The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-30
Exargeration and the Saloon.

Professor W. O. Atwater, Of Wesleyan
University, whose experiments are said to
have developed the fact that alcohol ts q
food and not poison, has been heard from
again. This time he says, "The great OBJ
stacle In the wey OF temperance reform Is
the habit Of exaggeration." Now that Is
refreshing 1t has not been thought 'hither-
to that the evils OF the saloon could be ex-
aggerated. The same authority adds,
Is that all? We had supposed that It ap-
piled fuel to the soul, and that the fuel It
supplies to the body would ultimately con-
sumo 1t with the soul In hell. That Is al.
cohol's reputation In this community.
Bnt DR.. Atwater, who, by the Tay, Is as
sincere as he Is probably capable, but
whose honest opinions are being made ex-
ceedingly profitable to the Americai ga,
loon, says the friends OF temperance hinder
their cause by "the hnbit Of e1aggeration."
It would be no more difficult to exaggerate
OF hell than to speak too vigorously against
the evils OF intemperance. Amid the mel
ancholy ruins OF desolated homes and
hearts, and surrounded by the wreckage OF
lives which but for intoxicating liquors
would have been strong and pure, there is
no danger that our too-feeble language
will make 1t possible for US to exaggerate,
Instead OF fexaggerating.the awful crimes
that lie within and without the saioona
green baize door which swings both ways
into despair, all the temperance reiormers
In the world put together can not tell hall
the terrible truth. Before we can get be-
yond the ample borders OF the facts about
the drink vice to where eXaggerattop
might begin 1t would be necessary to know
all the hidden secrets Of sorrowlng homes
and lives, all tho records kept in heaven,
and NIL the llfe-stories Of the hopeless
dwellers In hell; and, possessing this knowl.
edge, be would recite 1t must speak con.
tinuously for hundred generations before
lie could tell enough Of the black history
even to be tempted to exaggerate. We
have not been exeggerating the poison side
OF Satan's favorite ebeverages-we, perhaps,
did not know until DR.. Atwater told NJ
that alcohol was q food or a fuel, but w
did know that 1t very promptly makes Z
mans body food for worms and his soul
fuel for the eternal burning. Have We not
seen 1t blight million lives In their bloom
and other millions before their birth? HAVE
we not seen 1t prostitute womanhood u
bruttshness and manhood to worse thar
beastlIness? Please do not accuse US then
of exaggeratlng what transforms Eden Int
bedlam, angels into demons, heaven into
hell. We resent any accusation that w
could, IL we would, exaggerate the wani
and ,wretchedness which strew rags and
bleeding hearts aud mungled lives along
the whole foul track OF this death-dealingr
disease-breeding, flth-producing, mortal
ity-destroying, Notwithstanding serpent
~of the saloon.
1 Haunted by no fear that We might ever
be able to tell more than the truth, W.
stand aghnst In the presence Of the legak
lied saloon and wish 1t were possible tt
tell the American voter even half OF thu
truth about rum and the ruin 1t Is licensed
to bring into our land. Surely, surely ever
half the truth would be enough to shut uI
these food shops Of the devil, these GOA
tyards. .of hell.
Oh, yes, alcohol Is food and fuell-
: Cumberland Presbyterian.