The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-16
A DRUNKEN VAGABOND
NOT SUSCEPTIBLE OF ANYTHING.
This 10 the Estimats UsusiIy Put on tho
Great Army OF Inebristes.
A Defense.

world might learn many lessons of wisdom
oy listening TO "a comparison of notes "
between the patients OF the Kelley lnsti-
tute at this place They would certainly
learn one thing. and that is the mistake
they make when they declare "the worth
less, drunken vagabond they usually
denominate the drunkard-is not susceptI-
bic OF anything great or good. refined or
reliable. The reverse 10 the fact IN colsld-
ering the great army OF ineOriates. The
records OF this branch OK the Kelley lnstl-
tute abound with the name of many of
Tie most intellectual and refined men, who
came here afflicted with the disease OF dip
soinania and who went away healed and
are now among the foremost in business
and intellectual life. Tnis is but history
repeating itself, for It points to the fact
that many of the worlds beneiactors.
statesmen. philosophers poets AID generals
were the unfortunate victims OK the greatest
curse OF humanity.
and yet. strange to relate for 1000 years.
or from the dawn of Noah's prominence
down to the twilight Of the nineteenth CEN
tury, there has come not single ray or
hope for the suffering inebriate. He mas fallen
by the wayside until millions OF graves are
hlled. aud he was helpless as an infant TO
stay the awful aud certain storm. HlS bond
age was complete and absolute. and down
through the ages he has fallen q victim of
an insldlous disease heretofore catalogued
as u SIN. a crime. deliberate and reckless
abandon aud weakness be could avoid
II he would Repu1iated and summed by
cruel people who forgot tho lesson of the
lowly Nszarene: Let him who is without
sin cast the first stone;" with the court of
stern and unfeeling law and the tortuous
prison or the dreaded asylum his only pro-
yIded place OF refuge for the time, his con-
dltlon could not be otherwise, and all the
laws and societies for prevention or moral
suasive force in Christendom could not have
saved him. He was reserved. as has been
said for the twilight of the present century
to devise the remedy and q Inercltul Prov
ldence has raised up DR.. Kelley as its in
strument.
more general recognition of this fact
must result In an AmellOratiOn or the law 5
dealing with drunkenness and change the
direction OF tue agencies being employed
| Tor the reclamation OF the inebrlate and
that period is inevitable as that the
laws OF nature are interchangeable. Under
the order of things as they have obtained
for centuries even the most AFFECT drunkard
| realizes his degradation and utter helpless
ness more than those who attempt bis res
| cue by moral agencies or the severe lnfilc-
ton OF severe legal penalties. He is stung
| to madness by advice which he knows he Is
| pOwerless to follow or by laws that he can
/ not obey. Even the prayers of the wife,
! who implores him as he leaves her in tho
morning, not to drink are disregarued. he
| knows she is right, but he also knows what
! she can never appreciate any more than the
| advocates of punishment what no one can
ever appreciate who has not passed through
the same experience. that he. too. has prom
| ised himself hundred times to abstain,
only to fall a hundred times and each time
lower than before. He knows that he. too.
| has prayed, with beaded brow and agoniZed
heart. for deliverance from the cursed bond
age, to have the prayers unanswered, While
the chains of his ensavement grew longer
and heavier. Hence the indignation pro-
duced by the laws severity and the unwise
and cruel advice of those who urge its rigid
enforcement. for it is but adding another
twist TO the screws of torture. q reminder
OF a condition that has passed beyond the
control of the will.
Turning aside from this gloomy picture
what a bow of promise we behold in the
past and prospective work OF the Kelley
Treatment. Dr. Kelley estimates that the
number of patients cured in 1892 will ex-
coed 80. 900. and that in 1893 il will be nearer
$4,000, since the number cured in the asst
| half of 1892 will be 20 per cent. greater than
those cured in the first half. What a boon
| 10 humanity rs compared with legal enact
ments and moral suasion. These figures
| tsli their own story, ana III l5 STORY pIOu-
bitionists should study carefully il they fee
any interest in reculng victims OK alcohol
from drunkard's lives and graves. or IN
short. care anything about temperance IN
| any aspect except their own wholly lmprac-
ticable and useless political one which
| never reformed one inebriate or cured the
alcoholic disease which afflicts any one I'M
der its power The ladies OF the Women's
Christian Temperance Unions with the
superior intuition characteristic OF tbeiI
sex are among the first to grasp the situs'
ton AS it exists. There is no politics IN
their efforts TO help fallen humanity. hence
with the visible results of the Kelley treat
ment before them in their own communi-
ties, they are Fastening to induce the III
ebriate 10 seek this practical road 10 soor,
ETY. and restored manhood. Lynchburg and
Newport News in this State present exam
pies Of what can be done in this direction
and that, too, without interference with
their good work through other channels
| Not only this, but they are aiding good mer
with their means as we'll as counsel, who
are in INDECENT circumstances. to avail them
selves OF this sure hope Of at least al
earthly salvation. It will be but bre
period until the results measured by the
| opportunities will be visible throughout
Virginia, and prove to the fool as TO the Wise
man, that moral suasion and legal enact
ments for the cure of drunkenness shouIc
be relegated to the past. and scientific treat
| ment for the disease. as developed 10y Or
L Zinc "a