The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-04
Mr. McCurry Replies.

80 says my informant.
Mr. McCurry Replies.
Mr.. EDITOR: You are probably tired
of this controversy on Prohibition, and
should not have said anything.more, but
Mr.. McLees asks that should explain a
certain remark in my former article,
which I may be excused for doing.
If I caught the idea in his first article,
it was to remove all laws regulating the
manufacture and sale of spirits, and let
any and all make who felt disposed F.; but
he says, "have no retail shops anywhere" +"
This plan might work, for the maker
would soon get as much as .she would
want, for not being allowed to sell by
the small quantity, and no one would
want large quantity, could do nothing
with it. The trouble of turning loose
the whiskey business might, as he says,
elbow oyer," but it might be compared
to 1nsn saying, let's raise a great cyclone,
for it will soon be calm again. Many an
unsuspecting person might be caught
and hurled into eternity and ruin before
the calm comes. How would he like for
! some lawless fellow to put up still on
! his spring branch, and annoy him day and
; night with its consequences? Think he
would soon show his Irish if he had any.
In regard to the word common, 1 prob.
ably should have said popular drinking
friend with friend, hail fellows we'll met,
courting friendship and popularity. But
we are too near the same opinion for
controversy, hence I will make few
statements and leave the subject with
him.
He said he could take single passage
of Scripture and prove anything, and
quoted two verses of Proverbs to prove
las far as I can see) that man may drink
at will even till he forgets his trouble,
omitting the 4th verse which reads: "It
is not for Kings, Oh Lemuel, it is not
for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes
strong drink" Solomon tried what we
would call moderate drinking. See Prov.
%, 27-95 inclusive, also. Ecclesiastes 2,
LIB: ri said in mine heart, Go to now,
will prove thee with mirth, ,"&c. 3.verse
81 sought in mine heart to give myself
unto wine, (yet acquaintiug mine heart
with wisdom."). The reader is asked to
read for himself and see the bitter con-
sequences of his folly. He says. 'look
not on the wine when ii giveth its color"
A large proportion Of ancient wines were
non. n.alcoholic and notwithstanding. This
wine was evidently alcoholic, and
the command was, look not on it.
Then what of our modern drink,
which by the confession of its ma
kers and sellers, is drugged and
diluted with the view of creating an uu.
controllable thirst for it when once
tasted? Now, what are some of the facts
about alcoholic liquors and their use
Alcohol is not a product of nature, it is
produced by purely chemical process.
There is in the animal organism nothing
that requires its use to sustain it. Man
is the only animal that uses it at all, and
the craving he has for it is not like
natural hunger or thirst, for they are
satisfied when a sufficient quantity of
food is taken. Not SO the craving for
alcoholic stimulants, which increases
with use until it is Unsuitable. 1t has no
food properties. but is poison, and is
injurious except as an antidote. 1t costs
the people of the United States over
500, 100000. That is equal to one half
the money circulation Of the country.
More than tbree.fourths of the paupers
are caused by strong drink. More than
half million children suffer from the use
of it by parents. The individual is
better off without it, the home is, the
State is, and surely ne ought to be atriv-
| ing to put an end to such an evil. Prov.
2O-1, Solomon declares: "Wine is a
mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not
wise" Multitudes are deceived because
they think there are great nourishing
and curative properties in alcohol.
Leibig, the great German alchemist,
says that you can balance on the point
of pen-knife all the nourishment swal.
lowed by the most capacious German
with his daily allowance of beer.
Alcohol deceives. Many have gone to
the drunkard's grave who thought only
to taste it at irst, thinking they could
control their appetite. When to their
| surprise they are held by the relentles,
| grip of the lion, it is too late for the
good of the body, or the safety of the
soul, for they are destroyed. I am now
done, unless further provoked to contro.
versy. 1 expect your many readers will
think we are both rather clumsy theolo.
giaps, as this is my first time to come
before the public in this manner.
JOHN G.. McCURRY.
| Tnnkinr Far Ahnnd.