Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-25
DRINKING HABITS.
Changes in Them Since the Days of our
Grandfatners

Changes in Them Since the DAYS of our
Grandfatners.
No feature of the centennial cele-
bration attracted more general attention
than the small amount of drunkenness in
the great crowds. The streets were pack
ed with people all day long day after
day, and yet cases af intoxication were
SO infrequent that they attracted atten-
ton by their very rarity. at can fairly
be said" remarks the Examiner, a Jour
ma representing the Baptist denomi.
nation, ''that the city during the three
days was remarkably free from drunk
enness. The saloons were all open and it
is said that they did a large business.
However that may be, the fact is certain
that there were very few signs of intoica-
ton. The remark is now made contantly
by people who were about the streets for
hours on every one of the three days that
they did not see single person under
the influence of liquor. This also Is ex-
cclIent evidence that the people at large
are gifted with good sense and know how
TO manage themselves, even in strange
cities and on gala days, ana it may be
fairly said to show that che y have in this
respect made great advances over the
people of one hundred years ago.
There is no doubt that the Examiner
is entirely right in the opinion that in
res ect of self-control the American
people of 1889 are superior to those of
1889, and That there IS consequently less
of drunkenness and of disorder which
springs from drunkenness on a gala
occasion now than in the days of our
great prandfathers. Those were the
days when people drank strong liquors,
and were expected to get drunk on them,
and did not suffer for getting drunk;
when ministers and deaoons went from
the examination of a theological Students
orthodoxy, and his consequent fitness to
become a pastor, to dinner where the
board was graced with brandy and rum
good old New England rum"-when the
glass of teddy was religiOusly presented
the young pastor at the house of every
parishioner on whom he called; when
ministers occasionally get intoxicated
without mourning dismissal; and when
public men of the highest standing
might slip under the table at banquet
without forfeitlng the confidence of their
conatituants. In those days tens and
hundreds of thousands of people could
not have assembled and shown only a
rare case of drunkenness.
The change is in part due to the growth
of the habit of total abstinancs among
the people. 1t no longer provokes crit
icism, or ever causes remark if a gentle
man does not drink wine at public din
ner. Society recognises that it is per-
sonal question, about which others have
no right to concern themselves. There
were plenty of people in last weeks crowds
who are in the habit of drinking liquor
of some kind and who did drink during
the days of the celebration. The point
is that they did not get drunk, and the
chief reason for this undoubtedly was
that they generally did not drink the
more Intoxicating kinds of liquor. The
introduction of lager beer in the United
States has Switched off, a large proper
ton of drinkers from "hard" liquors to
malt. The man who years ago would
get fighting drunk on them, now takes
two or three mug of beer and Does not
get drunk at all.
These changes in drinking habits are
not confined to the United States. They
are hardly less noticeable in Great Britain.
In recently presenting the budget to the
house of commons the councillor of the
exchequer called attention to the fact
that during the last quarter of century
there has been great, material, and
a striking fall in the Consumption of
spirituous liquors, as shown by the re-
caipts from the excise tax. 81 have good
news again for the friends of the tenn
perance cause" he said Thought it
has made snd continues to make a gar.
in the receipts OF the exchequer. This
great revenue does not grow in proper
tion to poulation. 1t might be thought,
now that we are at a critical moment in
the revival of trade, that this would again
lead to an increase in the revenue from
drink. But il has not done So" He pro-
coded to show in detail that spirituous
drinks have fallen more and more behind
for the last dozen years; that CORE
spending change has gone on in wines
so that more than half the wine now con-
eumed belongs to the lighter kinds, while
formerly the lighter kinds were only one
third of the whole; that since 1876 the to
tai consum ption of wine has sunk from
II 100000 gallons 80 100000 gallons
while the total oonumption of the lighter
kinds of wines has risen from 5000 600
gallons to 100000 gallons; that less wine
of all kinds was consumed last year than
in previous years, and that the total drink
revenue last year showed falling off des-
despite increase in population, the sole
increase being in beer, and that increase
only two-thirds of L per cent
Such facts show conclusively that in
both Great Britain aud the United States
the number of people who abstain entirely
from the use of liquor is steadily inoreas-
ing, and that those who use liq uor of any
sort are more and more inclined to drop
rum, whiskey and brandy for the lighter
wines, ale and beer. That these changes
in habit have already gone far enoug &c
produce noticeable effects is demonstrated
by the sobriety of last weeks vast crowds
Public opinion now frowns on drunken
ness, and man suffers serious harm who
allows himself TO be overcome by liquor
The next step should be the organizing
of a public sentiment which will suppr es:
the saloon by making it disreputable fol
man to enter such a place. That the
next centennial celebration will find the
United States nation of total abstainers
is in the highest degree improbable, bu
it is not too much to hope that it ma,
find the country, although consuming {
large amount of liquor, free fIom tn,
demoralizing Influences of "stand- az
drinking" in rum shops.
STORIES OF ANIMALS.