The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-14
Horror Of Drunkenness.

We all admit that Drunkenness is bad in
deed. Everybody knows that 1t is dangerous
to tamper with liquor in any way. But we
all do not know why our preachers do not
preach temperance, Righteousness and judg.
ment. Some of us do not know why our
spiritual advisers n our moral guardians
neglect their legitimate and proper field OF
labor to 60 Into politics.
While the sin Of drunkenn ess is great, 1t is
no doubt true that the ofense to morals and
good health is greatly magnif1ed. We have
asked TO be advised as TO how many drunk
ards there are In Abbsville county. or course
no one can tell exactly, but the number has
been estimated at not more than twenty
five.
We have also sought to learn how many
cases of tuberculosis there Is In the same ter.
rItory. The cases OF tuberculosis 1t Is
thought go far up into the hundreds.
Well, now, this editor does not know ex.
actly the difference between tuberculo sis and
consumption. But We believe to the layman
they are very nearly one and the same thing.
II, therefore. there are many times more con-
sumptives than there are ~drunkards, isn't
tuberculosis or consumption worse than
drunkenness? II so. what are cur good and
pious brethren doing TO relieve US OF the great
white plague7
A %drunkard, nine times out OF ten, when he
does not fall of of a wagon, or II he does not
lie down on the ground and take pneumonia,
Is liable to die OF old age. .
But a consumptive makes all his tracks
directly toward. the. grave, and usually, in
about a year the clay that wraps his body is
covered with flowers and watered with tears.
In the last forty years we have had In Alb.
beville very few deaths from d~ypsomania. A
few drunken row with shooting Incidents
have been the death OF some. Other drinking
men In consequence OF exposure have died
indirectly from drunkenness. But the num-
Der OF consumptives who have died and have
been forgotten can not now be numbered.
The Legislature, not 80 long ago, was asked
to appropriate $500 to help physicians wipe
out tn berculosis. That body Of lawmakers
gave the physicians $500, and We are told
that the Legislature appropriated $1,000 TO
kill ont COW ticks.
1t is true thai the drinking Of into1lcants lie
Q sore affection TO the body polite, but con-
sumption is a thousand times worse and a
many times more expensive.
The money which is paid for liquor that
d%runkards drink would not pay q moiety OF
the cost of the ,ckness and the funeral ex-
pense Of consu mptiyes. The money 30
spent, 1t Is fair TO presume, would not pay for
grave stones for consumptives.
AS q rule, drunkards at the beginning Of
their career Of inebriety are the best n big
gest hearted Of the brothers in the family.
They usually live to worry and annoy their
kindred until a majority Of them are dead.
Not 30 with the coneumptive. Consumption
is no respector OF persaps. 1t is remorseless
and cruel, often demanding the life OF Its
Victim in agar. And yet comparatively
few OF our holy and better than thou brethren
have turned a hand or said a word 10 warn
our people eagaingt the great white plague
which Is credited with carrying off one out
OF every ten Of the, human family. Con-
die early. and, the busy world soon
forgets them, but the'drunkard, barring accl-
dents, generally lives to attend the funeral OF
a majority OF their neiEhbors. Consumption
attends strictly 10 business. Drunkards gen.
orally live on forever. ::