The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-12-13
THE WHISKY PIMP.

The meanest man in the community
is the man who furnishes whisky to
one who, on account of his known ha-
bitual drunkenness, cannot obtain
liquor for himself. There are extern
uating circumstances about many
crimes. Some are committed at mo-
ments of passion and great excite
ment, some are the result of over
Whelming temptation, but the miser-
able, low-lived sneak who buys whis-
ky for or gives whisky to the con-
firmed drunkard has no such excuse
to offer.
The man who has been prescribed
at the bar is seldom in such affluent
circumstances that he can offer
tempting bride. The cur who helps
his friend" on the path to utter de-
struction probably does it for miser-
able trifle, but for this trifie he is
willing to cater to an appetite which
has already proven itself uncontrol-
able and which has already caused
the victim and his family untold grief
and poverty and shame.
We have great deal of pity for the
victim OF the alcohol habit. We real
ize that man is the creature of habit
and that sometimes these habits get
beyond the control of will. We feel
also that such man is to an extent
the victim of society. Every sane man
knows that whisky, brandy, gin and
other liquors containing high per
cent of alcohol are dangerous, poison
Gus and 'habit producing" drugs.
There is no more justification for the
indiscriminate sale of whiskey than
there is for the indiscriminate sale of
opium. So long as society permits
such sales it must share in the respon-
sibility for the wreckage, the wrecked
manhood, the wrecked homes, the
broken hearts, the shame-faced chill
dren, the unhonored drunkard's
graves. Society cannot get away from
this responsibility so long as it per-
mits these dangerous drugs to be sold
to irresponsible people and to be
tossed off as beverages across the pub
lie bar.
No man can safely drink whisky
except as directed by physician. Ev-
cry one knows this, but society permits
it, only stepping in when some man
has been overcome by the effects of
the terrible habit Society does then
try to protect hin. and it is at this time
that the whisky pimp comes to the
fore.
1t is said that there are number OF
such procurers in Denison. There must
he, for we know that men who cannot
obtain liquor at any bar are able to
buy it freely through some agency.
We believe the saloon men of DenisOn
are trying to live up to the law. We
do not believe they make illegal sales
direct, or with the certain knowledge
that sale will 60 to the prescribed
ones. We believe they are, and they
should be, as anxious as anyone, to rid
the community of these miserable par
asites. Every time an habitual drunk
ard obtains liquor in this way, one
more nail is driven in the coffin of the
saloon, whether they are guilty or not.
Unfortunately, as rule, the unfor-
tunate victim of the habit has a per-
verified sense of honor" He may
wreck his home and place the lives of
his loved ones in jeopardy, but he will
not tell the name of the skunk who
furnished him the poison.
The Review does not know whom
it is hitting when it refers to the
who furnish whisky to ha-
bitual drunkards, perhaps some guilty
man will re;d these lines. We hope
so. We horc he will see himself as
others see Lin See himself as the
lowest, NEAR est, most degenerate cur
in the comm unity. We do not believe
in mob law, but if there would at any
time be excuse for 'tarring party"
it would be if the identity of some of
these whisky rimps could be surely