The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-05-29
THE DRIFT OF REFORM.
degeneration of the Human Race Through
Alcoholism.

1 Alcoholism.
Thoughtful men fully realize that the
real remedy for the cure and proven
| ton of the drink evil has not yet been
pointed out. The pledge, education,
local option, high license, prohibition,
| legal punishment, all appear to me to
be superficial measures to correct this
evil. They do not reach back to the
real causes. and are based on assump-
tons of states and conditions which do
not exist.
| Yet the constantly increasing aglta-
ton of these various measures is clear
ing away the confusion, and preparing
the public mind to support the real
remedy for the prevention and correc-
| ton of this evil.
| To scientists certain ranges of facts
are appearing more and more promi-
nent every year, and like distant
mountains in the morning mists, give
promise with clearer light, and more
accurate observation, of revealing
many of the laws and conditions which
result in inebriety and allits attendant
evils.
The drink problem is, briefly, vast
army of men and women who persist in
destroying themselves, gripping their
children, and entailing upon future gem
erations untold weakness and disease.
| They are literally anarchists in the
worst sense, destroying their property,
defying all law and order, and form
ing centers OF disease and degenera-
ton for both body and mind. Science
declares such conduct is that of insane
and diseased persons; also that such
disease is governed by laws and forces
which can be understood and prevented.
This drink disease is practically the
degeneration and decline of its victims,
along a regular progressive line, the
opposite of evolution and growth. The
remedy science points out is confne-
ment, isolation, control and treatment,
on the same principle that smallpox
or any contagious disease is treated.
The victim is dangerous to himself and
others, and has no right to liberty
which permits him to destroy both body
and mind. The moment he poisons
himself by spirits, he should be ward
of the state and come under full con-
troll. He is unfit to enjoy the freedom
OF a citizen. Science indicates that
the inc briate could be suppressed and de-
prived of all liberty at once, and placed
under control and care: that each city
and state should declare inebrietv a
dangerous disease, and provide work.
house hospitals to control and treat
them. That work should be means
of treatment. and each victim made to
support himself under the control of
others, in the best scientific and Sani-
tary conditions for health. The pOssi-
| bility of isolating the great army of
! non-produccrs the saloon and criminal
population, who are practically drank
ards, and combining them in work hos
pitfalls changing them to producers. is a
fact sustained by experience in many
ways. Tax the spirit traffic to build
such places. and then confine every Sa-
loon supporter who is an inebriate in
them. and the drink curse will be prac-
tically broken up
Science indicates clearly that heredi-
ty, environment, disease, injury star
walton and excessive nutrition are active
causes of the drink evil 1t also
indicates that only from thorough
study of these causes and the victims
can the remedies be found. The drift
of public sentiment is unconSciouSly
turning toward the recognition of the
disease of inc briefly, and its treatment
and control in hospitals.
The next great move along the line
of temperance reform will be the or
ganization of workhCuse hospitals: not
as charities in a narrow sense, but as
self-supporting, training hospitals,
where the victims can be protected ard
restored. and the evil studied; also the
means of prevention discovered and APP
piled This is along the line of the
latest teachings of practical science.
The public is ready to Sustain laws
combining the inebriate. Everywhere
thoughtful men are ready for positive
rational measures that will bring i'm
mediate relief, by combining the in
ebriate, and, if incurable, keeping him
and making him a producer rather
than a consumer and burden. Trrat
the evil as disease: confine and study
the victims in hospitals; and the
saloons will disappear in obedience to
a higher law of demand and
supply. This is the outline teach
ing of science to-day; these are some of
the mountain facts that are slowly
coming into prominence. To sci
entists fascinating consciousness of a
great upheaval and revolution of pres
ent methods of reaching the drink evil
grows with each step forward. DIR.
T. d. CrotherS in Union SIGNAL