The sun., 1902-11-14
Lady Henry Somerset's Observation.


Lady Henry SOmerset's Observation.
Lady HENRY SOMERSET is reported TO
have remarked as she was about to re-
turn to England, on Wednesday, that
during her months visit to the United
States her chief surprise had been at
the general sobriety of the American
people and she att ributed TO il their
greater alertness and energy as COM
pared with the obviously more intemper-
ate people of her own country.
Inasmuch "a her associations here had
been almost wholly with women active
in the temperance movement, among
whom she is herself one of the most con-
spicuous figures. her opportunities for
observation as to popular habits may
be said to have been part ial and closely
limited but the conclusion she reached
is confirmed by statistics of the COM
parative consumption of alcoholic slim
ulants in this country and England. Her
observation IA to the greater prevalence
Of sobriety here is confirmed also by
travellers generally, in coming from
the one TO the other country. The ap-
palling degradation due to gross intem-
perance so observable in Liverpool and
London and the great towns of England
and Scotland generally does not force
itself on even the casual attent ion in
America. Rags and tatters and reeling
drunkenness of men and women, SO fire.
Quently seen there, are here almost un-
known. New York may be open to
many accusations because of its deficien-
cies and dement's, due chiefly to its till
pioneer state Of development, but it is
notable among the capt. ais Of the world
for its comparative freedom from loath-
some and dehumanizing intoxication.
A thoroughly drunken man is rarely
encountered in the streets of New York
and drunken woman so rarely that her
appearance gives a shock of surprise TO
the observers. So far as the outside
is concerned, the liquor shops are almost
universally decent and orderly. In the
vast majority of them the consumption
is of lager beer so mild in its intoxicating
potency that English brewers look on
it as mere slops.' OF the" Gin palaces,
so frequent and conspicuous in English
cities, we have practically none. Women
Of decent associations are numerous GUS
toners Of such places in England at all
hours, wing with the most inveterate
Of men topers in their craving for gin,
but here women are never encountered
at liquor bars, though, possibly, repre-
sentatives Of the more dissolute among
them may be found in the seclusion Of a
back room at the family entrance Of
a corner saloon.
Lady HENRY SOMERsETs suggestion
that the greater alertncsS and energy
of the American people are due TO this
greater sobriety has very much of truth
in it. But the sobriety is both a cause
and consequence of the requirement for
those qualities in the workers under the
American industrial system and the
whole system of American enterprise.
Only sober man can keep up the pace;
the Incorporate is sure to fall by the
way. Accordingly. prudence in alco-
holic and other artificial and reacting
stimulation is enforced here TO greater
degree than anywhere else in the world.
A man finds out that he must keep all
his wits about him if he expects to run
with the machine. Sobriety is an abb
solute requisite in the mechanic, and
throughout all trade intempcrance acts
rs an insuperable bar to progress. Ex-
actly how great part of business fail
ures are due To habits of incorporate
indulgence, directly or indirectly, may
not be detcrminable, but it is, undoub,-
edly, very great probably the major
part. Such habits at once bring man
under suspicion and affect his credit in
juriously.
We give all honor to the good women
who are allied with Lady HENRY SOM
ERsET in organized movements for the
promotion of Temperance. Doubtless,
their moral suasion has been potent To
that end. But the great temperance
movement of the present generation has
received its impulse from the common
sense Of men. They have found out that
il doesn't pay to get into the habit of
giving a loose rein to their appetite for
strong drink. They have found out that
they cannot afford to get drunk, And,
concidcntly, social intolerance of drunk
cnness has increased. IL is looked on
no longer as an amiable weakness, even
virtue TO be celebrated in song but as
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