Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-03-05
TO CHECK DRUNKENESS.
Thoughtful Men In All Civilized
Lands Are Now Turning
Their Serions Attention
to This Cause.

to This Caus

W IulS cause.
t Atlanta Journal.
The question Of methods for check
ing the spread of drunkenness is on
, to which thoughtful men in all civ
e llized lands are now turning tbei
serious attention. Science has shoW1
with sufficient degree of accuracy
that alcohol does little, if any, goo6
to human being, even when usec
as tonic medicine. Indeed, there
are many physicians of eminence
who, having thoroughly investigated
the effect on the system, Go not hesi-
tate to declare that it is nothing less
than poison.
In America there is less of the sod
den, hopeless drunkenness that dis
gusts the traveller in foreign cities.
because the American lower classes
nave more comforts and BRIGHTER
hopes OF fortune, and hence, as a
rule, more self-respect. But in
France the evil is beginning To as
sumo the form Of a national caIam-
lty, especially among the poor of the
big cities. Absinthe and cheap adu1-
terated brandy are there consumed
IN appalling quantities. One result
IS the filling up of the Iunatic asv-
lums with victims of alcoholism and |
OF that frightful madness that char |
acterlzes overindulgence in the de-
coctlon of wormwood called absin-
the. The French Cabinet is canvass
ing measures of legislation to cone
win the drink evil and restrict in
some extent the sale of aduIterated
and clearly poisonous compounds.
In Great Britain the decent citi-
zens have long deplored the british
state OF a great section of the citv
population. It has been for decades
one OF the characteristic sights of
Sunday in London to see drunken
men and women rolling like swine
10 the cutters during the forenoon
1our when the church-goers are re-
turning from their places of Worshin
put into the mouth Of one
If his East Indian characters a
vivid picture of this con-
lition.
Not only the degrading moral as
'ect OF this vice, but its material ef-
ects, have lately stirred the nation
0 attempts at reform. The inroads I
N health and consequently on com q
nercial prosperity due to drunken }
tess have alarmed the thinking part /
/ the community to such an extent a
nat laWgivers and phiIanthropists + 4
no practical men Of business regard i
7Ss OF any sentimental considerations G
re joined together in an effort to r
arb the progress Of the danger. i
one measure resulting from this 9
tate OF the public mind was the pass 0
lg about year ago Of an inebriate q
ct, by which it was decreed that il
opeiess drunkards might be con-
gned to an institution, under cer-
TN conditions, wherein they would 2
medically treated and. if possible il
1red of their infirmity. The pres 3
II licensing act has by its sweeping OF
foVIslons attracted far wider notice W
ld the Interest in its even final ra- .,
lit is being everywhere discussed
0 one seems to really hope for much
ON IL, other than as it serves to call
tention of all classes to the need fo,
better state of national morality as
means to commercial progress and fr'
d1vldual happiness. st;
Repressive legislation, as has heen ne
ten shown, only serves to excite w
e slaves OF any vice to greater ac- th
Vlty. Just as children forbidden We
me dellcacy are doubly unhannv
It'll they have tasted it, so men
rclply restrained from the indn1-
nee OF an appetite will 90 to anv Dj
ngths OF fraud or crime to orat;fy ssN
emselves. Therefore, although not CT
uch OF a direct nature in the wav of 20
pressing drunkenness is looked for an
xcept oy few extremists), the law lie
an attempt on SO large scale that ms
Is being watched with keenest in an
rest by the people of other nations ~ ~