Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-04-03
no. s.

Intcmperancc is Il great Financial Evil.
Men WHO care little abont sociabili'y.
and who place but y low estimate upon the
domestic relations of life. who are unii.-
terestcd in the cause OF education; and
care nothing ut all about rel sion. do, new
erthcless. think Il great deal about the al
mighty dollar.
There is scarcely q town. Or even vii
laye in ON State where such men are not
found. To them. the cause OF temperance
makes its appeal. True, the appeal is
made to Il selfish principle; bat if men will
be moved even by that consideration to aid
the cause of temperance. it is far better
then that they be arrayed against il.
With few exceptions. the drnking por.
ton of community waste the fruit o!
their labor, and thus keep themselves III
poverty. and es ape taxation.
Men Of property, are generally sober
men and on examination, it will be found
that men af Industry ath Of hifsinesS ,atir-
suits. have their taxes iEcreaSeds-en ac.
count Of the drunkenness Of their fellows,
to meet the demands Of government.
In this Strife. (if we except q small tax
Oil the poIls) propriety is taxed to support
the government. If in small town. there
are two hundred TAX payers. and twenty
five of that number are reduced to power
tyby habits of nebriation. it necessarily
follows that sober men must have their
taxes largely increased. aud thus be com
PEELED TO bear the burden that ouygt to be
bourn by Others.
Ii these sober, laboring men. had the
same amount taken from their pockets by
Village thieves, they would regard it as !,
very great crime, and at once Cause the
offenders to be arrested. But because
they suffer loss. simply on account OF
drunkenness. they make no complaint
They tolerate inebriation, and even vote to
legaiize rum-sclliae. without considering.
that it il tlone--to some extent at least. at
their expense.
Every dollar that you pay for the sup
port oil the government. that other men
would have aid, had it not been Cor their
Incorporate habits. is It wrong done to
you personally /; in fact. it is Indirect theft
Now ask, is it not strange that men OF
property submit to il with rs much com
posture rs though drunkenness were apurt
ofthe eternal fitness Of hiags'
II these misery men who are so careful
OF their dollars, and will never give orc
cent to help on the temperance cause.
would only take night view of this sub
icet-yca. Il selfish view il you please
they would nj once rush into the temper
ance ranks. from motives Of mere worldly
gain. and labor with a zeal and eier.y 10
suppress drunkenness in the State. actually
worthy Of the cause, and OF Il better mo
tive.
An increase Temperance. is an increase
of industrial habit ana business capital
q. 1t tends so an equalization OF responsible
ily and obligation. and places al mer. who
are brought under its Influence. when they
can bear their due proportion of the bui
dens Of u community in the support OF
town, county. and state.
There is no view that We can take Of
this subject. but that intempe.ance ar
pears as something to be hated, nor can Il
class OF men be found, to whom it does net
lift up its voice of warning. The man
who gives his influence earnestly and per-
scveringly to the cause Of temperance. is
doing good that will onlliye bis tempo
raj existence! lntemperance is a parent
vice, aud wher it is destroyed-Whcn it
''breaths its last. " many other evils that
new curse the world, will cease to exist.
.as4 al MrSsoS.
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