The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-06-23
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
THE EVIL or MODERATE DRINK
ING.


The educational world today is
stretching it's arm into the most re-
mote hamlet of this country, and
there is no excuse for the presence OF
ignorance An important element OF
that education are the positive con-
illusions of science on the question of
alcohol Pure food laws have pene-
trated into the village shop and the
market stalls which supply the rich
mans table and the wants of poverty.
And everywhere goes the warning
voice of the dangers of alcohol and
the evils that Turk under its fanciful
appearances and deceptive moment
airy effects. Ignorance of this evil
must pass as inexcusable, but ignor-
ance does not, nor will it, excuse from
| the effects. Pretexts will not save
from the consequences.
Alcohol Is a Poison.
Alcohol is a poison. That is the
| last word of science on it. 1t is
| poison, under whatever form it may
| be taken, whether it be the sparkling
Burgundy, the vintage of Champagne,
the radiant claret, the gin of sailors
| delight, the heavy French brandy, the
fiery rum, the New England hard
cider, the English half and half, the
foaming beer, the American high ball;
all contain alcohol and in such pro-
portion contain poison. And these
drinks are consumed, not for the
flavor, the peculiar bouquet, although
that may direct the taste of the fas-
| tidiOus; they are consumed for the
alcohol that is in them. That is the
main object, the only object, to put
into the system so much alcohol and
experience it's momentary effects.
How Society Consumes This Poison.
The process of this poison-drinking
may vary. The upper crust of So
ciety may consume it slowly, and con-
| ceal it under the cloak of respect
ability It's studded gents and I'M
| dressed females may have it served
meath the glare of the brilliant
| palace, to the tune of the latest vul-
| gar creations of the modern stage,
whilst feasting sensuous eyes on the
excuses which wealth and paganism
have produced in the modern cabaret.
And they-the dupes in this drama
sip the drops of poison which are hid
den under the flavor of their Wines
And mind you, they pretend that this
is always in moderation All are
moderate drinkers. They could not
in their own opinion, stoop to i'm
moderate drinking. That belongs
only to the vulgar, lower class of So
ciety. Yet the loosened tongue, the
| f1re-lit eye, the questionable converse
ton, the sensuous whirl in the dance
hall, the reserve and refinement of
sobriety which are for the time
| silenced, bespeak the presence of
stranger, the spirit of alcohol, which
has paralyzed the higher moral sense
of these followers. They are for the
| time not moderate drinkers, otherwise
these exterior effects would not be in
evidence. Eugene Lyman Fiske says
in the Atlantic Monthly: I'm a strict
| ly scientific sense, no drinking is
moderate that causes any injury to
| the body, however slight, or that in
any way impairs the efficiency of the
mind or body If alcohol in the
smallest doses usually taken pro-
| duces injurious effects, and in any
way lessons the efficiency of the body,
| then there is no such thing as mod
crate drinking"
The Method of the Vicious.
| Again, alcohol may be consumed in
the slum saloon, with it's dregs of So
ciety, it's outcasts, thieves and thugs,
who concoct their schemes against
law and order under the inspiration
and courage which alcohol gives
them, but without imbibing sufficient
to steal away the senses or to deaden
the power of action and thought
enough only to silence the superior,
| higher moral faculties and nerve
| centres, which stand for right living
and law-abiding citizenship. But here
again is the point. They drink for
| the sake of the alcohol. 1t is the al
cohol they crave-and yet they pose
| as moderate uFluk0FS, even IHOuSH
| that poison has paralyzed the higher,
moral part of them. That is not
moderation
The Pretexts of Many.
| Or again, it may be the man of
business, the professional man, the
artisan, who seeks a stimulant, a
nerve-composer, a form of refresh
ment, social glass with boon COM
panions. Or mother who needs the
support and strength which she
| thinks liquor will give to her to
| nourish the nursing babe, or meet the
obligations which household duties
| impose upon her. Or the young
| woman whose conduct must conform
with the prevailing customs of the set
with which she associates, who must
pretend at least to be familiar with
the popular high ball, gin sfiz, or Rose
cocktail. But one and all-every
class of society that drinks intoxicat-
| ing liquor, no matter what the pre-
teXt-drinks for the sake of the alco-
| hol. They wish and even crave the
oIcohnI and ito mOmQntarv effects