The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-02-25
FEBRUARY SO. 1897.
Temperance Department.
Edited by the Superintendent of Press
WOrk LENDER On " G L L.

Edited by the Superintendent of Press
Work, Henderson W. G. T.U.
That the liquor traffic is destructive OF
human life cannot be denied by any one
who has investigated the subject. The
records OF life insurance companies, the
Investigations OF the British Medical As
sOclation. and the testimony OF leading
physicians all concur in affirming that
lntcmperance shortens life Dr. g. ".
Richardson, who has spent much time i'll
lnyestlgati ting the subject, estimates the
mCrtailtE from this cause at one tenth
the total mortality in places where liquor
Is consumed in the same proportion as in
England and Wales. At this rate the
mortality from quor-drinking in the
| nIted States is from 10000 to 10000
annually. But alcoholism exhibits its
worst effects in connection with other
diseases.
When Captain Cook discovered the
Hawaiian Islands i'll ITS, he found
there population Of 400, 900, and left
behind him the diseases of civilization.
These diseases were fast depopulating
the islands when, about 30 years ago,
| Titus Coan, an Amer lean, went there as
IL missionary. He found but 100000
/
years previous. Prohibition followed
the preaching OF the Gospel, and medical
skill was able to drive back the tide of
syphllitic leprosy; but the United States
Government, in the interest of American
| brewers and distiIlers, forced the unwill-
| ing government OF the islands to admit
| intOXlcants. From that hour the doom
OF the Hawaiian people was sealed. Med
| zeal skill could no longer stay the raw
! ages of the dread disease, and the native
| population has already been reduced to
| less than $4,000. These facts are attest
ed by Il large number OF physicians,
| teachers, and residents Of the islands,
and by Major Dane and other noted
| travellers.
But the liquor traffic causes still worse
effects in the production OF pauperism
and crime. Reports of poor directors and
superintendent OF almshouses, for the
year 1896, give the proportion of pau
perism caused by drink in Worcester,
Mass, Albany, \. y, and Meadville, Pa,
at 90 per cent, in st. Charles, Mo-, 70 to
| 50 per cent; in Minneapolis, Mimi, so
| per cent: and in Hamilton, Ohio, 10 per
| cent.
In 1880, according to Carroll d..
| Wright, the proportion of crime caused
| DN iIlHk Ill INuuOlk county, MISS, tIt
| county in which Boston is situated, was
| 81 per cent. This estimate is about ten
per cent. higher than Prohibitionists
usually give but is the best obtainabIe
at present. \ late volume on 'Crime
| and Pauperism" issued by the United
| States Census Bureau, gives the number
of prisoners per 10000 population in
Low-License States 212, in High-Lccnse
| States 191, and in Prohibition States So.
More than 20 years ago. DR.. DeMor-
| mon wrote in the New York MedicH Jour-
mai: ''During the last ten years the use
Of spirits has destroyed 100000 lives;
has sent 100, 900 children to the poor
| houses: has committed at least 100000
| people into prisons and warehouses; has
made at least 900 insane; has deter
mined at least ,, 900 suicides; has caused
i the loss by fire or violence of at least
| S1O,OOO,00O worth OF property; has
made at least 100000 widows, and l.
| 100000 orphans.
JAMES A. PALMER
Upper Alton, Ill.