holiday booze; work and save money for the
avowed purpose of purchasing the drink and
its consequent ecstasies, which constitute the
| chief delights of their existence. When
| professional criminal has "served his time"
ana is about to be released from prison. his
faithful friends club together to supply him
| with the consolation of an uninterrupted course
| of intoxication: tie longer its duration the
| greater bis happiness, and the deeper his obli-
| cations of gratitude to the contributing "pals,"
| We know that such indulgence has swept
| away the Red Indian savage from the Amer-
can Continent, and prepared it for higher
| civilization, as the mammoth and grizzly bear
| have made way for the she sp and oxen; and
| this beneicent agent, if allowed to do its natu-
| raj work, will similarly remove the savage elo-
ments that still remain es impedlments to the
| mites of the Old World Ii the who love al
| coholic drinks for the ke of the excitement
| they induce re only supplied with cheap and
| abundant happiness, our criminal and pauper
| population will be reduced to minimum
1t IS commonly Suppo, ed that, because nearly
| all criminals are drunkards, therefore drunk
enness is the chief c~rse OF crime. This is q
confusion of CAP with eifec6 Crime and
drunkenness go to setfer because they are con-
current effects of the same organization. Alco-
HollC etlmuidtlOu unofely remover prudence
and brings out true character without restraint
or disguise. The brute who beats his wife
when drunk would do y when sober if he
dared and could; but what we call the sober
| state is with him a condition of cowardly de-
| preston and feebloness due to the reaction of
| intoxication. If number OF qualrelsome
men assemble and drink together, they finish
with 6ghting If a similar number of kindly
disposed men drink together, they overflow
| with generosity, profuse friendlinels, and f.
nally become absurdly affectionste. The citi-
zen who would have subscribed but one guinea
| to charity before dinner will give his n anne
| for five af-o the "toast of the evening"
My general conclusion is that all human be-
| ings excepting the few dpsomaniacs above
named), who are fit to survive as members of a
civilized community, will spontaneously avoid
intemperance, provided no artificial pressure
of absurd drinking Gust pms is applied to them,
while those incapable of the general self re-
straint demanded by advancing civilization,
who cannot share its moral and intellectual re-
finements, are provided by alcoholic beverages
with the means of "happy dispatch" and will
be gradually sifted out by natural alcoholic Sc
lection, provided no legislative violence inter
farac with 4bair daSira for ga short life and