The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-11-24
SOLDIERS AND RUM.
MR., Looney Addresses tho Young
Mems Republican Club on Euro
pean Scenes.

The adjourned meeting of tine Young
Mems Republican Club was held at the
rooms last evening. The entertainment
for the evening was an address by VIM, Il.
Looney, ESQ.,, upon what he saw In Eu-
rope. Mr.. Looney spoke of the general
appearance Of the face of the country, of
the Cathedrals, ETC., touching also upon
the militarism and the intemperance;
"That which strikingly impresses the
American, Is. If l may use the term, the
intense militarism which exists every
where in Europe. In Cork and Dublin the
British soldier with his neatly fitting uni
form, dark blue pants, red coats and box
cap meets you at every step, while the Irish
constabulary can be seen at every country
station. In London, the flower OF the
British army, men of the most superb
physiques, can be seen at the Tower, at
Whitehall, at Buckingham Palace and
ION the Continent, In some Of the cities
of Germany, France and Italy, almost
every third man Is soldier. The finest
and best drilled soldiers / saw were the
Germans; the worst looking, the Swiss
and Italians. The poor physiques and
slovenly unsoldierly like manner and ap-
pearance OF the latter contrast strangely
with the superb physiques. the alert, bright
and true military appearance OF the. for
mer. The frontiers of all the countries In
Europe are strongly fortified, and fairly
bristle with armed men. European civill-
zation seems to be based upon the SUPPOSE
ton that war is not only possibility but a
probability. The armed truce, for 1t is
nothing:but that, must cost almost as much
as actual war. The enormous drain upon
the people In order to support these glgan-
tic ornaments, the false standards created
by military life, as well as the reduction O f
the army of producers to swell that of con-
sumers. must be terrible drain upon the
countries, and must inevitably In the near
future precipitate crisis.
1.-THE f0rcible taking OF hundreds of young
men from useful pursuits Is, / presume,
one Of the reasons for the degrading posi-
tlon occupied by women all over Europe.
They are found working In the fields {;
women may be seen yoked with cows and
hauling plows, dragging heavy carts
through the sstreets land carry ing heavy
loads on their heads.
1.-The demoralizing, brntalizlng and de-
grading business OF liquor selling is car
ried on by women almost exclusively all
over Europe. To the eternal credit of the
American Republic. be it said that so
healthy Is public opinion and SO higly is
woman esteemed. that woman would not
be tolerated In this debasing occupation in
any part of this country.
81 have not the figures, but judging
from what | observed In Europe, the con-
sumption of liquor must be simply enor-
nous. In the city of Cork there are $50
rum shops; in Skibbereen, where the pop
ulati0n Is not more than that Of Westbro0k
there are 70. In London. the bar rooms,
which are at nearly every corner, are
packed night and day with customers, a
large proportion of them being women. l
saw more drunken women In one afternoon
In London than have seen in America
during my life time. The frightful effect
of the drink upon the English women can
be estimated when tell you that Metho-
dist clergyman is authority for the state
ment that over 10000 infants are smoth-
cred by drunken mothers annually.
"In C0ntinentalEurope,Ie Especially In the
Rhine country, every person drinks wine !;
It is the common. beverage, as water is
here"