The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-08-10

Is drunkenness a crime and should 1t
be punIshed2 is q question that Is being
made the subject of considerable dis.
cusslon by the press and some very
strong arguments are brought forward
on both sides, The extreme Prohibl'
tionists, the very intempefate temper
ance people, as might be supposed, hold
the ground that the whole responsibility
rests with the saloon keeper; that the
drunkard Is his victim, and he alone Is
the one to be punished, Certain 1t is
that tho drunkard Is entitled to a cer-
tain amount Of charity, for he is a pltia'
BILE object, but to excuse him from
punishment for the commission Of a
crime against both the moral and the
civil law would be unjust to society.
One OF the most effective articles that
have appeared on the subject Of late is
an editorial utterance Of the Philadel'
phia Times. After abiding to the
growth Of public sentiment in favor oil
recognizing drunkenness as a crime, the
Times goes on to say;
Drunkenness Ia a crlme against both the moral
and the civil law, aud II IL among tho least e4'
Gusable OF crimes, Every man who makes him
self u drunEArd does II in the face Of thu. fullest
knowledge Of his sole responsibility ior ny.
double olcnse against himself aud agRlnAl NOEL
city, There Is not a hopeless yngraut drunEuId
In the land who did not depart itOtl th9 path Oi
BObtiOty down the thOrny way Of dissipation
with his eyes open aud his senses A1mQnhhins
him at every step 81 hiS, peril. All mo NV,
Of friends could throw about him were exlalAteH
to make him detISt from the crime that brutal
lied him 10 his best days and has now leiL mn
llttl0. OF tho EeinblGnGS OF the lAanhoou EISe "
merit sincere pity for their crime against them,
selves, against affection, against respect and
against society; but they are none tue less GRIM
inals than are the equally perverted anu ~
bauched burglar or hlghWaymRn, and the law
very Justly permits no plea Of drunkenness III
mitigation Of serious crimes,
II Is time to halt the idlOtic AentimentAlily
that treats the drlnRRrd ~ tho hRPleSs victim q
the TumSeller. The rlimsclleE has his RESPONSE
bllity, both In law aud IN morals, but II does no.
In any degree lessen tho responsibility Of thG
drunEard Tor tho crime OF bfutAliElng himself
aud GsEaillng the good order aud safety q hoGie'
~, aud there should DO stern and certain pun,
State Of Minnesota has already clearly defined
the crime Of drunkenness by statute with severe
penalties for every. violation OF sobIiety as Y
violation OF law, and the sooner that Ike law
arc enacted IN all the Suites Of the Union, thG
sooner Will thp most practical and the most inAl
methods bG ndOplcd TO suppress one OF our com
mOnest aud most domOrallElng crimes.
There Is much common sense In the
above. When those who are laboring
to abolish drunkenness realize the force
of these suggestions, and when drunken
ness Is regarded us a crime aud not US q
mere weakness which is ~excusable, then
n practical way Of Kidding the world Of
drunkenness to a great extent is opened
up, We do not, o course, hold thatthis
is the sole remedy with which the evils
Of intemperance eau be abolished, but 1t
will prove a powerful medicine to aid
the workings Of other methods that may
be employed.