davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
By EDWARD II. WILLIAMS, VI. d.

HORTY years ago the fight to elm
mate liquor by prohibitive legis-
lation assumed the proportions
of a national crusade. Every year
since that time the crusaders have in
creased the extent of their conquered
territory, until to-day rather more than
one-half the people in the United States
live in regions that are legally dry
And yet during these forty years OF
apparently successful conquest the con-
sumption of alcohol has steadily in
creased. The average American to-day
drinks a little more than three times
as much liquor as did the average
American in 1870
Obviously the remedy has proved in
effectual. The failure of remedies is
usually due to faulty diagnosis of con-
ditions. And in the radical temperance
crusade this seems peculiarly true, for
the method of attack by sweeping pro-
hibitory laws indicates that these tenn
perance workers fail to grasp the fact
that they are fighting a disease, not
merely social bad habit"
In the last analysis the real object Of
the temperance crusade is the elimina-
ton of that abnormal member of So
ciety, the drunkard, not fight against
all drinkers. No rational person OBJ
jects to his good neighbor Brown taxi
ing a glass of ale with his dinner; or
Smith having a mug of beer and a
sandwich before going to bed. or Jones
slipping a glass of wine 10 mitigate
mental tension and aid digestion at
some formal gathering, for none of
these men are made offensive or dan
gerous by their indulgence. But the
person that we all object to, and the
che that every right minded person
wishes to eliminate. is our exceptional
fellow townsman, Mr.. Blank, who suf-
fers from chronic overindulgence and
becomes an obnoxious menace.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14

large sum Of money was paid to the
owners of the vessel that carried the
leper back.
Such are a few of the cases near at
hand. One case was brought to public
attention in the press two years ago
1t was the English sloop Success, which
was turned away from many ports n
a leaking condition because some mem
bers of her crew had developed leprosy.
She entered a port in Hayti flying sig
nails Of distress and communicated the
captains wish to land his passengers.
From what the master said the health
authorities learned that there was III
ness aboard, and when the nature OK
the illness was discovered landing was
refused. The Success then proceeded
to Santo Domingo, where the same fate
awaited her. She put to sea for Porto
Rico. and dropped anchor in Humacao
Harbor, and for third time, in spite
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
DRUNKENNESS AS SYMPTOM OF
BRAIN DISEASE.

In recent years the attitude of lay re-
formers toward inebriety and the atti-
tude of physicians have become widely
divergent. Most laymen regard the
dipsomaniac simply as an ordinarily
normal man who enjoys drinking too
much. But students Of mental dis
eases know that inebriety is not merely
a bad habit" but the symptom Of a
diseased brain, just as surely as is any
other manifestation of lunacy. The
dipsomaniac is not simply a normal
man made insane by overindIlgence,
but is an abnormal person whose mem
tai unsoundness expresses itself in al
coholic excuses.
DIR. Thomas w. Salmon, OF the Ma
tional Committee for Mental Hygiene,
expresses this view in the terse SEN
tence: In a world Of drinkers the
drunkard is an abnormal type"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
PROHIBITION LAWS FAIL TO PROHIBIT, EXPERT SAYS

