The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-11-02
--latest Drink SOphistries vs.. Total
Abstinence"

King Alcohol will find whole array of
helpful facts in pamphlet recently is
sued by Rev. DIR. Daniel Dorchester
1t is entitled --latest Drink Sopbistries
versus Total Abstinence, and is re-
plete with arguments that are at once
complete and convincing From all.
ages and from all lands the author has
gathered testimony that disperses not
one mistaken proposition only, but a
host of the fallacious theories of the
defenders of alcohol. In taking up the
question: care the milder LIQUORS a
remedy for intemperance?n DR.. Dor
chester says:
"On the theory that the current use Of ma.
tive wines and beer is prOmotive of temper
ance, we should logically infer that there was
no gross intemperauce in the world prior to
the discovery of distilled liquors, and their in
PRODUCTION into common life, less than four
hundred years ago. But this hypothesis is not
drinking prevail among the Germans in their
primeval forests long centuries before, but in
France, Charlemagne found it necessary to
restrain it by severe enactments; and in En-
gland, as far back as the early days of beer
and metheglin-more than one thousand years
ago-edictS were issued against this vice. Co
ing still further back, we find in Rome, in the
days of her power and SplendOr that feats of
excessive and shameful drinking were COM
mon.
:" In Italy and Greece, the best wine-grow-
ing countries of the Old World, wild and
tragic Bacchaualian revelries, exceeding in
grossness and bloody rage any in our times
were popular Characterized by extravaganza
indulgences, they led to the coarsest excuses,
immortality, and even barbarities. Not only
eating and drinking, but, also, when heated by
LIQUOR, the most unnatural vices were in
dulged in. Every kind of vice found full
satisfaction. The consequences seriously af-
fected society, for false testimonies denun-
cations poisonings and assassinations pro-
ceeded from this focus of crime"
Equally convincing testimony is
found in the records of later years.
The experience of old times is the ex-
perience of to-day. Results recorded
in France, Switzerland, Southern Eu-
rope, Asia and California, all disprove
the wine theory, and the records of
Germany and England annihilate the
beer fallacy. Taking Switzerland, for
example, we learn that so recently as
December last Geneva correspondent
of the London Times wrote to that
journal as follows:
"The vice of intemperance is growing SO
last IN Switzerland as to occasion grave anx-
1ety among public men of all classes So
palpable and portentous are the evils to
which, in some districts insobriety is giving
rise, that people speak of alcohol as the en-
envy, and of edat-de-oie, the old term for cog
nae, as etat-1e-nOrt water of DEATH. Even the
pubic fortune is compromised by the excess
I've drinking of the population, runs report
on the subject lately addressed by the Associ-
ated Mayors of Ajoie lin the Bernese Jura) to
tne Cantonal Government. Failures, bank
ruptc1es and forced sales of property are
alarm1ngly on 1.-THE increase THE official
eIasette can hardly contain them. AS natural
consequence, land is depreciating in value,
and mortgages who are compelled to fore
close can often find neither buyers nor ten
ants The evil affects all classes, and is even
rife among the other sex.
1.-THE Associated Mayors of Ajoie are not
alone in their alarm and denunciations.
Almost every church synod that meets passes
resolutions condemnatOry of intempeTance;
the Federal Department of the Interior is now
engaged, at the instance of the National As
sembly, IN making inquiries with q view of
combating the enemy by restrictive legisla-
tlon; and no subject more frequently en-
cages the attention of Societies of Public
Utility and the press than the war against
drunkenness. >" s.
In the words of our author. "Such is
the condition in wine-producing Switz-
erland, often declared to be free from
intemperance." Much valuable medi-
cal testimony is gathered that certainly
upsets the theory of the sanitary utility
OF alcohol. Indeed, the facts presented
in this pamphlet suggest that even for
curative purposes alcohol is often of
doubtful expediency. Statistics pro-
duced by hospital physicians in Man
chester and London show that as the
use Of alcohol for remedial purposes was
diminished the rate of mortality de-
clined. Thus DR.. Edmunds, senior ply
stefan to the London Temperance Hos
pital, is given as the authority for the
statement that the mortality in that in
stitution was four and half per cent.
lower than in any other hospital taking
the same run of cases.
DR.. Dorchester's facts are not all new;
OF course not! Some of them are cent
uries old. But only in this respect do
they at all resemble the wonted argu-
ments in the defense of alcohol. The
age of the latter is surely the only quail
fication that in these days of enlighten-
ment insures for them shred of respect.
They may appear plausible, but investi-
cation proves them fallacious and per-
nicious. They have been worn thread
bare, while the Oldest of the facts which
are presented as arguments upon the
other side are as forceful as ever Rea-
soning people will read DIR. Dorches-
ter's pamphlet with greatinterest. Such
are informed that it is for gratuitous
distribution to any who will send for it,
inclosing ta0O-ce't stamp, to r. B.
Jewell, Room 3, SO Bromfield street,
Boston.-M Y Observer.