The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-01-22
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS A5oUT
THE VICE oF INTEMPERAncE.

sndy Henry Somerset Makes Some Strtk-
ing Observations in Regard to the
Growth of Temperance in tho United
Stttes-socisI Drinking on the Decline
Lady Henry Somerset is reported to have
remarked during her months visit to tho
| United States her chief surprise had been
u the general sobriety of the American
| ,eople," and she attributed to it their
greater alertness and energy" as COM
Jared with the obviously more intemperat0
| people of her own country.
Inasmuch as her associations here had
| been almost wholly with women active IN
| :he temperance movement, among whom
The is herself one of the most conspicuous
igures, her opportunities for observation
Is to popular habits may be said to have
| been partial and closely limited. but the
conclusion she reached is confirmed by
statistics OF the comparative consumption
| u alcoholic stimuants in this country and
England Her observation as to the great
| n prevalence of sobriety here is confirmed
| tlso by travellers generally, in coming from
:he one to the other country. The appall-
] ng degradation due to gross intemperance
| 10 observable in Liverpool aud London and
| The great towns of England and Scotland
| generally does not force itself on even the
casual attention in America. Rags and
.atters and reeling drunkenness OF men
ind women. so frequently seen there. are
1ere almost unknown. New York may be
iciences and dement's, due chiefly to its
IT'LL pioneer state of development, but it IL
notable among the capitals of the world
or its comparative freedom from loath-
Iome and dehumanizing intoxication.
A thoroughly drunken man is rarely en-
.ountered in the streets of New York, and
drunken woman so rarely that her ap-
)earance gives a shock of surprise to the
observers. SO far as the outside is con-
,erned,. the liquor shops are almost univer-
,allv decent and orderly. In the vast ma
ority of them the consumption is of lager
hat English brewers look on. it as "mere
slops." OF the "gin palaces" so frequent
md conspicuous in English cities, we have
practically none. Women of decent asso-
,lations are numerous customers OF such
places in England at all hours, vieing with
The most inveterate of men topers in
.heir craving for gin, but here women ara
never encountered at liquor bars. though
possibly representatives of the moro disso1
lutte among them may be found in the sex
,lusion of a back room at the family eut
rance of a corner saloon.
Lady Henry Somerset's suggestion that
the greater alertness and energy of the
American people are due to this greater
sobriety has very much OF truth in it. But
the sobriety is both cause and conse-
luence for the requirement for those quali-
ties in the workers under the American IN
dustrial system and the whole system OF
American enterprise. Only a sober man
can keep up the pace; the incorporate Is
sure to fall by the way. Accordingly, pru-
dence in alcoholic and other artificial and
reacting stimulation is enforced here to a
greater degree than anywhere else in the
world. man finds out that he must keep
all his wits about him If he expects to run
with the machine. Sobriety is an absolute
requisite in the mechanic. and throughout
all trade intemperance acts as an insupers
able bar to progress. Exactly how great q
| part of business failures are due to habits
of incorporate indulgence, directly or in.
directly, may not be determinable, but id
is. undoubtedly, a very great, probably the
major part. Such habits at once bring a
man under suspicion and affect his credi5
| iniuriously.
We give all honor to the good women
who are allied with Lady Henry Somerset
| in organized movements for the promotion
| OF temperance. Doubtless their moral suas
sion 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 it doesn't pay to get into
the habit OF giving loose rein to their ap..
petite for strong drink. They have found
out that they cannot afford to get drunk,
| And coincidently, social intolerance OF
| drunkenness has increased. 1t is looked
| on no longer as an amlable weakness, even
a virtue to be celebrated in song, but as
| utltsldDIc IL as u
which excludes the victim from considera.
tion as a sane member OF society and
makes OF him character to be distrusted.
As consequence retreats, asylums and ref
ages for the confinement and medical treat
ment OF nebriety as a disease are now nu'
merous and are filled with inmates. Mean.
time social drinking at bars, at dinners, al
clubs and on all occasions OF festivity has
diminished greatly.
The American sobriety which Lady Henry
Somerset has observed with so much sur
prise and qualification is chiefly conse1
quence OF this common-sen attitude to-
ward drinking, under the compulsion OF
present conditions OF our life OF organized
activity. Sobriety has become a practical
necessity. and under the circumstances de-
parture from it has come TO be regarded az
an evidence of insane folly. II people want
to escape reproach. If they want to be In
cluded among the sane, they must keep so.
ber in the America OF this time.-Editorial
in the New York Sun.