tainted stock the problem of alcohol
will be largely solved. For the present,
at least the only practical method of
accomplishing this is by segregation
in a proper institution. But the estab-
lishment of such institutions seems to
be making promising Roadway in GER
tain cities and states at the present
time. New York City, for example, has
just established an inebriate colony.
And the State of Nebraska has for sew
eral years made special provision for
the care of her dipsomaniacs. In view
of this fact it seems peculiarly signifi-
cant that Nebraska, one of the first
states to recognize officially the true
significance Of dipsomania, has the
most enviablo record OF any state in
the Union in the matter of decline in
insanity.
The cure Of the dipsomaniac, of
course, would be but one step in the
process Of evolution. Another equally
important one would be Of an educa-
tional nature, the gradual elimination
of the alcohol habit by a process Of
substituting milder beverages for the
more harmful ones. Drastic prohibi-
tive legislation has a precisely opposite
effect, but more tolerant methods, based
on a better understanding Of human
nature appear to be succeeding in GER
tain European countries at the present
time
These European methods would not
be practical in this country without
certain modification. on account of the
difference in economic conditions. But
it would be perfectly practical. for ex-
ample, to discourage the sale Of ardent
spirits in this country by increasing the
internal revenue tax on all distilled
| liquors BY supplementing this with a
requirement of a high license for the
privilege Of selling such spirits and
making a lower rate for the sale Of the
milder beverages a tendency to sell and
( consume the milder and cheaper drinks
would naturally follow.
/ These efforts should be supplement
ed. of course, with other educational
. methods aimed to impress upon chill
dren the harmful effects OF alcohol dur
ing adolescence. The immature nervous
/ system is peculiarly susceptible to the
effects Of alcohol and should be pro-
tected by stringent legislation. Once
/ the period Of adolescence is passed,
however the danger Of inebriety is i'm
mensely lessened even In those persons
with tainted heredity.
The advantages OF such an attitude
toward the liquor question are ID that
it is based upon correct understand
ing OF the nature of the problem itself;
/ 90 IL involves no great economic
change Of methods in use at the pres
ent time; and CD II has not Gas yet. at
least) become a political issue. with all
the distorting conditions that such
J affiliations involve.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
GROWTH OF THE MAIL ORDER
BUSINESS.

A recent report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission dealing with
the shipment of liquor in prohibition
territories shows that Kansas ana
North Carolina are not unusually blbu-
lous as prohibition states go. In this
report the commission makes special
comment on the growth Of the mail
order business, which had its beginning
about a quarter of a century ago. AL
that time il was Of small proportions,
very few packages being shipped. and
those only to short distance. 1t was
the spread Of the prohibition movement
that gave vitality 10 this character OF
the traffic in liquor"
The report states further that $685.
eG5 gallons were shipped, largely in
prohibition states in the South, in 1911,
and comments on the fact that two of
the chief shipping points are located In
prohibition territory. Thus, Chatta-
nooga, in the prohibition State Of Ten
nessee, shipped $4,000 gallons during
that year.
Such statistics show that the activity
in liquor traffic is not confined to any
one community; and that the dry
states were full contributors 10 the IN
crease in the liquor consumption of the
country as whole. They make IL
apparent, also. that even in communl-
ties where a majority of voters WISH
prohibitive legislation as a general
proposition, those voters do not wish
that legislation to apply to their own
individual cases. They did not vote 10
deprive themselves or their temperate
neighbors of their accustomed bever-
ages, as the shipping records show
But they hoped to keep liquor away
from those diseased members OF their
communities. the inebriates.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14

Apparently those persons who advo-
cate attempting to prevent inebriety
by prohibitive legislation do not APP
preciate the medical worlds view Of
drunkenness. They assume that men
become drunkards just in proportion
as they have access to liquor But this
assumption is disproved by existing
conditions. Most men do have access
to liquor all their lives, and yet very
few Of them become alcoholics.
THE normal man would not become a
drunkard," said one of the speakers at
the National Conference on Race Bet
terment, at Battle Creek, recently,
though the choicest brands Of liquor
ran free in the fountains at every
street corner. The man with the squint
brain will get liquor If he has to go
through fire and water for it
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
WYE p1PJAH Of THE CENTURIES THE UNHAPPY LIRE
John Early's Bitter
Experience Re-
calls the Fate
of Others.

head seized Kalalau Valley, where they
buiIt their huts and organized their
stronghold. They were well armed, had
nIentv of ammunition and made To-
RAYS from the valley upon the country.
side. Koolau was tall and strong and
made an efficient leader. He had been
a cowboy in early life and was a
wonderful shot in spite Of the fact
that the disease had affected his left
hand. compelling him TO rest the gun
barrel on his wrist when he wished
IN fire A large district Of Kauai fell
under his control before he learned that
the provisional government INTENDED To
arrest him with the other lepers ard
send them all to Molokai. He sent
word to Honolulu by means Of
native messenger that he and his fel-
lows would stand their ground to tbs
last man and never would be arrested.
Sheriff StolZ OF Kauai, was ordered 70
CAPTURE the lepers. He went to the
valley where they held their strong
hold. arranged a parley through inter-
mediaries and succeeded in convincing
the greater part Of them that life
would be far easier at Molokai than
II was in their present surroundings
and that resistance was utterly futile.
Koolau. however, stoutly refused TO
go and when the Sheriff threatened
him succeeded in winning his com
panions back to his cause. When stolz,
TO make his threat good, seized a man
named Paoa, Koolau shot the sherin
through the heart and fed with the
others.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
OF LIE RS N
EUROPE AND AMERICA.

