The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-07-20
GREAT sRfrAIN's DRINK BILL.

While the annual drink bill of the United
States is appallingly large, 1t does not repre-
sent such great degree OF addiction to In
toxicsnts as the annual rum expenditure OF
some other countries. Great Britain Is Tar
worse in this respect than ourselves. The
population OF the United Kingdom, by the
census of 1891. was 81, Sss. 153; ours in 1890,
round numbers, 5000 900, 600; the total sum
spent for beer and spirits in the United
Kingdom during the year 1891 was sos. $50
C00-or about SIG per head, including women
aud children. Hence, bad as our case is,
Great Britain's is worse. There was an in
crease during 1891 Of about 60 600, 900 in the
total amount spent for intoxicants; but the
friends Of temperance over there find ground
for hope in the fact that there has been de-
cided decrease in the amount OF distilled
liquors used, and an increase in the quantity
Of beer. They are hopeful also because they
find a decrease in the extent Of violent
drunkenness. The total amount spent for
beer alone last year was e7S, 600, 0OO-nearly
1890, 100000
The most hopeful sign, however, Of an
amelioratiou Of the drink evil in Great
Britain is the fact that heavy drinking is be-
coming questionable in that country. This
may seem faint hope to some, but It is more
than that. A century or so ago heavy
drinking was common in the best American
society. We all know the vast change for
the better that has been worked in this mat
ter among our own people Great Britain Is
little slower than we are, that Is au.-Io-
ledo Blade.
The Catholic Review, of New York City.
publishes most earnest and Impressive
temperance address, delivered in ST. Pat
rickis Church, Montreal, during a recent
mission, by the Rev. q. P. Doyle, C.S.P.,
from which we quote the following:
''Of all the evils that have cursed man
kind, crushed woman's heart sent youth to
destruction. driven virtue to the resort OF
shame, and smoothed the pathway OF hell,
none can compare with the evil OF ln.o11-
eating drink. Astonishing it is that more o.
our upright Catholic citizens do not attempt
to wipe out this plague. 1t is pleasant TO
address the young and intelligent men OF
this vast city, the men who are to be the
formers of public opinion for the next gen.
GRAFTON, and to lay before them the fearful
havoc Of this terrible enemy. If disease.
smallpox or fever broke out so that q hun
dred would be laid low, how medical aid
would be called in, how every expedient
w.u!d be tried, how the cases would be Is
oIated: yet this disease is destroying daily
thousands, and where are the citizens that
seek the remedies? Were mad dog abroad,
you would raise hue and cry, seize any
weapon to stop him in his murderous career:
yet worse than hundred rabid dogs is the
demon of drink. and you are not up in arms
against the monster.
This demon OF drink grapples with man
in his physical, civil, and spiritual life. 1t
is good thing to have health: glorious to
be strong-wlthout it there Is ND real hap
plness in life; yet nothing ruins the health
or saps the strength like alcohol. It's snever
necessary, no matter how tired one may be:
A young man can WORK longer, better. and
with less fatigue when he is total abstain
er.
alcohol is a poison; infused into the
veins it produces instant death; taken into
the stomach it courses tnrougl the system
and puts all its parts out OF order. Ii
stranger intrude into polit, family cir
Gle, be would receive gentle or pointed hints
that he WAS out OF place. Your system is u
family composed of its organs ana men,
bers; let alcohol inrru lie. the headache. the
bad stomach, the abnormal pulse. all these
are hints that the presence ., the stran ger is
hurtlui. But let the intru Ter be mailman
who proceeds to smash the furniture and
you seize him and eject him. Too much
alcohol, what is called being drunk, abuses
the members OF the system. aud they alt
rebel and strive to fire out the intrC lsr.
That self-prsseryat.on so instructive IN every
organ Of man, rebels against the preseDc' OF
alcohol