The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-23
Tho Treating Habit.

The editor of the Bricklayer and Mason.
the official organ Of the international!
Union Of America, in o recent number nad
an admirable and interesting editorial on
the treating habit from which we Gull the
following:
The treating habit is nonsensical. The
only defence offered for it H that It Is the
means of bringing together convivlal spur
its; that it makes for good fellowship.
Docs it: Not always. How often do we
see two men meet who are on the best o!
terms, and feel so good toward each other
that they invite each other to "come and
have drink" The drink Is returned, and
again returned. and 60 on until sober
friends become drunken enemies. 1t Is no
exaggeration to say that more than half
the rows that land principals in hospitals
and morgues, aad jails and scaffolds. begin
over the "socia! class" And yet there are
those who insis. that the habit Is based
upon good fellowship, OF at least makes for
it, On the contrary, were the habit to be
tabooed good fellowship, Of the kind that
Is really GOOD, would gain immeasurably.
and public morals would be vastly i'm.
proved.
Oftentimes . man who is accustomed to
a glass ''for his stomach's sake" proceeds
when he feels the need for it to have q
drink. as he calls it. Once inside the sa-
loon he meets Jones. and because OF the
singular ethics OF this good fellowship he
feels in duty bound to invite Jones to
participate. And Jones returns the com.
pliment and the drink. At this juncture,
either recognizes an acquaintance, and the
circle of good fellowship enlarges. Then
the newcomer, rather than be considered
small" or just to show that he is as good
q fellow as either, proposes third drink.
A. 49, - lr.n - kal- a n
told; then the bartender. who has over.
heard it with such interest that he at
once deems his customers mighty good
fellows" sets up the drinks ''on the
house" So jovial and generous bartend.
er appeals to the trio, and then another
So the first to enter, who felt the need
for q drink-that Is, one drink-emerges
from the saloon more or less affected, and
finds that he has taken more than is good
"for his stomach's sake" Quite often the
little party. now q jolly, not to say hila.'
ious one, and increased in number BY ole.
two or more additions in the shape OF
those. good fellows" who are always found
about such places, have found seats at o
table, and they remain until the lights are
arc subjected to the same treatment. So
it Is in this way that man drinks more
than he would were be at liberty to drink
alone, and according to his personal de.
sires, not according to Q tyrannica! code
Of so-caIled good fellowship"
It is a mistake to suppose that the invi.
taeion to drink always implies good fellow
ship, for quite often the one who invites
does not do 80 much because OF any good
feeling as from q desire to avoid the ap.
pearance Of meanness.
Viewed in any light the treating habit is
one Of the worst OF habits. 1t makes men
thall have gotten from under its tyranny
there will be but one class that will regre,
the saloonkeeper; thousands OF homes
will be gladdened. and good fellowship will
recover its dignity and cease to be bar.
room burlesaue