In regard to the manner in which
lenrosy as we now know it. is con-
sidered by those who have often come
in contact with it," writes DR.. l.. Dun
can Buckley, 1T may be mentioned
that in all the clinics of Europe, and in
this country. as far as l know, patients
thus afflicted mingle freely with the
others and are lectured upon ana
handled Just as any other patients, and
never has there been known any in
stance Of harm therefrom. They are
also constantly admitted to the beds
OF hospitals without any thought or
danger. The proof that none OF these
cases proved contagious is found in the
fact that among the many patients
with unquestioned leprosy who are
brought before the New York Derma-
7plogical and other societies there are
very seldom any instances Of leprosy
found which have developed de novo
without having been in countries where
the disease is endemic"
With facts such as these before the
public, the treatment that is meted out
TO known sufferers is striking in the
extreme Not two years ago the citi-
zens of Pittsburgh framed a petition
requesting that zee Toung, an edu-
Gated CEinaman. be put to death. The
petition was signed by prominent citi-
zens and circulated in the city actually
asking the director Of public health
to devise a painless method for the
Chinaman's execution.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
LEGISLATION AS A REMEDY HAS
FAILED.

If any one doubts that prohibitive
legislation has not proved successful,
let him consider the following pertinent
government statistics: The annual per
capita consumption of alcoholic bever-
ages in the United States in 1850 was
4OS gallons. In 1900 the per capita
consumption had risen to 17.6s gallons.
And in 1913, with Scientific temper
anee" being taught in every school,
with a political party actively advo-
eating prohibition, and more than half
the country dry" the per capita con-
sumption of liquor had risen to some
thing over twenty-three gallons.
Obviously, then, the country as a
whole was nearly six times as intern
perate last year as it was in 1850.
Stated in the simplest terms that ap-
pears 10 be the net result Of sixty years
Of effort TO combat alcohol by prohib-
tive legislation.
The statistics just cited refer TO the
country as a whole. What about the
consumption Of liquor in that fifty per
cent Of the country that is legally
dry?
II so happens that the very laws in
tended 20 make prohibition more pro-
hibitive furnish us an indisputable rec
ord of their failure TO do so. For exam
pie. the Mahin liquor law, in Kansas. re-
oujres railroads and express companies
to file reports of all intoxicants shipped
into the state. The files of the County
Clerk Of shawnee County, in which the
city of Topeka is located, show that in
the month OF September, 1913, the ship
ments Of liquor officially reported
amounted to 1861 quarts, of which
9O.Oe2 quarts were received in Topeka.
a city Of $4,000 inhabitants-just ten
quarts for each voter
Tecumseh. another Kansas town, re-
ceived an amount equivalent to forty
eight gallons per capita per annum.
The records Of Asheyille, In the pro-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
DRUGS THE SUBSTITUTE FOR
ALCOHOL.

That there is a definite relationship
between prohibitive liquor legislation
and drug taking is indicated by the Of
fetal records of diseases in various
communities. We find far higher
percentage of cocaine and morphine
takers in prohibition territories than IN
places where liquid stimulants are
more easily obtained. since these mar
cotics are dry substances. relatively
cheap, are easily struggled and distrlb-
uted.
The reports Of the insane hospitals
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
JOHN r. EARLY, THE UNDeSlR'
ABLE CITIZEN.

