The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-09-01
SLAVES OF DRUGS.

Fearful Prevalence of the Habit In
Prohibition districts.
Not Being AbIo to Get Other Stimu-
lants Coooaine, Morphine ana
Other Drugs Are Used.
The Washington correspondent of
the Columbia Record says Albert Lie
ber, one of the most prominent citi-
zens OF indianapolis, has been in Wash.
ington on his way to New York to |
meet his father, Peter Liehsr, United |
States consul at Dusseldorf, Germany.
Consul Lieber and his wife are re- /
surning to the United States after O. |
long residence abroad, and will spend |
some time In this country visiting rel
atives and friends.
Il was appalled, at some facts given
me In the Arlington hotel by South.
ern man stopping there" said Mr..
Lieber to The Record correspondent,
and the statements are such that
they should receive the earnest atten-
tton Of the best thinking people of
the United States The gentleman
said thab he had been informed that
physicians In many portions Of the
South, especially where prohibition is
In force, had found that the cocaine
habit was making slaves of the negro
| race. They were prevented from sat
isfying their appetites with beverages
OF some kind that would stimulate
and they had turned to cocaine, which
was being consumed in immense quan.
titles, generally being put in cider or
some other drink. Physicians had
told the gentleman who had informed
me that the long continuance of the
habit would prove more destructive to
the negro race than anything on the
race OF the earth, inasmuch as it not
only wrecked them physically, max
them despise work, but would kill
them of quickly. In the Washington
P0st OF July 31st was an interview
with Mr.. E, j. Bowen, of Little Rock,
ARK, who gave utterance to precisely
similar views. He said that where CO.
caine could not be obtained lemon ex
tract was being used In prohibition
communities. He said he knew a man
who used to drink 1T necessarily until
1t killed him. There is often a brisk
trade In perfumes, red ink ard nearly
anything that could be used az a sub.
stltute for stimulating drinks.
| know OF my own accord" went
on Mr.. Lieber, that in many prohibi.
tion counties In the country men and
women have begun the use Of opium
and drugs that will satisfy the craving
for stimulants Of some kind 1t seems
to me that this IS a fearful argument
against some Of the existing forms OF
prohibition. Now, L believe In tenn
perance myself, but 1 do not know
anything more foolish than to deprive
people of stimulating beverages OF
some kind. Personally. I would not
object to rigid prohibition against
Whiskey In any comm unity, but l be.
lievo all sensible people will admit
that beer and the lighter drinks
should not be shut out of any commu.
nifty. Lot us take the very communi-
ties where good authority says the
people OF race are largely turning
to cocaine and other drugs, and the
probability Is the same state Of affairs
exist all over the South and in other
PORTIONS OF the country. Suppose the
prohibition laws should admit beer
and the drinks that do not produce
| drunkenness unless used to the gross.
est excess? These negroes would not
desire the awful drugs that they now
use. The small percentage of alcohol
In beer would satisfy their appetites,
and they would be happy. Human
nature demands something that
stimulates, and the least harmful OF
ell drinks is beer.
IF the prohibitionists would deal
with human nature as 1T Is and recog-
nize the demand for something stimu-
lating they would insist upon the ex-
clusion OF the ardent spirits and ad.
NIT beers, wines, etc. Prohibition
now results IN the surreptitious sale
OF whiskey where possible and the
shutting out OF wines, beers, ect., be.
cause they can only be handled in
bulk. The effect is disastrous. Men
and women, especially the ignorant
ones, turn to opium, cocaine, nicotine,
ginger ale, with twice as much alcho-
hol as beer; patent medicines, con-
tanning 40 to SO per cent. of alcohol,
and some Of the soda fountain drinks
that are bad as opium"
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