The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-10
MR.. EDWARDS DISCUSSES
TIE LIQUOR PROBLEM

a mistaken idea that guilt or crime is
always constituted by legal enactment
That which is really criminal is crimi-
nal regardless of whether the law rec
ognizes it's criminality. Boodling,
gambling, slavery, etc, have ever been
as criminal as now. But they have not
always been so regarded by law.
Therefore, if We want a sure test in
not depend on legal statutes. We must
! apply our principles: profit without
service If on this basis the business
cannot defend itself it is no longer a
legal enactments can make it anything
else. All they can do is to prevent it
being punished as it deserves.
1 now wish to apply the test to the
liquor traffic. That it is prosecuted for
the sake of profit no one will deny, not
even the liquor men themselves. Then,
the only thing which can save it from
being criminal is that it shall render
a service. Does it do that9 Let us not
ask whether for the profit received
there is a due compensation returned.
But suffice it to inquire if for the profit
there is offered any real service2
THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DRINKS.
First, with respect to the individual
who drinks the intoxicant. Does it
benefit him'
How about his body? Can he with
stand more cold? Can he endure more
heat2 Can he do more work7 Can he
more successfully fight off disease?
What say you2 What say those who
speak with the authority of medical
knowledge, and who are favorably sit
uated for making a close study of re-
suits? Arctic, expeditions used to in
clude liquor in their equipment but
they do SO no longer. They have
learned by experience that this sup
posed fortifier against cold impairs
their power to withstand cold. In our
cities where through the summer season
people are continually being overcome
with heat, we are reliably informed
that almost universally those who sue
cumb are from the ranks of the drink |
ers. Very seldom is there victim |
from the ranks of the total abstainers. |
AS to labor the testimony of Acting |
Governor Atkinson regarding the dock |
laborers of Honolulu, the testimonies of |
colleges and universities from whence |
come the leading football teams of the
country, and the testimony from many
other sources corroborate the assertion
that the body is weakened by drink SO
that il cannot perform as arduous labor
or prolong it as successfully as if it
had been kept free from drink. Train
ers of the leading football teams en-
force total abstinence during the foot
bah season Did you notice in re-
cent issue of the Advertiser how Ger
man writers in accounting for the fail
ure of German athletes to carry off sig
nal honors in the Olympian games at
Athens attribute it to the use of beer
which they say is sapping the ma
tional vigor, weakening muscle, caus-
ing superhucus fat and devitalizing the
Eeart?'' Then we are told that beer is
healthful. Fie, o fe! What an insult
to the intelligence of the community!
The medical fraternity is back of the
position that drink lessons the body's
power to resist disease. 1t destroys It's
sue and over-excites the nervous sys-
tenn. 1t is a cause of paralysis, dropsy,
etc. Therefore, it engen-
lers disease. 1t complexities and ag-
gravates typhoid, erysipelas, pneumo-
MIA, sunstroke, etc. Therefore, it de-
ters if it does not defeat medical skill.
How well we all remember the verdict
IF the physicians who gathered about
The bedside Of the late VIM. McKin-
ey. They said the chances for his re-
,overy were very much increased by the
'act that he was total abstainer. |
Life insurance companies have found
mat even the moderate drirker (who
because he can t see the evil effects at
)nce concludes there are money very
lessons his chances of living
srsvzzessux,sus-sszss,.sy