The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-07-12

Years ago Victor Hugo in one Of his
greatest works thrilled the civilized
world with q vivid. intense description
Of the fight Of q sailor with hitherto
little known marine monster, the octo-
pus or devil fish. These monsters have
great, bag-like bodies Of soft, ffabby
material, from which extend enormous
ly long arms furnished with suckers.
They have large, fearsome, staring eyes
to penetrate the dark depths Of the
waters. and their rope-Iike tentacles
wind around their victims, which are
held fast by the suckers until they are
devoured by the monster. Many of
which clouds the water and helps to
prevent the escape of their victims.
The fight described by Victor Hugo
had @ thrill and a terror not to be
found In any other species Of combat.
With tiger, lion or other wild ami
NAL battle Is sharp, intense, natural,
but far less te.sihle than one with q
cold. clammy, Shiny, remorseless fiend
that does not strike or bite, but simply
envelops his victim in his noisome folds
and crushes and sucks the life out OF
him. or such nature Is the fight to-
day for the morals and health OF the
country against the terrible beer octo-
PuS, "HHCh ID uuucTHllHIuB the man.
hood OF Germany, destroying it's phys
fcal fiber and it's moral character, and
unless checked will, In the opinion OF
the best thinking Germans. utterly de-
stroy the country. A battle with whis-
ky is like fight with a lion or a tiger.
There is something thrilling, exciting.
inspiring about 1t, even though it ends
battle with the remorseless, unshak.
able. oEerpowering, Shiny monster beer
1t paraIyzes. saps sucks and overpuw-
ers It's hapless prey.
Where whisky burns out a man IN a
year or two beer simply rots him in
every fiber and tissue through a long
period of physical and mental deterior-
alton.
Where whisky may for time stimu-
late man from some weakness or in
spire him to some unusual exertior
beer beclouds, deadens, dulls and de
Gays him.
Where whisky may possibly preserve
bodily tissue beer putrefies 1t.
For the truth Of this one need onlv
look around among his acquaintance
and see men who have survived whisky
drinking possibly for so years where
he cannot find one who has Outlived
continuous and heavy beer drinking a
decade. The whole medical fraternity
in Great Britain. France. the United
States and even Germany testify that
far the most dangerous patient that
can come under their care Is one who
has been in the habit OF drinking con-
siderable quantities OF beer. Every one
OF them will bear willing testimony
that even under mild attacks OF such
customary diseases as pneumonia and
fever their patients at the moment
when any other man would begin to
recover slip through their hands with
the suddenness aud completeness Of
blowing out a candle. Largc-limbed.
full-bodfed. apparently robust men who
have been drinking beer will sink un
der q light attack OF disease that a
child should have easily survived.
Eject Upon Animals.
The debilitating effect upon the low
er animals is quite as marked. few
years ago q yellow illustrated paper
made quite q sensation by giving actual
photographs OF cows and hogs which
were fed upon brewery Stops. The
cows lost their tails and horns, most
OF their hair and suffered other dis
eases and the hogs were similarly af-
fected. The object OF the paper was
to awaken attention to the dangerous
character OF the milk furnished by
these slop-fed animals. but investiga-
tions pushed farther showed that the
flesh OF animals so fed was SO diseased
and putrefied as to be absolutely dan
gerous as human food. These pic
lures and exposures made a profound
sensation at the time. and there was
some corrective legislation. but like
other sensations In this country It was
soon effaced by another and forgotten.