John II. Early, the famous leper,
whose case has aroused so much COM
ment. recently travelled in a boxcar
from Washington TO New York. He
has been shunted from one town to
another, and has been driven away
from more than one community. His
case at first caused a dispute among
the medical men as TO whether he had
4eprosy or not After IL was agreed
that he was an actual ieper, there
began a battle between the different
states TO shift the responsibility of
caring for him. He was isolated in
tent in Washington and held there
until late in December. A pension or
SD a month was granted TO him by
the government. as the ex-soldier had
presumably taken the disease when
with his regiment in the Philippines.
After his pension was agreed on 1t
was decided by physicians that he did
not have leprosy and the amount was
reduced to $50 a month. In spite
- the latest verdict, however, Early
round IL impossible TO get work in any
part Of the country, and, having wife
And child on his hands. he came near
10 starving.
He changed his name and went to
Tacoma. Wash, taking a little farm
near the suburb Of Summit View.
while he believed that he was free
from the disease. he took the greatest
precautions TO avoid coming In contact
with others. His refusal to shake
hands and 10 mingle with his neighbors
were deemed peculiarities by them and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
BURNING OF VIcTiMs-oRDER Or
ST. LAZARUS.

We are told that Tamerlans, n'
ruthless conqueror, caused lepers 70 &C
burned, but the disease had become !"
prevalent in the fourteenth century
that there would have been dificultylh
carving out that harsh mcasu'e
against all sufferers. Bruce, the Scot
fell before il in 1929 In Europe eVe''
town and every village had It's lasAf
house. The Order OF st. Lazarus anu
other religious orders for the especM
purpose of caring for the lepers ~
been instituted and some OF them Oe'
came very wealthy and powerful
For a long time, however, the lepef
was an utter outcast, with no pro'e.
ton afforded him by the state. war
ter Shaw Sparrow says that some :"
the early powerful rulers deprived thcn
Of their property as we'll as their per
sonal rights-an example when "'.
set in the year 9 . by Richardson's
that the leper also suffered from rens'
| ious prosecutions. Under the Norina''
the disease was held legal impuflV'
and before the laws against wanoeri"s
lepers were put in force the leper We
compelled TO wear the prescribed sa''
of robe and cd and TO warn all eV'',
ers against his approach by means y
bell or clapper.
When a leper was segregated noA,
] 4. On -. 81. En01an6 WflNre
an authority an interesting ceremo.
/ took place, for a burial service Oh
certain sort was held over him ID ~
cordance with the Salisbury rite.
priest entered his house and sprlhN'
him with holy water, urging him.
he did So to trust in God ana
his fate with constancy. After W
the leper headed funeral prooe'
TO the church, where he Deheid p>.
arati,ns for burial. Two trestles We.
placed before him and two black -
He knelt on one and was
with the other while the priest
the mass aloud, after which the sNf
confessed his sins. Then spaae's
earth was thrown at his tee' "a
proof that thenceforth he was 70
the living death and in a stern 's
the priest read to him the ten ~
mandments for lepers. which ie'' "a.
with no comfort and no hopes ~
dition in which he has remained "
present day. ,-~- - 80
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14

hibition State of North Carolina, make
a somewhat less favorable showing. An
investigation made in December, 1915
showed that there were shipped into
Asheville by express, in gallon lots, no
less than 1000 gallons Of distilled
liquor In a period of ten days. This Is
equivalent to twelve quarts month
for each family in the community.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
ENCOUNTER BETWEEN SOLDIERS
AND DOOMED MEN.

