The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-06-20
Women and Intemperance.

from extensive reading, observation and
MnTgarts Mfneshss A. A. s ae n II TSfk D supera p
tendent of Heredity, New York County
w. G.. .'T. u, am convinced that the
drink habit is rapidly on the increase
and that the ratio of increase is greatest
among women. I do not -confine this
charge 10 any particular locality or social
class. The stimulant habit is a raee
scourge, a degenerate tendency which is
manifesting itself to an alarming extent
n our present civilization. Q,
This curse is being handed down
through the law of here2ity, from genera
tion to generation, and is gathering mo-
mentum as it desceDds, till the whole Of
Christendom is suff .ring.
A French scientist, who has studied the
history of Europe for the last half cen
tury, declares that the scourge of alco-
holism threatens the civilized world. His
own nation is consuming an extraordinary
amount yearly. He says: "The consump-
ton has increased from three pints pei
capita in 1898. Of this, especially in Nor,
mandy, the women drink even more than
the men,"
~ Other European countries show similar
7 alarming conditions. Lady Henry Som
serset, speaking for England, says:
There can be no doubt that the great
problem before the temperance people Of
this country is how to arrest the alarming
increase of. inebriety among women. We
Stand in the unenviable position of ma
ton that has drunken womanhood."
81. In our own country we find that statis-
4 tics show o per capita increase from 8 80
gallons in 1850 to 1853 gallons in 1890.
The figures of 1900 promise to 90 far be-
yond that, because all observers agree
that the noticeable increase in the drink
habit among women in this country has
taken place within the last decade, par
ticularly within the last five years.
have it upon good authority that with
m the last five years, in the shopping
districts of this city, the demand for
liquors has caused to be ftted,up in the
saloons accommodations for women al
most equal IN extent to those for men. I
learn, too, that the drug stores, with their
soda fountains, are doing quite thriving
trade in spirituous liquors, sola to women,
as arc the saloons.
a downtown business man writes ME:
"All any one needs to do to verify YOUR
statements regarding the increase of the
drink habit among women is to visit any
Of the public concert gardens any even
ing"
But not only in the great centres Of
popula!lon IS TINS conceded to be grow
ing evil. From the smaller towns has,
come the same cry that the drink habit
is growing upon our American woman
hood
Ibis condition is one for deep concern.
and one tor which vital cause exists I
believe that the strength of this curse is
revealed in the law of heredity.
1t is claimed by some scientists that in
the working OF this law daughters are
more prone 10 inherit the fathers charac-
teristics, and vice versa. If this be true,
do we not here find the scientific explana-
tion of the increase of the drink habit
among women?
We have to-day the most highly organ
lied physical and intellectual man the
race has ever produced, and consequently
the most sensitive to the degenerating
poison of alcohol.
When such man gives way to drink his
child is born with a lowered vital consti-
tion. which Graves the stimulant. Doubly
terrible are the results when the mother,
the source of life, has fallen under the
spell of the deadly habit.
1t is only by the study of the laws Of
life and the understanding of the power
of heredity that men and women can be
awakened to their responsibilities and
check this rising tide of intemperance
which threatens to engulf the race and
destroy our civilization. - New York
World