Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-06-18
THE RUM BILL.

ing which we attended, aplain farmer
rose and said, that as he was one day
going 10 his work, IN officious sort Of
man overhauled him, oxclaiming:
"Mr.-, Mr., l have bill
against you"
Against me-" was the reply, ~
guess you are mistaken this time;
owe you nothing"
"Oh, it is not my bill" said he; al
nm only the collector. 1t is a tax
bill"
"Ah, a rum bill ~
Yes" snid the collector, III you've
mind to understand it so, and about
half l call upon are of tho same opin-
ion; they mutter terribly about the
rum taxes, the number of lazy drunk
en- fellows in the poor house, and the
criminals taken up every day, making
IN enormous cost to the country; and
! believe if it was not for these rum
shops, the present 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 Of Rum-bill collector"
On saying this he sat down, but it
proved a most effective speech, for
Others took up the thought, and the
rum bill assessed upon temperance
men. was not los. sight of to the close
Of the meeting. Indeed. the idea that
temperance man should be met with
demand which could only appropri-
ately be made of drunkard, "Sir,
have rum bill against you, and be
compelled to submit to it and poy it,
while it was at first quite lulicrous,
soon excited burning indignation, and
words were wanting to express the
strength of the demand, and that i'm.
media,ely, for a Maino Law.
Would that we could traverse the
State and showto every Woodworking
man the amount Of his rum bill-,hat
we could sit down by the shoemaker,
working day and night to pay Ills
rent and support his family, and ask
him how much was his rum bill.
rum bill never drink rum"
Very well, sir, but you pay rum
bill. What were your lakes the last
yearl"
"Sixteen dollars and twenty-five
cents"
Very vol, sir, ten dollars and
eighty four cents Of that is your rum
bill"
BY the blacksmith. "Sir, you
swing tho hammer at the anvil by day
and by night, in summer and winter.
Hard way to get a living! pray, sir,
how much is your rum bill y
Rum bill! don't insult me, never
drop comes into my shop"
"Tha, may be, sir, but YOU pay a
heavy rum bill; and it wont BIO any
Jess when these drunken fellows, who
see hang around your furnace. get
with their families, into the poor
house."
BY tho Woodworking farmer
"Sir, you've fine farm, will you not
set apart lot fer the Missionary
or Bible causel"
II would if could, sir, but it re.
quires all that can raise to support
my family"
"Sir, you are devo'ins the produce
Of Your bes, LOT TO e far worse pur.
pose" -,
II am, sir. What do You meant
al mean to nay your rum BILL"
"Sir, you're mistaken in your man.
Rum used to cost me 20 and so dol.
lars in haying and harvesting, but |
have no, paid rum bill this twelve
years"
Have not; what were your taxes
las, ycarl'
Over forty dollars"
"Well, twoIhirds of that was rum
bill, Tho paupcr tax Of tho State of
Now York in ls49, according to the
Legislative Report, was sslz44l; Of
this s67o.l73 was set down to Intern
perance, and you had to pay your
part Of it. Now 60 for Maine law,
and you may have nearly the whole
ofithe produce Of your farm for your.
self aud children. M YJoprnal Of
Temperance.