The provisional government then sent
soldiers. They were well armed ana
carried mountain howitzer. Inc
lepers were Systematically traiied
through the wilderness, until two Of
them were captured and betrayed the
hiding place Of the others. A numoer
were made prisoners there and the
remainder again fled. AS the captain
NJ the expedition led the way in search
of them, two shots resounded from
thicket at the top of a steep decliWty
and he fell mortally wounded, knock
ing down the soldiers who were fol-
lowing. His men opened fire on the
hillside. but there was no reply. Think
ing that the lepers had again taken
gicht. they tried TO reclimb the hill.
when two more shots from the same
place killed two more Of their NUMBER
The entire body Of troops retreated'
remaining at the foot of the MIL lot
two days. The howitzer was brought
into action and the ledge was
thoroughly shelled. When it was hnai-
" assembled no trace was found OF the
lepers. Koolau had departed and was
never seen again.
The disease from which he suffered
and which became such a scourge N
Hawaii was never known there until
comparatively recently, while in Eu-
rome in the Middle Ages it was 50
prevalent that at one time there were
twenty-five thousand lazar houses ID
existence. Leprosy itself is as old as
the history of the human race al
though other diseases were called iep-
ROSY by the ancients. 1t was iirs'
heard of in 4166 B. c., and is referred
to by the earliest Egyptians. A moo
ern writer tells us that many persons
used to cast their horoscopes to see
they had it. The treatment OF sunsr'
ers in ancient times is too well known
! in Biblical narrative to need repetition
here, but even in the seventh century
the Italian law declared the leper 10 %
legally dead and his relatives absoi'ea
from all responsibilities toward him.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
Victims of This Dis
ease Have Met
Cruelty for
Ages.
TIME recent discovery of leper in

rSHE recent discovery OF a leper in
one OF Washington's best hotels
has revived the most enduring
superstition in the world, and brought
once more into the limelight the near
est approach TO the taboo that is held
in the twentieth century. Black magic
and witchcraft have died their death,
but the 'leprophobia" OF Biblical times
has flourished throughout history. In
spite OF the repeated statements OF
prominent doctors and scientists that
there is nothing to fear from the dis
ease. at least in this climate, the dread
OF it continues TO work harm to many
unfortunates. Smallpox makes a man
a temporary outcast, but leprosy makes
him a ghost.
one Of the most terrifying sights 20
the traveller of the Middle Ages was
the ROBBED and hooded figure Of the
leper. ringing his bell of warning. This
figure was by no means an infrequent
one along the British highway, and was
given as wide a berth by the priests as
bv the soldiery. II was particularly for
bidding because the face was covered.
The actual Disagreement Of the disease
could only be guessed at by the eye
holes in the hood.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14

in this city enjoying the theatres ana
a double-header between the 1anKs
and the Phillies. His alleged purpose
in going to Washington was TO pr!hg
ND before the government the need for
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
THE LEPER's CONDITION PRAcTI-
cALLY UNCHANGED.

The robe has been discarded and the
ieprosarium, or leper colony, in some
wild region OF the coast, has succeeded
the former homes Of st. Lazarus, bur
except in these respects the leper's con-
dition stays practically unchanged
from century to century. He is driven
from pillar to post, wherever he is
found, and is often put to death in the
more savage countries. A man VINO Is
known to have had the affection in the
slightest degree may be clinicaily
cured. but is never allowed TO enjoy his
life or his property. The law does not
forbid him to do so In all cases, Dul
public opinion forbids IT.
Fear Of the leper remains in spite OF
the fact that it has been repeatedly
shown by doctors that leprosy is the
least dangerous of all the infectious
diseases. The superstition has not sur
yived in the medical profession. The
disease is treated secretly in this city,
and it's victims are allowed to mingle
with their fellows. According to the
statement of one Of the first authori-
ties. there are more than forty lepers
at the present time in greater Now
York. going about their work and nv
ing with their families The lepers on
Blackwelrs Island are allowed to at
tend church with the. other patients
and in the course of the last few years
two Of them have been released with
certificates Of cure. Their release was
effected with the utmost secrecy, as y
was known that if the public learned
.,he facts their lives would be made I'M
bearable.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14

of the various states furnish convinc-
ing evidence In New York State, for
example, one patient out of every $50
admitted to tt hospitals is a drug
taker. New York State is not gen
orally regarded as exemplary in the
matter of vices; but as regards the par
ticular vice of drug taking she seems
paragon when compared with the pro-
hibition states. Thus Maine has one
drug taker for every 76 insane pa
TENTS; Kansas one to 80; Georgia, ore
to As; North Carolina, one to 81; Ten
nessee, one to 70; one Of the Mississippi
state hospitals, one to %, and Okla
homa, one to Q. In other words, these
prohibition states, both North and
South, have from four to forty times as
many insane drug takers as New York.
Oklahoma apparently holds the worlds
record, and according TO her own OIL
cial report is growing steadily worse.