The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-02
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE. OF INTEMPERANcE.
Another In the Series OF Remarkable Tenn
perancc Editorials Which the Now
York American is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Anent a Drunken Monkey.


Anent> a Drunken Monkey.
In the State of New Jersey, near the
edge of the North River, an unfortunate
monkey got very drunk.
Some brutal men, superior to him IN
physical development and inferior, in moral
qualities, persuaded the poor brute to
drink whisky. The monkey drank great
deal too much, was absolutely intoxicated,
and his conduct was exactly like that of
man-that is to say, Of the average whisky
It would be pleasant to relate that the
monkey tasted the whisky, felt it burn
and refused to touch any more of it. That
unfortunately is not what happened.
1t would be creditable to the monkeys
wisdom if one could say that while he
made q mistake, and drank too much
whisky once, lie could never be persuaded
The poor monkey, tempted by his hu-
man half brothers, drank the whisky, and
he acted exactly as the average poor, fool
ish, feeble man acts under the same cir.
cumstances. ...'
When they offered him the whisky first
he didn't want to take it. They urged
him, and finally he took just little. It
burned him, made him cough, made his
eyes water. Even a monkey, you would
it alone. But he did not know enough, be
took little more, then some more, and
Gnally all that he could get. 49,
He went through the various stages OF
humiliating incapacity that mark a human
beings transition from sober to drunk. =
He became voluble at first, chartered,
jumped about, showed many signs Of
friendliness..apparently he was much inn
proved monkey. '-
Then he became foolish and unsteady on
his legs. Finally he became brutal, want
| ing to bite, and at last sank into a stupor,
! Just the equal of any dead-drunk man.
Next day this miserable monkey, ini-
tiated into the results of the worst curse
that aflicts his superior brothers, persisted
! in his resemblance to human being. He
was, ,shivering,, nervous, without appetite,
and evidently suffering physical if not mem
tai remorse. ...- 49,
accepted the drink that was given him
with the assurance that many other mon
keys are fooled by, "a little hair of the
log that bit you will set you right"
If that monkey is saved from o drunk
ards grave, only the lack of whisky, not
any wisdom or strength of will of his o~a,
will save him. ,
If you ever want to argue with man
against whisky, the story of the drunken!
produce an impression. You might talk
70 any whisky-drinkiug man as follows: i
If you had seen that monkey, clear eyed,
healthy and vigorous, you would have said
10 his keeper: "Don't let him touch whisky
it will !.14 ruin the monkey"-yet you drink
If you had seen the monkey take the first
glass you would have said to his keeper:1
.Don't let him take any more; the second
glass will ruin him, give him a longing for
alcohol It will ruin your mo9key'-yet
you take the. second glass yourself.
If you had seen the monkey in his de-
ing his equilibrium, becoming first maudlin
aud then vicious, you would have said to
his keeper: "Now look at your monkey
You see how worthless he is; that is what
whisky always does with a monkey'-yet
| that is just what whisky does with you,
and you give it the chance to do it.
| You might also say this to your whisky
linking friends: =. .'
| The monkey most resembles the man
that most resembles him, OF course. The
man that acts with whisky as the monkey
does is like the monkey. -
In the brain of monkev as every child
knows, the strongest instinct is that Of i'm
itation. The monkey will cut his throat
trying to initiate fnan shaving. No won
der that he ruins bis heath initiating
man drinking whisky. 49,.
The monkey, as he took that whisky,
seemed foolish, especially after the first
taste, and If you had ever drunk whisky
yourself you would be Justified in pising
the monkey.
Think how many excuses he has that
you who drink whisky have not.
You know that whisky has ruined mill
ions of men and is still running millions.
The monkey knows nothing about that.
You know that nine-tenths Of the muir
ders are based on whisky. The monkey
knew nothing about that.
You know that whisky means failure,
poverty and abuse for children, abuse, pow
erty and sorrow for mothers. All of these
things the monkey does not know. You
are more foolish than he when you take
the whisky.-Editorial in the New York
American.