The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-05-22
NEW YORK LAW FOR DRUNK
ARDS

The State Legislature of New York
has passed a law providing for the
proper legal treatment of inebrlates. 1t
proposes rather radical change in the
relation which habitual drunkards have
held towards the courts heretofore. I'm
til now habitual drunkards have been
treated simply as incorrigible offenders
and a iail sentence has been melted out
TO them whenever they have been hauled
before the magistrates. The new New
York statute provides somewhat diff
ferent treatment.
An interesting feature of the new law
is the definition provided of an inebriate.
Here it is: 'An inebriate shall be a per-
son incapable of properly conducting
himself or his affairs or dangerous to
himself or others by reason of habits OF
periodical frequent or constant drunk
enness induced either by the use of al
coho1 or other liquors, or of opium,
morphine or other narcotic or intoxi-
eating or Supplying substances.
The habituaI drunkard is, according
to this definition, to be regarded as an
individual incapable of properly con-
Quoting his own affairs or dangerous to
himself or others by reason of addiction
to strong drinks or narcotics. He is,
therefore, to be regarded not as a Grim
NAL, to be punished by constant fines or
Jail sentences, but as an unfortunate,
like an insane or sick person. Instead
of being sent to prison he is to be re-
tired to a properly fitted up farm and
there cared for and given an opportun-
ity to get over the effects of alcoholism
or the use of drugs.
While this change in the treatment of
inebriates may be more in keeping with
modern ideas, it is doubtful if it will
have very much effect on the confirmed
drunkards, who fill the police jails and
give the recorders courts constant trou-
ble.-New Orleans Picayune
And why?
Simply because the saloon, being toll
Grated, is not held to account for the de
basement of the man who is a drunkard. !
The drunkard was once a boy How
he acquired the habit of inludging in
intoxicants is immaterial If it were !
not for the saloon, perhaps the boy, who
when man is a drunkard, would have
been temperate, if not an abstainer, and
there would be no need of legislation !
for the proper treatment Of inebriates
In his abasement the inebriate in New
York is fortunate in having some place
of refuge where he may receive come
attention and care. Is such attention
and care provided for the inebriate in
Louisiana?
As rule, the drunkard is encouraged
to drink, if he has money. AS fact,
men having money who are patrons of
the saloon are. also encouraged to drink.
The saloon could not prosper without
patrons. Who are its patrons? It has
been asserted and never denied that a
saloon can not thrive without boys, say
young men, and the percentage is that
one of every FIVE become victim of
drink and is drunkari. And yet, there
are good, well meaning people who as
sert that the saloon is a necessary evil,
indispensable in any community, but it
should be regulated
If an evil it should have no sanction
IN law, nor be licensed to make drunk
ards. Every effort to regulate the
saloon has proven to be a failure If
we would mitigate the evil and decrease
the opportunity for making drunkards,
then the saloon should be placed irrev-
ocably under the ban of law.