The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-10-26

CONTROL or LIQUOR TRAFFIC
The following plea for a better con
troll OF the sale Of alcoholic liquors was
advanced by DR. Nathan s Davis In
paper read before the American Aedi-
cal Temperance association at st. Paul,
MINI. is Is more than sixty years
since my mind was compelled by the
inexorable rules OF logic 20 adopt the
conclusion that n alcoholic liquors are
legitimate articles OF commerce and
popular use. the traflc Ia them should
be free 70 all rich and poor alike. or
II they are really subtle. deceptive and
dangerous polsons they should be
placed on tha statutes OF the several
states with arsenic. corrosive mbli-
mate. strychnine and other polsons, 70
ba sold and used under the same regu-
lafions a. the other articles named. II
Is puerile IN the extreme 20 admit the
truth OF the ancient proyerb that
rwlne is a moCktr. and strong drink
a raging and WhOs0eVer u deceived
thereby Is not wise, and yet talk Of
both a. stimuiant. restorative and even
nourishing. and 20 be licensed for gem
erai use Il is still more pneriie 70
freely admit the poisonous and de-
etructive influence OF alcohol az II ex
lists In fermented and distilled liquors.
and yet Tor a paltry money bribe for
the public conscience. license It's general
use under the pretence that the inau-
ence cannot be wholly suppressed. and
therefore Il Is better 10 regulate II by a
license On tie same basis licenses
should be Issued 70 a sufficient num-
Der or men to do all the stealing and
numbering according 10 legal reEula-
ton because both have been continued
throughout the history uf our race IN
defiance Of the prohibitory laws Of both
God and man. The paramount ques-
ton before the intelligent men and
women OF Christendom today is not
one Of politics or OF political parties 0f
Of social classes. but one solely per-
tanning 20 public health and morals. II
fs whether alcohol and other we'll
known narcotic drugs are really whole
come articles Of drink or food. safe for
general use: or are the absolutely sub
tle. deceptive and dangerous poisons.
sfealthny destroying both public
health and morals. and constantly null
uplying hereditary degenerates IN all
Glasses OF human society2 II the
former. they are entitled 10 the same
treatment as other articles OF com
merce and general use. n the latter,
then their regulation belongs exclu-
xlvely 10 the police and sanitary au-
thorities aided BY the courts. They
cannot be both. That alcohol. as Il
exists IN fermented and distilled
liquors. Is a positive protoplasmic poi
son. directly impairing every natural
structure and function OF the living
body In proportion to the quantity
used and the length Of time its use Is
continued. is proved BY the results Of
every experimental investigation con-
ternirx Il. instituted By eminent scien-
tfc men. both in this country and Eu-
rome. And their verdiel IS abundantly
confirmed by the history and condition
81 the inmates OF every asylum for the
poor the feebie-minded. the epileptics
lne insane anu AAN tHr----- e-t~-N 20
every reformatory and prison, by the
records Of every police and criminal
court. and By the details of every well.
kept registry Of vital statistics. A
concerns danger to human life. eVers
intelligent reader Of the public press
knows that the ordinary use Of aleo
hoIic liquors by persons claiming t7 b.
IN health. Is the direct cause Of mor'
suicides. homicides and murders ever
month. than are produced by all th'
other poisons known % toxicoloEisu
IN a year. Then why not now. At th'
beginning Of this twentieth century o