Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-06-27
DRINKING HABITS.
Changes in Them Since the Days of
Our Grandfathers.

Our Grandfathers.
| New York Special.
No feature of the centennial celebration
attracted more general attention than the
small amount OF drunkenness in the great
crowds. The streets we're packed with
people all day long day after day, and yet
cases of intOxicatIOn were so infrequent
that they attracted attention by their very
rarity. 1T can fairly be said," remarks
the Examiner, a journal presenting the
Baptist denomination, that the city dur
ing the three days was remarkably free
from drunkenness. The saloons were all
open, and it is said that they did large
business. However that may be, the fact
is certain that there were very few signs OF
intoxicatiOn. The remark is now made
constantly 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
excellent evidence that the people at large
are gifted with gO)d sense aad know how
to manage themselves, even in strange
cities and on gala days, and it may even be
fairly said to show that they have in this
respect made great advances over the peo-
pie OF 100 years ago"
There is no doubt that the Examiner is
entirely right in the opinion that in respect
of self-control the American people of 1889
are superior to those of 1889, and that there
is consequently less of drunkenness and of
the disorder which springs from drunken
ness on q gala occasion now than in the
days of our great grandfathers. 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 deacons went from the ex-
animation of theological students ortho-
dOxy, 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
t0ddy was religiOusly presented the yOung
pastor at the house of every parsbioner on
whom he called; when ministers occasion
ally became intoxicated without incurring
dismissal; and when public men of the high
est standing might slip under the table at
banquet without fOrfeiting the confidence
of their constituents. In those days tens
and hundreds of thousands of people could
not have assembled and shown only a rare
case of drunkt mess.
The change is in part due to the growth
of the habit of total abstinence among the
people. 1t no longer prOvokes criticism, or
even causes remark, if gentleman does
not drink wine at public dinner. Society
recognizes that it is a personal question,
about which others have no right to con-
Germ themselves. But this is only a single
element in the change, and we doubt if 1t is
the most important. There were plenty of
people in last weeks crowds who are in
the habit of drinking liquor of some kind
nd ~ did drink Hnripn tho Hova nf tho
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 proportion of drinkers from hard"
liquors to malt. The man who years
ago would take two or three glasses of
whisky and get Fighting" drunk on them,
now takes two or three mugs 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 Chancellor of the
Exchequer called attention to the fact that
during the last quarter of century there
has been great, a material, and striking
fall in the consumption CT spirituous
liquors, as shown by the receipts from the
excise tax. Il have good news again for
the friends of the temperance cause" he
said, though it has made and continues to
make gap in the receipts Of the exche-
quer. This great revenue does not grow in
proportion to population. 1t might be
thought, now thai we are at critical
moment IN the revival of trade, that this
would again lead to an increase in the rev.
enue from drink. But it has not done So"
He proceeded to show in detail
that spirituous drinks have fallen more
and more behind for the last dozen years;
that corresponding change has gone on in
wines, so that more than half the wine
now consumed belongs to the lighter kinds,
while formerly the lighter kinds wer
one-third of the whole; that since 18
total consumation of wine has sunk
100000 gallons to 100000
while the total consumation of the
kinds of wines has risen from 100000
gallons to 5000, 900 gallons; that less wine
of all kinds was consumed last year than
in the previous year. and that the total
drink revenue last year showed falling
off despite the increase in population, the
sole increase being in beer, and that in
crease only two-thirds of per cent.
Such facts show conclusively that in
both Great Britain and the United States
the number Of people who abstain entirely
from the use of liquor is increasing, and
that those who use liquor of sny sort are
more and more inclined to drop rum,
whisky and brandy for the lighter wines,
ale and beer. That these changes in habit
have already gone far enough to produce
noticeable effects Is demonstrated by the
wonderful sobriety of last weeks
vast crowds Public opinion now
frowns on drunkenness, and q man suffers
serious harm who allows himself to
be overcome by liquor. The next step
should be the organizing of a public senti
ment which will suppress the saloon by
making it disreputable for man to enter
such q place. That the next centennial
celebration will find the United States q
nation of total abstainers is in the high
est degree improbable, but it is not too
much to hope that it may find the coun-
try, although consuming a large amount
of liquor, freed from the demoralizing
influences of 'stand-up drinking" id rum
shops.
Cold Consolation.
Mrs. Stetson, wife of the operator at a