The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-11
"The Men Who Drink"


The proposition of a member of the City
Council Of Richmond, Va, to add to the
revenue of that city by requiring all liquor
drinkers to take out drinkers licences" at
ono dollar year, to be non-transferable, Is
commented upon at length editorially by the
New York Observer, which suggests that be-
fore the law becomes general throughout the
United States it be amended to provide for
three grades of licenses, the moderate
drinkers, and says, ironically:
''If it were required by law that these
different licenses be written out plainly OH
stiff white cardboard, and suspended by
cord around the neck, it would at once put
an end to all that confusion which now
exists is respect to the different grades OF
drinkers, and thus relieve the public mind OF
a great amount of anxiety. The old
fashioned signs which Nature has devised to
distinguish the lovers Of strong drink are not
always rightly apprehended and some
times lead to embarrassing mistakes. Men
who never use intoxicantS as a
beverage sometimes hear the marks OF
the hardened and inveterate drinker.
But all mistakes and unfounded aspersions OF
character would be avoided by having the
licenses neatly framed and hung from the
neck. The moderate drinker would never be
confounded then OH any occasion with the
common tippler or the habitual drunkard.
but could point triumphantly to his license in
vindication of his manhood and indepeud-
ence. The tipp!ers and the regular sots could
never then be so mix d up by mutual lnduig;
snce that they could not be quickly sorted
out by the police and each receive the con-
sderation due to his particular rank. Further-
more, it is obvious that if these licenses con-
tanned among their provisions few sentences
describing the peculiarities of their wearers
1t would Be Of great public advantage-such
for example, as the following: For and in
consideration Of the sum Of dollars paid
yeprly into the public treasury the holder OF
this license is aut uthorized to make brute OF
himself as often as he pleases, and to commit
such acts as he may he impelled to commit,
and shall be guiltcss therefor before the
law; this, with other specifications, such as
Il am wife-beater,' i am ugly when Pm
drunk Look out for ME, I'm dangerous, i
smash furniture I am only an IDIOT i am
Just silly would insure justice oil around,
both to the licenses and to the members OF the
community in which they move"
1t adds "Seriously speaking, we believe
that the liquor drinker should not be allowed
TO escape share Of the odiun which attaches
to the traffic in strong drink. Of course the
proposition to license drinkers is utterly I'M
practicable, but the idea of branding men
publicly who deliberately turn themselves
into idiots and tiends by the use of ofintoxicants
is not far from right. We confess to very
little sympathy with this class. There has
been in our opinion altogether too much leni.
!. ancy shown toward the poor drunkards
they have been pitied and treated to soft
words and gentle remonstrances when they
ought to have received stern reproval or &C.
we're punishment. Drunkenness ought to be
! regarded as crime in law, with penalties
sufficiently heavy so make men realize the
real enorlnity of the offence. Instead of be.
ing regarded as disease, or weakness an
indulgence excusable at times, and under Ger:
tain circumstances to be laughed at and
everywhere considered in its true light as q
hideous SIM and an offence against the laws OF
Cod and Of man. Men should be made to un'
dcrstand that they have no more right to de.
libcrately reduce themselves to the grade OF
wild and savage brutes, to make Of them
selves luuatics and demons, than they have tc
rob their neighbors or to commit arson OF
murder"