The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-01
THE SCIENCE OF DRINKING.

Consul Tanner Shows that Slow Beer -Dring-
Ing Is Conducive to Temperance.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Oct 31.-Consul Tanner, Of
Chemniiz, Saxony in a report to the State De-
partment presents some novel and interesting
statements about beer and beer drinking in Ger
many, and gives an insight into the Science of
drinking" as known and practiced in that coun-
try Mr Tanner has been in Europe for some
time. and evidently writes from wide observa-
tion. He puts out his conclusions about intem-
perance in the United States, and his criticisms
of the blind, irrational and suicidal manner of
drinking in the United States, confidently and
fearlessly going on to describe the manner of
drinking in Germany and contrasting it with
the manner in vogue in the United States Mr.
Tanner first observes that science may be carried
into everything. and then tells US the Germans
simply practice the science of drinking that has
been known in Europe for ages. This
science consists simply in the tardness
of drinking All drinks are taken sip by sip,
half an hours time being consumed over drink
ing glass of beer. This is such a simple thing
that Mr.. Tanner fears ridicule for laying great
stress upon it, and yet on this one point, hc
thinks, hinges question of vast Importance TO
Americans. BY this slow manner OF drinking
the blood is aroused to greater activity so grad
ually that there is no violent arrangement OF
the animal economy and So by slow drinking,
the German, according to Consul Tanner, &C.
complishes the object of drinking, and gives his
animal economy chance TO say 'hold, enough"
which only slow drinking will do. Here is, the
picture he draws of sober, slow drinking Ger
many:
"Cafes and drinking places in Germany ars
places of resort for families, and gentlemanly
department is much observed in them as in q
ballroom. The heads of the best families with
their wives and children. call for what they
want to drink, and order beer what not for
their children and they sit and pass an agreea-
BILE hour over their drinks. No swagger or loud
or boisterous conduct is seen. There is no
stealing into these places as if one were commit
ting a crime At many theaters and other
places Of amusement gentleman or laGy can
indulge in glass of beer or wine while the per-
formance is in progress no notice whatever be-
ing taken of it. and nothing of this kind is out of
place unless the person should place the glass
to his mouth and drain it at one
gulp; but this is never seen here. Woman un-
questionably carries purifying influence with
her wherever she goes, and her presence in the
drinking places Of Europe drives from them that
low class of vagabonds that hang around Amer
lean drinking places Hence one never sees
drunken man In q care and rarely ever on tho
street Perhaps no better illustration of the
brurfying influence of could be found.
Cafes open to all classes, bat the lower class
seldom visit them. They would be abashed bv
doing SO as much as they would by entering
parlor where they would meet refined and ele-
CANT manners There are some exceptions to
this rule in the larger cities, but this is confined
to cafes that are we'll known, and ladies avoid
them; but there no drinking places in Ger
many but what lady may enter with all pro-
priety. Drunkenness is rare and So II ra,U.y
manifests itself in boisterous or T. rent
manner, but more frequently takes tn pc of
song, fun and generally pleasurabe ing of
warmth, energy and selfcomfDlnd IA - hence
those horrid crimes that sometimes sh tx US in
the United States rarely heard % in Ger
many"
After this pleasant picture, Mr.. Tanner asks
why there should exist such difference in the
OWLS of drinking in Europe and the United
States, and answers this question by boldly as
>serting that it is manifestly the result of the
manner of drinking In vogue in the countries.
On the whole, the people of the United States
the most temperate in the world. The con-
sumption of intoxcants in Germany per head is
four times great as it is in the United States,
being in Germany forty gallons per year, and in
the United States less than ten, and and YET
there are thousand habitual, hopelessly habit
ual drunkards in the United States TO ten In
Germany; and this difference is against us. ac-
cordng to Mr.. Tanner mainly because the Ger
mans drink their beer slowly and in this coun-
try drink it fast, and the facts and figures
seem to be on his side of the question