The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-05
THE GOSPEL OF GIN.
Tbs First Fruits OF Civilization a Dis
graceful Crop in Africa.

graceful Crop in Africa.
From the Fortni0ktIy Revielr.
Many Englishmen are disappointed that
Lord Salisbury has not stipulated for
larger portion Of the dark continent. But
it might be well to rsmember that II, by au-
nexing African territory Englishmen win the
privilege Of destroying the people by the
worse Kind OF alcoholic drugs, it would seem
that the less territory we have the better
Surely the time has come when some action
should be taken In parliament as regards
this drink traffic in Africa What Is the
use Of sending missionaries 20 convert the
heather il our traders in heather lands
thrust upon the natives a poison which de-
stroys them withs more certainty than any
war, pestilence or famines Will no one Sc.
on foot holy crusade against this cursea
1t is work far above the shibboleth OF party
politics and sectarian differences. In
unity of effort against the demon of all
demons, distinction Of race and nation and
creed should vanish, since all are RESPONSE
bic for the great wrong. Drunkenness,
says Archdeacon Farrar, is considered IN
Africa European fashion, aud in spite of
the grief of the native authorities this cry
ing injury to perishing people remains
unredressed and nnheeded by the most
humane aud Christian nation in the world.
AOulDAcu ny kEcSu duQ hNtTtc6 White LTaQeTB
Introduce the poison to the native. Souls
of men are bartered for money, and Africa
is being slowly but surely desOlated by the
foremost missionary nation on earth
As stated by the bishop Of London, it is
a positive fact that In one place in Africa
the Christians are building a mosque rather
than a church, because the Mohammedans
do not bring drink with them; whereas an
increased number of Christians would
fnpraauo IN ha 80
drink.
One OF the MohRmmedan African chiefs.
in praying for the suppression of the liquor
traffic created by us In his country SAYS:
"The natives themselves do not want it, it
is forbidden by their laws but they are
forced to break those laws by you English.
You are deteriorating our people and de-
stroying whole races of themn He patheti-
cally implores "the English queen to stop
sending her rum and her gin to his peo-
ple."
The very air of Africa reeks with rum
and gin imported by US; every hut Is redo
lent Of its fumes. Gin bottles and boxes
meet the eye at every step, and in some
places the wealth and Importance of the
various villages are measured by the size ef
the pyramids OF empty gin bottles which
they erect and worship. Over large areas
drink is almost the sole currency, and in
many parts the years wages of the negro
factory worker are paid altogether in
spirits.
The steamer in which / recently returned
from West Africa brought home with her a
cargo of rubber, palm oil, ivory, gold and
other rich products she had obtained in ex-
change for compound called rum and gin.
bartered at the,rate of, rum 9 pence per
gallon and gin 2 shillings pence per dozen
pint bottles" This so-called rum and gin is
known to the natives as 1.-THE missionary"
The introduction of this missionary into
peaceful villages transforms them into
hades peopled by brutalized human beings,
whose punishment is to be possessed by a
never-ending thirst for more missionary.
The chastity of women becomes a virtue of
The past. They follow one about with
scarcely rag on their besotted persons,
crying for more gin. TIE wretched natives.
having disposed Of their cattle for drink,
take to thieving for it. and, being caught,
are sometimes logged to death by our
government officials