Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1853-06-21
The Rum Bill.

The following is from the Journal Of The
American Temperance Union:
AT late county temperance meeting
which we attended. farmer rose and said
tina, he was one day going to work, and an
ofticious sort of man overhauled him, ex.
claiming
'Mr. --, Mr.. -, have bill
against you'll
'Agains, me- was the reply, Il guess you
are mistaken this time; | owe you nothing
'Oh, it is no. my bil,' said the man, i am
only the collector. Ii is TAX BILL
'Ah rum bill.'
Yes said the collector, 'if you've mind
TO understand i. so; and about half call up.
on are Of thissopinion; they mutter terribly
about The rum mixes; the number Of lazy
1|1| 1's 81 ika poor ,th
Fcriminals takenup every day, making an
enormous cost TO the county, and | believe
if it was not for rum shops, the taxes would
not be one quarter as heavy as they are
you have given it about the right name-a
rum bill--only should not like to have the
name uI rum-bill collector
On saying this he sat down; but i. proved
a most effective speech, for others took up
the thought, and the rum bill, assessed upon
temperance men, was not lost sight of TO The
close Of the meeting. Indeed, the idea that
temperance man should be met with de-
mand which could only appropriately be
mado Of drunkard 'Sir, have rum bill
against you,' and be compelled 10 submit 10
it, and pay it, while it was, al first quite lu.
dicrous, soon excited burning Indignation
words were wanting TO express the strength
Of demand, and that Immediately for o
Maine Law.
Would that we could traverse the State
and show 10 every hard working man the
amount of his rum bill-that we could s
down by the shoemaker, working day und
night TO pay his rent, and support his little
family, and ask him how much was his run
bill.
Rum bill never drink rum,
Very well, sir, but you pay rum bill
What was your taxes last year?'
Sixteen dollars and twenty-five cents
Very well, sir, ten dollars and eighly.lou
cents OF that was your rum BILL
! By the blacksmith. Sir, you swing tht
ham rmer at the anvil by day and by night
in summer and winter Hard way TO get
living! pray sir, how much is your rum bill!
Rum bill don't insult me; never drcl
comes into my shop
That may be, sir. but you pay heav.
rum bill; and it won't be any less when ihes
drunden fellows, who | see hang aroun
your furnace. get, with their families, int
the poor house,
By the bard-working, thrifty farmer
l'Sir,,yen'Re. a very fine farm, will you NO
SET apart lot for the missionary or Bib
cause?'
u would if l could, but it requires all
can raise TO support my family
Sir, you are now devoting the produce G
your best lot TO worse purpose
Il am, sir? what do you mean 2
81 mean 10 pay your rum BILL
'Sir, you are mistaken in your man. Rur
used TO cost me twenty and thirty dollars i
haying and harvesting, but have not paid
rum bill these six years
'Have not what were your taxes la
yeur?'
Over forty dollars
well, two.thirds Of that was rum bill
The pauper.,ax of the State Of New Yor
In 1849, according to the Legislative Report
was $670,173, was set down to temperant
and you had to pay your share of it. No
go for Maine Law, and you may. hay
nearly the whole ofthe produce Of your arl
for yourself and children