The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-18
THE GREAT DESTROYER.
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF lNTEMPERANcE.

An Astounding ctutc VI """''' A~''s' 49,
the PhilIppines-The American Sol
diery Are Making a saturnalis Of Al
coho1ism-Diseusting Even to Natives.
Considerable interest hns been aroused
.ecently on the subject Of the liquor ques-
ion in our new possessions, and particularly
n the resultant conditions in the Philip
zines. The facts which form the basis OF
discussion have been furnished from time
0 time by newspaper correspondents. army
,haplains, returning soldiers, ana others
Who have been ut Manila IN puDnc ana pr,
5ate capacities. Such tales have peen told
" The alarming increase OF the drinking
lnbit among Americans in Manila that a
:esolution has been introduced In the
senate ut Washington asking information
II the President as to the number OF saloons
established in Manila since the American
,ccupation, by whom they are conducted,
he nationality Of their patrons, and the
sind of liquors dispensed.
It appears incidentally from the official
acures OF the Bureau OF Statistics that
during the last year there were shipped
rom the, United States to Manila 112 40
dozen bottles Of malt liquors, more than
200 gallons OF wine, "A 900 gallons OF
brandy and about A 900 gallons OF whisky
and other spirits. That this is I'm enormous
Increase Is shown by the fact that our total
exports OF liquor.to Cuba, Porto Rico and
he Philippines In 1897 was only $91 ,07O IN
ialue, while for eleven months Of 1899 the
Export value reached the startling total OF
S750, 900. From what has been said above,
It is evident that Manila has received It's
FULL share of the increase. The Manila
correspondent OF Leslie's Weekly says that
.he city presents "saturnalia OF alcohol.
ism." "Tbe mir reeks with the odors OF
the worst English liquors''-which indt-
Gates that the exports from this country
are not the sum total OF supply. Whole
blocks in every important thoroughlare
are given up to long lines Of saloons. The
street. cars carry nu merous announcements
Of the virtues OF this whisky and tho de-
lights OF that gin, while the main news
paper advertisements consists OF the dis
played cards OF the liquor dealers. Presi-
dent Schurman, OF the recent Commission,
has said that Dothing has contributed 80
much to disgust the natives and damage
the reputation OF the country ns the
immense amount OF drunkenness
among the Americans In the islands.
According to the statement OF chaplain
OF the Tennessee regiment. there were only
three saloous In Manila before Its surrsn.
der-retailing mainly only. Intoxicating
beverages-but that now there are over
four hundred saloons selling whisky, most
OF which Is consumed by Americans. An
other describes the con litions on the trans.
ports to be as bad as those prevailing In
the city. SO great has the evil become that
the island missionaries have practically
given up their work among the natives and
turned their attention to the deplorable
moral needs among the American soldiery.
II these things are trus-and there Il
plenty Of credible testimony tc warrant the
assumption that the truth is only partially
revealed-it does not require prohibi-
ZIONIST to point out the crying moral and
political need for q radical change which
will be effective to stamp out what must
eventually prove to be the very roots OF
disorder and disaster. 1t will be utterly
impossible for tile United States to retain
the respect and confidence OF the temperate
natives IL the specimens OF American man
hood submitted TO their inspection consist
largely of'the members OF Il debauched and
drink-sodden army. TneY know nothing
Of Americans except what they learn by
observing those who have been sent there
under military necessity. They can net
discriminate between American. soldiers
and the population from which they are
drawn. A more civilized people would
characteristics will be ju ICED by the mis-
conduct OF those who have gone to the
illands to uphold our honor, and who have
succeeded IN besmirching it Ia the cutters
of Manila. This Is not ull. The liquor
habit IS one that "grows by what 1t feeds
on" The rapid growth Of the evil during
the last year can t be farther extended
without producing the complete demorali-
zation OF our forces there, II not the utter
destruction OF the army OF occupation.
Alcoholism in tropical country, with its
attendant eXcessos, means madness und
death, and they come swiftly. The evil
effects are already apparent. There have
been comparatively few casualties In the
islands resulting from the expected NOR
tality by bullets on the field OF battle, but
incoming. transports ara increasingly
ireighted with the remains OF soldiers who
have succumbed to the attributed cause Of
disease" and hundreds Of others whose
experiences have condemned them to the
living death OF insanity. Who cansdoubt
that the reni cause iu nunberlessS 14sess
rests in an over.indulgence In alcohoNc5Hes:
bauchery, supernduced by the tsn1pta;:
tioes placed within their reach? And whca9
can doubt that the penslon-rolls wfllsbev
burdened for generations with deathsand
disabilities from the same cause2 Let the
saturnala be stopped now before lwe4are:
more deeply disgraced and injured.
Francisco ArSonuIt. ~ ,S4 i