The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-03-26
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF lNTeMPeRANce.

rho Murders Of Drink-Eiahf Hundred
and Twenty Hoinicides IN tho United
States Last Year Were Caused by In.
toxIcation.I Blood az the Saloons Crime
For several years past the Chicago Tri-
bunc has annually published statement
regarding the crimes OF violence IN the
United States. The method used IN gath-
ering those statistics is not unquest,on.
ably accurate, since, as we understand it,
the report given is merely summary OF
what the news dispatches bring to the
Office Of the Tribune in the course OF the
year. However, the figures are valuable
ald probably approach nearer to authen-
tic statistics than any others in existence.
According to the Tribune's Egr:es there
were in the United States durirS the year
1901 $40 murders caused by intoxicating
drinks. The incompleteness Of this state.
ment is manifest in moment when it Is
noticed that the list includes 46i8 murders
that are recorded az tie outcome OF quar-
rels" 1t is a matter of common knowledge
that comparatively few quarrels end in
murder where the principals of the quar-.
late years there has been an extreme disin-
clination upon the part Of the newspapers
to report drinks part IN Q murder case.
Yet tnc intelligent reader readily recog-
nizes it in numerous instances. Take az
an illustration q murder occurring in Chi
cago last Saturday night. Two men quar-
relied over matter of 81. One of them
went out aud was gone few minutes, re-
turned and renewed his demand, was re.
fused and shot the other man, instantly
killing him, and turning ran from the
Office, entered q saloon and took drink.
That that was not the first drink in the
tragedy needs little confirmation. but the
published reports will record this as Q
crime due to quarrel, rather than due TO
drink.
But suppose that the figures Of the Tri.
bune were accurate, and that only 80 peo-
pie were murdered in the United States
during the last year on account OF intoxi-
eating liquors. Even with that, the show.
ing would be that as a people we are al.
lowing well-known, preventablc cause to
deprive large number OF fellow-citizens OF
life and to carry grief and suffering to q
much greater number. Even 800 murders
stand as a charge Of appalling blackness
against a people WHO will not take the
necessary steps for the removal OF the
cause. We say will not" for, so far %
the great multitude OF the American peo-
pie is concerned, that is the case. II 10
true there are propositions for regulation,
propositions for changing the method BY
which drink is sold, propositions to in.
crease the revenue received, but each and
all OF such propositions offer not the slight.
est deviation from the one constant fact
that the sale of Intoxicating drink, under
any regulation, by any method, produces
crime. makes murder.
The surprising fact about It is that the
Anglo-Saxon race has known this for CEN
turies. Two hundred and fifty years ago
Sir Matthew Hale, then an eminent jurist
Of England, said:
"The places OF judicature which / have
held in this kingdom have given me op.
portunity to observe the original cause oi
most of the enormities that have been COM
| mitted for the space OF nearly twenty
years. and BY close observation ] have
found that II the murders and maasiaueht-
ers. the burgiaries and robberies, the riots
and tumults and other enormiiies that
have happened in that time. were divided
into FIVE parts. four of them have been the
issue and product Of excessive drinking at
taverns or ale-house meetings"
Murder touches Us quickly enough some.
times. The whole country was convulsed
and even now there are thousands who
would leeislate away the dearest bought
rights OF the people because single mur.
der was committed last summer by poor
fool at Buffalo. But how long can not the
saloon spatter the blood Of its crimes in
the faces OF Christian people with irnpu-
nity?-New York Voice.