Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-03-02
ENGLAND ALARMED.
a DETERMINED EFFORT BEING MADE
TO CHECK DRUNKENNESS.

POor-High InfantiIe Death Rate.
Able sociologists make the prediction
that unless the drink curse Of England
is wiped out the next generation will
be a race of criminals such as no civil.
lized country has ever seen.
These persons interested in the body
polite give facts and figures to back
up this rather startling statement. For
some time the best class Of public men
have been alarmed at the increasing
evil of drink, and organized bodies
have undertaken to begin an effort TO
msnify the curse
Parliament acted on the suggestion
OF these bodies and the London county
council also has passed more stringent
laws governing the sale of liquor. The
black list law has been in operation for
several months, and already good re-
suits are noted. Temperance societies
have been springing up all over the
land. and the newspapers are conduct
ing regular campaign against the
evils of drinking, especially among the
women, who are In a more debased con-
dition than for several centuries.
The king has given his official ap-
proyal of the efforts being made In the
cause OF temperance. His approval has
been followed by a better mode of nv-
ing in his own household and in the
homes of the nobility.
From these few statements 1t can be
understood that the drink evil has
thoroughly alarmed the better classes
of Great Britain. The Established
Church has not yet assumed the place
expected of 1t, but there are many rec
tors and bishops who have taken up
the work individually. The other
church organizations have always
fought the liquor business and have
redoubled their energy lately.
While total abstinence is not popu-
lar idea in England and probably will
not be for many generations, societies
advocating moderation are attracting
adherents from all classes and from all
sections.
The debate at the recent congress of
the British Medical association, In
which il was stated that drink was re-
sponsible for more than half Of the
criminals, insane and lunatics and near
ly one-thlrd of the deaths In England,
has startled England more than any
other argument against the drink evil.
1t is freely stated and admitted that
there were more drunkards in the king
dom than in any other country on the
globe, and ii was resolved that meas
ures must be taken to put down this
menace to the nation.
The statistics for the last census are
q prolific source of argument for the
temperance advocates. for they show
an appalling condition of affairs. Eng
land leads in the drink evil, followed
by Scotland. The army officers have
reported that the quality of men en-
listing has deterorated to such an ex
tent that recruiting has become prob
lematical business. Drunkenness In
the army and navy also has increased,
and efficiency has decreased in like
ratio.
The greatest hue and cry has been
raised over the drinking of women.
The papers have not said much about
the upper classes, but it is fact stated
by persons of probity who have in
vestigated that the smart women are
becoming demoralized by the habit.
The country parties of the nobility in
some cases are little better than drunk
en- orgies, at which the persons present
take part in all sorts of lewd behavior
These parties are becoming secret
scandal, and countless suits for divorce
are the outcome.
In London there are several clubs for
women where the chief attraction is
the bar and where Il woman may get
drunk without outside publicity Many
stores and shops are catering to those
women who have liking for liquor,
and those on the inside say that fully
twO-thirds of the society women drink,
and great majority of them get
drunk.
The advocates of temperance declare
that there is only one class of women
who are not drinkers, the well to do |
middle class. The poor are worse
than the rich in this respect, and the |
London county council has spent many |
weeks debating deterrent measures
Medical officers are unanimous in the |
opinion that the drinking habits of |
result in the birth of feeble chill
lren. In the north country towns the
death rate is terrible. DR.
Greenwood of Blackburn recently i'll
formed the town council that 22G out of
900 babies born in the borough do not
i've TO be year old.
More than half the deaths In Darlas-
on are those Of children who have not
reached the age of five. In Leicester
,ut of an average of sixty deaths each
week twenty are those of children. In
ITS out of every 1000 chill
iren born die before they are a year
I'D.
The offsprings Of drink are insanity.
epilepsy and feeble minded
less. In London there are 1000 epilep-
les and about 100000 paupers, and all
'ver the country there are 100000 Ger
ified lunatics
Another aspect of the question was
mentioned by Coroner Wynn Westcott.
Il London alone 600 babies are killed
very year by their mothers lying OH
Op Of them while in an inebrIate con
litiOn
"REFINED ALCOHOLISM"
Ian Who Was Never Drunk Dies OF
Delirium 1remens.