Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-09-05
rhaRnm Bill.

The following is from the Journal of the Amer
can Temperance Union:
At late county temperance meeting, which
we attended, plain farmer rose and sad that he
was one day going to work and an offcious sort of
man overhauled him eXclalmlng:
tMr.-, Mr.--, have a bill against
your
mistaken this time, owe you nothing
'Oh, it is not my BILL said the man, Il am on
Iy the collector. 1t is q tax BILL
'Ah! a rum bill.
'Yes,' said the collector, eff you have mind
to understand il so, and about half call upon
are of this opinion; they mnter terrible about lne
rum taxes, the number oflazy, drunken fellows III
the poor house, and the criminals taken up every
day, making an enormous cost 10 the county anu
believe lift was not for the rum shops, the taxes
would not be one-quarter as heavy as they are;
you have give it about the right name-a rum
blll-Only should not like to have tile name ol
rum bill collector
On saying this he sat down; but it proved
most effective speech, for others look up the
thought, and the rum bill, assessed upon leiper-
ance men, was not lost sight of to the close oil
the meeting. Indeed, the idea that temperance
man should be met with demand winch cou"
only appropriately be made OF drunkaru' oE'
| have a rum bill against YOU and De cohPe!!eu
TO submit 10 it, and pay il, while 1t was III nISt
quite ludicrous, soon excited burning indignation
words were wanting to express the strength OF
| demand, and that Immediately for the Maine Law
Would that we could travel the State' ana Sho"
| to every hard working man the amount oil his rum
bill,-lhat we could set down by the shoemaker
working day and night 10 pay his rent ana sup
mort his family, and ask him how much was his
rum bill.
'Rum bill! never drink rum.'
! 'Very well, SII, but you pay rum bill. What
was your tax last year!'
Sixteen dollars, and twenty-five cents
| very well, sir, ten dollars anu elghty-iour
cents OF that was your rum BILL
| 'By the blacksmith, sill, you swing the hammer
at the anvil by day and by night, i'll summer ND
winter. Hard way tU get i living! Pray, Slr'
how much is your rum blll2'
Rum bill! don't insult me; never drop comes
| into the shop
That may be sir, but you pay a heavy rum oil
and it won't be any less when these drunken lei
lows who | see hang around your furnace, get,
| with their families into the poor house,
'By the hard working, thrifty farmer, sir, you've
a ve1y fine farm, will you set apart j lot Tor the
nissionaryor Bible cauSe?'
/ Il would if l could, but it requires all can
raise TO support my family
Sir, you devoting the produce oil your best
lot 10 worse purpose
| Il am, sir, what Ito you meanH
| Il mean to pay your rum BILL
| 'Sir YOU'RE mistaken i'll your man. Rum used
TO cost me twenty aud thirty dollars Ill haylng
and harvesting, but l have not paid a rum bill
| these six years.
'Have not? what were your taxes for the last
| year?'
'Over forty dollars.'
well, two thirds of that was rum tax. The
pauper tax of the State of New York in lSl5, ac-
cording TO the Legislature Reports, SSlT, Al Il
of this S67O,173, was set down 10 intemperamcc,
ard you had 10 pay your share OF it. Now so Tor
j a Maine Law, and you may have nearly the
whole Ofthe produce of your fam for yourself
and children