The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-02
ABSENTEE THE TERROR
woRMwooD IS EXTENSIVELY CULTIVATED IN WISCONSIN,.
Absinthe Produced from It-A Drink That Maddens and Depraves-Be- coming a Curse in This Coun- try, as It Already is
 in France.
Washington Star.

Washington Star.
 "Absinthe. the green terror of France,'' said botanist of the Agricultural Departs ment, lis now being produced in consider able quantities in this country and is be- ing used to an alarming extent. In some sections of Wiscosin wormwood is being cultivated, and it is from this plant that oil is distilled for making absinthe. It is necessary to give the cultivation of wormwood great care, and a certain age or growth must be reached before it is suited for distilling the oil, an oil which is worth its weight in gold Climatic changes have resulted in making certain sections of Wisconsin favored spots for the growing of wormwood. and now there are several wormwood farms in that State There is a secret, however. in its culti- walton, which is carefully guarded by the pioneers, and the consequence is that a number of growers are successful in rais- ing a plant that will produce the oil. The plan of sowing the seed broadcast has been abandoned. and now the suc- cessful growers plant in drills or rows cultivating as they would corn or to- bacco. It is just before the plant has reached maturity that it is cut down and sent to the distillery, where the oil is taken from the green plant. The oil is extracted by means of heat with the ex- act process of which am not familiar,
 ''The Wisconsin growers of wormwood and distillers of the oil at first shipped nearly all their output to Europe, but now they find a good market for 1t in this country, and at almost fabulous prices. Of course the drug houses of America fur nish a ready home market. The oil Is employed in many ways, but its chief uses are in the making of absinthe and liniments. The penetrating powers of the oil are something wonderful. When ap- piled to the surface 1t works its way right to the bone, and this makes it ex- ceedingly valuable in compromising strong liniments. The by-product of absinths is already an awful curse. A person under the influence of the drug experiences the most pleasant dreams and imaginings, but, like all excesses, 1t kills the gentle emotions, freezes kindness, rouses in man the spirit of the beast, and accom- plishes more vile deeds than are dreamed of. A large drink of absinthe will pro- duce insensibility, convulsions, dilated pupils, sluggish pulse and other seri- ousi effects-the after effect often includ- ing trembling hands, arms and legs, in- tense thirst, tingling and other horrify- ing results, So strong a hold has the use of absinthe gained in France that the Government has made repeated efforts to suppress its sale, an undertaking which, l fear, will never be accomplish ed. Its use in America is increasing every day.
 This rank poison is kept by nearly every saloonist in every city and town A few drops in a glass of whiskey will make the average drinker think and feel that he owns half the earth, and that an- other drink of the same kind will give him the remainder. Just dash of ab- sinthe' Is what fully one-half of the present-day drinkers, and especially among the upper class. will say to the bartender when he orders a drink. Two or three drinks with just a dash of ab- sinthe' will cause the drnker to get in that condition where he owns it all. knows everything, wants to hug every body, and is the biggest fool in seven teen States. When the stun begins to die out he is on the verge of good case of monkeys There is no drinking sched- ule so sure of producing jimjams in short order as Just a dash of absinthe.
 While our Wisconsin manufacturers Of the oil which produces absinthe are getting good quality. France will con- tinue to make the best grade, because the secrets of its manufacture have been known there for ages. This secret has never found its way into the laboratories this side of the Atlantic, and don't think 1t ever will Absnthe is a dangerous. green-eyed fairy. and 1t is to be regret ted that Americans are now able to pro- duce the death-dealing stuff. It's use is growing with wonderful rapidity. Mark
 my words, 1t will not be a great while before national legislation against its manufacture in this country will be asked"