New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-05
Rim AGAINST WATEM

Spring finds the advocates of total abstinence IN
the use of tobacco and liquor ahead. III mas Deeh
q stubborn and exciting contest and at one time ~
looked as If the rum folks were going to be VIC
torious, but the cold water people made mai
effort and spurted to the lead with the ADVENT OF
spring What rum and tobacco may do during the
summer campaign we cannot say, but they musb
acknowledge themselves hopeless second at
present
What, asks the intelligent reader is it all aboutY
We will hasten to explain. Even that less lntelll-
gent and, happily, somewhat rare individual who
habitually reads the other papers and negects The
Tribune must have noticed the remarkable number
of extremely aged people who have been during the
winter reported either dead or as celebrating their
most astonishing birthday anniversaries. He must
too, have observed that In every case the ancient
persons habits concerning alcoholic liquor and
tobacco have been given in the accounts Of these
occurrences But even the regular and therefore
intelligent reader Of The Tribune may not have
suspected an organized contest between the alb
stainers and the imbibers, if we may so classify
them But that such contest was arranged we
feel certain, as must any one who examines the
records 1t was opened early in Deem
Der by the rum element, who rported
the death OF Josiah Littlewood. Of Jack
sonville, VT, at the advanced age Of ninety-six
years. New-England rum and Connecticut Valley
tobacco had it was stated, been the companions
of Littewoods youth, the reliance of his
hood and the solace of his old age. lie was hale
and hearty till the last, dying from injuries sus.
tanned from slipping and falling on the ice-ice,
it will be observed, CONCEALED water. This was
considered bad blow to the abstainers, but they
rose to the occasion. week later came the news
of the death at Rivertown, Penn, of Joel Harvey,
ct the age Of 102 years 1t was added that Mr..
Harvey attributed his long life to the fact that
he never used tobacco or alcohol In any form, and
got up at a o'clock every morning. The rum
element was astonished. There was an ominous
silence for ten days. The cold-water folks became
nervous. Suddenly the bomb burst, and their
worst fears were realized. A long dispatch came
from Black River Falls, Wis, saying that Pierre
Dardet had just passed his II 9th birthday, cele
brating the Joyous occasion in the county JAIL
where he was serving ten-days term for drunk
enness He had used ardent spirits and tobacco
in all forms since early bOyhood and as he looked
out Of the barred window of the Jail and hooted
at the Judge who sentenced him he announced that
he should ever continue to them. The tenn
perance hosts were demoralzed, and sought in.
spiration in lemonade. The holidays came and
went and still they were not heard from. But
the rum people did not dare to congratulate
themselves. And it was well that they did not,
for on January 10 there came a dispatch from
Santa Lucia, Cal, which told of one Vallejo
Morito, who had that day celebrated the 115th
anniversary of his birth, surrounded by over
600 descendants, to whom he had impaired the
secret of his long life, namely, total abstinence
from the use of alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and
highly seasoned foods. This put the rum advO-
Gates TO fight, and they only met in scattering
hon he in rlaa fOr of
Finally, however, they managed to get out q
report of hoary old drunkard in Mexico, 1872
years old, which was promptly met by man
up in Manitoba, who did not know liquor
when he saw it. who 1870.
So the war continued through the winter, but we
cannot follow it in detail. The examples on both
sides constantly came from more distant points,
but it was decided to bar nothing on the American
continent Finally week ago the liquor interests
reported the death of an Indian at Alauela. Costa
RIGA, at the advanced age of 148 years.
He had used the most fiery Of Spanish
spirits and the strongest Cuban cigars
and cigarettes since his earliest infancy and had
never been sick day in his life. meeting his
death by drowning in an artificial lake. 1t was
the last rally of the lost cause of rum for the
winter campaign. for yesterday The Tribune
printed a dispatch from Panama. telling of a
CHILEAN living in Tacna Peru. who is 15l
years old. and who has never drunk
intoxicating liquors or used tobacco or playing
cards. He still works in the garden, and is in
good health. He eats plain food. and eats it cold.
Graham gems are favorite articles of diet with
him. And os cncher it is added that his neigh
bors think that he is much older than he will
admit. This settles the advocates of rum as a
beverage for the present. If you would live to be
over $50 you must avoid alcohol and tobacco as
you would mad dog gnawing the bark Of O
upas tree.