The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-21
Some of the Evils
Of the Liquor Traffic
Editor Islander:

EQlCOr Islander.
In view of the fact that we are
soon to vote on the question of Ii
cense or no license of the liquor
traffic it behoves us to inquire into
the results of the business and SO be
able to decide intelligently which
way it is best to vote.
Miss McMechen, secretary of the
Charity Organization Societies, in
Seattle, states that during the five
months preceding July 1910, that
organization handled total Of GIG
cases, of which 1O2, or nearly six
teen per cent, were addicted to the
personal use of spirituous liquors.
OF. 459 children, no two Of the same
family, brought before Judge Fra
ter in the Juvenile Court at Seattle,
over sixteen per cent were orphaned;
OF eighteen per cent one or both
parents had the drink or drug habit;
and 26a per cent had divorced par
ents. Among 947 divorce cases filed
in the Superior courts of King
county in the year 1909, drink was
the cause recorded for 66 per cent.
Governor Hay obtained the fol-
lowing statistics concerning the
State Reform School at Chehalis,
reported for Decembre, 1909:
Among 180 boys and 81 girls in
detention there are SO whose par
ents are divorced; 1O7 whose fathers
drink to excess; 25 whose mothers
drink to excess; 25 who do not re-
member their father; II who do
not remember their mother; and 6
who do not remember either par
ent." So. not child had brought
to the Reform School the memory
Of a happy home. The Reform
School cost the people of Washing
ton nearly $500, 900 this year.
Rev. e. J. Covington. superinten-
dent of the Washington Childrens'
Home Society, said in July, 1910;
From a very careful estimate Of
the 1877 wards Of this society, IS
per cent have come to US directly or
indirectly as the result of drink.
This is conservative estimate, as
we have received a number of child
rem of whose antecedents we could
learn nothing.
The superintendent of the Seattle
Parental School, Mr.. w. S. Rand,
stated that out Of the eighty fami-
lies represented, five boys had both
parents and forty-fve boys had one
parent who drank. Surely the drink
habit creates tremendous burden
Of pauperism to be carried by the
abstinent and thrifty.
In portion of Dakota, as large
as the state Of Delaware, opened to
settlement twelve years ago, the
sale Of liquors has been actually pre-
vented and no child from that area
has ever been dependent on the pub
lie for support.
In twelve state prisons, each in a
different state, Of 1884 white pris-
oners. more than half gave intem-
perance as the cause or one OF the
causes which led to the crimes for
which they were imprisoned.
In October 1909, there were in
the penitentiary at Walla Walla,
1155 men and women. The super
intendent reported to Governor Hay
that 219, or 183per cent, were tenn
p.rate as to liquor, while 943, or
81a per cent, had used liquor to ex-
cess. He said that of the men who
had been returned for violating the
parole law, all gave as the cause.
their inability to refrain from drink.
The state penitentiary at Waila
Walla cost the people of Washing
ton nearly s70O. 900 in 1909.
Nine states Alabama, Georgia,
Kansas. Maine, Mississippi, North
Dakota, North Carolina, Oklahoma
and Tennessee prohibit the sale OF
alcoholic liquors. these States To-
gether have a population OF fifteen
millions. They report decrease IN
pauperism, insanity and crime;
greater financial prosperity; whole
some political effects; better condl-
tions ii living; increased population,
and strong public sentiment n 1avor
of prohibition.
What does the drink habit do?
Every-glass taken diminishes the
drinkers power to. resist excess. he
who does not take the first glass
will never become drunkard. The
drink habit adds to every trouble;
makes sickness and old age harder
lto meet: thwarts every effort after
rood: debases the family life; de-
stroys the home and leaves curse
mon offspring even to the fourth
ceneration. s,1 Millions Of persons have
6ecome brutal, poverty stricken. IN
ssne 81 criminal through drinking
alcoholic beverages, but 70 one ever
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