Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-23

victims nresen, ,bemselxe. know. how !, af
fects mankind. If thev sold to none but
drunkards, they would soon kill them. and the
evil would cease. But the difficulty is-the,
sell to sober men. No sooner have they
killed one generation than they have prepared
another to be killed in the same way. Tha,
is abominable, and ought to receive univer,
sal execration.
Is il not as really wicked to make drunkards
of sober men. as it is 20 kill drunkards? Ask
that widowed mother who did her the creates,
injury; he who killed her long lost, drunken
husband; or he who made a drunksrd of her
only son, the hope of her youth and the support
of her declining years?
Aud the spirit manufacturer, as he works
the healthful food of man into execrable
poison, and AS he compounds his vilainous
drugs to flavor and give additional potency
to his commissary of desolation, and thus
augment the presence of the glittering god
he worships, knows full well how il will at
feet those whe drink it.
But it is said 1T Is not the making
of intoxicating liquor, or the selling of il.
that does the mischief; il is the drinking OF
it," But does not the making and selling
minister to the drinking: Does II not teach
the ia.aiiy erroneous aoe'rine' tha' .ne urihk-
ing OF II Is right, ana does II not alu III per
petuatpg 1t!
Suppose a traitor to his country, who in
time of war should manufacture and sell fire
arms TO the enemy should say: at is not
the making or selling of fire arms that does
the mischief. il is the using of them" Would
that shield him from his country's indiypa-
ton. or save him from the doom of traitor ?
There are over 100 .OOO. 900 gallons of in
toxicating liquors in the distillery warehouses
in the United States at this time. represent
ing the destruction of 10, ,OOO, 600 bushels of
grain and corn. enough if turned into its
proper channel TO place over pound of
bread day in every family in the country
through the wear.
And this does not include Ala ,0OO. 900 gal
Ions of beer manufactured yearly in this coun-
try. W no can write the history of the effects of
this tidal wave of woe, or tell the ruin follow.
ing in the track of these distillerv rivers from
hell? Shall they roll over our State ?
A farmer out west on being asked how he
would dispose of his grain crop if it was not
for the distilleries. answered. he would raise
less hell and more hogs; he would have
houses of plenty and comfort. instead of want
and wretchedness.
To r,sro ,ha s,h;o,, ,;,,,a r,r,h.- IN ;,s
rh,,s;aIna;na, asnoo, .I.n,,nI n,ssassos ,hrs..
5;:,;rc, nronar,;as o,a nrodroes conss,n.n,
ly. threetold physiological effect.
/. 1t has a per, inc property, by which il
excites the nervous system inordinately and
exhilarates the brain: this property is lik.
that of the pure nervines, as tea, coffee musk.
sulphuric ether, and Others.
9, 1t has stimulant property, like am
monia, phosphorus, capsicum. and others. bv
which it Unfortunately excites the muscular
motions. and the actions of the heart and
blood vessels.
3. 1t has a narcotic property This is pre-
cisely the same in alcohol as in the pure mar
cotics: as henbane. prussic acid, deadly
nightshade, and others. The operation of
this property is to suspend the nervous ener-
gies, soothe and stupify the subject.
Now any article possessing either one. or
but two of these properties without the other,
is a simple, harmless thing compared with
alcohol. 1t is only because alcohol possesses
this combination of properties, by which il
operates on various organs and affects sew
eral functions, in different ways. at one and
the same time, that its potency is so dreadful
and its influence so fascinating when once
the appetencies are thoroughly depraved by
its use. 1t excites and calms, it stimulates
and prostrates, it disturbs and soothes, it en-
ergises and exhausts, it exhilarates and stu
pifies, simultaneously.
The prDDprty that is most manifest under
its influence depepds on the relative uuapti.
tv taken and the periods of repetition. II n
man take very small doses and repeat them
often. the neryiue effect will be most appar
ent: he acts fantastically smart. laughs yery
ridiculou.lv, and talks excessively silIy. Ii
he takes larger drains at longer intervals. the
stimulant operation is predominant: his blood
is thrown into irregular motion. his muscles
contract spasmodically. his lower animal
propensities are lashed to disproportonate
intensity. and he feels pugnacious and de-
struc:ive. If he takes very large drafts, the
nervine and stimulant effects soon pass of,
and the narcotic is chiefly manifest; his veins
become turgid, his tongue swells. his mus
cles relax, his limbs tremble, he becomes
stupified and falls to the ground, a senseless
mass of blasted humanity, and then he II
called intoxicated. The fact is, man is as
truly oxicated-drunk-witha a small dose
as with a large one, only in a different man.
ner and degree. You can often see in the
habitual dram-drinker. ali three Of these
properties manifested from a single dram.
When the liquor first begins to operate, he
becomes remarkably good-natured and unen-
durably friendly; he talks. laughs and sings
he seems to like everything and everybody
Wait an hour; the scowl settles on his brow
the fro~n distor;s his features; and If the
most trivial incident strikes his perturbed
imagination crosswise, the besiial propensi-
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