Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-03-22
wALHALLA, 8. G.
wEDNEsDAy. mARCm %. 1908 !.
One Way to Cure Drunkenness.
News and Courier.l

te.s "A cpCOiuA NiopoeSh w eho IuooOu
Telegraph from Hawkinsville, Geor-
gia, informs the reading public OF
the sudden, and presumably of the
violent, death of James Graham. We
are told that Mr.. Graham was a
"highly respected white farmer" 1t
is also said that, "while he stood well''
in his community, "his family had
left home for safety" owing to the
fact that he had been drinking. While
we deplore the untimely taking off
of Mr.. Graham, it seems 70 as that
tho statements we have quoted, con-
ce'aing him and his virtues and vices,
furnish legitimate occasion for con-
sideration and comment.
1t is an interesting and significant
circumstance that Mr.. Graham s'stood
T well" among bis neighbors. despite
the fact that it was not safe for his
family to remain in the same house
with him. is unfortunately true,
too, that his case is not an isolated
one. One not infrequently hears Of
"estimable" men, and even "gentle-
men," who are dangerous when in
their cups. 1t is not strange, Of
course, that drunkards should be ac-
counted menace, not only to society,
but to those who have the most ur-
gent claims upon their protection and
love, but it does seem to us wholly
anomalous circumstance that, in
spite of this fact, many of them
should continue to stand we'll in
their several communities and that
they should be highly respected.
1t is, in our estimation, q hope-in.
spring sign of the times that public
opinion is beginning to hold in
greater apprehension than it formerly
did drunkenness and the drunkard.
Progress in Shis direction is, however,
being made but slowly. The case OF
Mr.. Graham is one in point. A man
may still habitually or periodically
drink to excess without losing cast as
completely as he would do were he
guilty of less Objectionable, dan
gerous and gratuitous crime. The
law provides the public with sou.
small protection against him, but il
he is still "highly respected" in the
community no legal cognizance is
taken of his offence. Ordinarily the
police tell him to "move on" and
keep quiet. If he is in very bad
yway an officer may escort him to his
home or call cab, put him in it and
send him there. The circumstances
have to be peculiarly aggravating be.
fore he is taken to the guard house
and locked up.
Yet the latter action is the one
which should be taken in all cases
Why send home a man whose pres
ence in the street is threat to him
self and to society. Mr.. Graham's
family had left his house, because it
r~Yas not safe to remain there. 1t is
- .s&ot safe for anybody to remain under
the same roof with man who is
drunk and not under restraint. The
numberless crimes committed by
drunkards is sufficient proof of this
assertion.
Drunkenness is itself a crime, and
the men who are guilty of it should
be treated publicly and privately as
criminals. If our temperance socie.
ties would exercise themselves in OBJ.
tanning legislation against the abuse
rather than against the use of liquor,
they would accomplish better results
Under existing law drunkennessis
we believe, misdemeanor, but it il
something more than that. The man
who is guilty of it should be promptly
and severely punished. 1t should be
impossible for any man to get drunk
and still continue to be "highly re.
spected." The person who gets
drunk is not only guilty of repulsive
and contemplate conduct, but he
deliberately makes of himself al