The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-09-04
nnUHEuOLD ECONOMY.
How Fable Expenses may bE III.
nalniShcd.

HlAHlHASus
sPrluIhSd RSpiblIcAu.
II Americans collectively have a bad
bahii, We should pay il WA thal u over.
eaurg aud over.driuking,-lOr both are
properly one in character, though some
timea discovered III rrdclice, and both re-.
suit directly from tho national notion
that square meal Is one Of the innlien.
able rights asserted in the Declaration Of
Independence and confirmed BY tue Con.
stituIion, Not only the wealthy few, but
the working many, cat too much. Mr.
Beecher has been vigorously abused for a
recent remark in q sermon aprJpcs Of the
strikes, and, quoted all alone, ii did seem
severe to recommend 10 the working man
and hia family diet Of bread and-wator.
But read fairly with its context It was
good advice. Bread and water is not on.
Iy cheaper, but more nouriAhiDg, than
cigars and whisky. And, II all our eat.
ing and drinking were reduced to the sim
pie purpose OF sustonance, instead Of be-
ing extended to the indulgence Of mere
taste and appetite, the whole economic sys.
tenn Of the country would be relieved OF a
great burden, and large share ofthe Ia.
borer's causes Of complaint against his
condition would be removed.
We do not care 10 be statistical, and re.
peat here the appalling totals Of the total
abstinence societies or Of the late Mr. Trask
Of Fitchburg; and indeed these have been
so often presented that there is no need
OF arguing the question Of the immense
waste Of expenditure upon tobacco and
intoxicating liquors. Yet It Ia probable
that the Pittsburgh rough who, with a
cigar betWeed his teeth, set a grain car
adre in the name Of ''bresd for our star
wing families" was but q too faithful rep
resentative OF Thousands OF laboring men.
Every day, on the corners OF our streets,
may be seen men waiting for stray Jobs OF
work and splashing tobacco.juice over
yards Of sidewalk, and bsfouling yards OF
air with alcoholic breath. Every day,
brutes are making the country roads hid.
eous, and pleasant country homes abodes
OF fear, who have graduated from the
street corner and saloon apprenticeship.
In our country there is very little utter
prlvation and distress among working
people which does not result from the
sensual indulgence Of which these are the
offensive examples.
It is a democratic necessity that taste
should have been elevated in the every.
day grades Of society, and the coarse food
that makes the inferior workman OF Eu.
ropean countries should not satisfy the
Independent republican. It has, in fact,
grown 10 DO an article of our human
equality platform that each family should
have a beef.steak for breakfast, or some
thing as good. But, while We eat beef.
steaks, We scarcely consider that one can
can eat them Saviugly, and that such &C.
onomies are not inconsistent with luxur-
les. 1t one Of the 6rst rules Of the real
epicure, and one Of the last lessons learn.
ed by the average ealer, that less than
the appetite Graves is enough for the
bodys needs. In families that live by
days wsges there is habitually wasted
when work is steady and prospects bright,
enough in one day 10 Ierve almost for an
other days food by these two causes
that each member eats too much, and
that the fragments are thrown away.
In this respect We have something to
learn Of European working people.
And then there is some doubt whether,
just for the sake Of being an independent
republican, it is wise 10 eat beef or any
kind Of meat for breakfast; whether, in
fact, oatmeal, or rice, or corn.caks, or
bread and beans, or some other simple
vegetable food, is not as much better as ii
is cheaper. The world is not likely. TO &C.
cept exclusive vegetarianisln at any per.
iod before the millennium, perhaps; but
there are indications that it may consign
meats to the important meal OF the day,
dinner, TO be eaten alter the bulk OF work
is over, and when the digestive organs
can have leisure 10 do Justice to the most
serious invoices Of food. ln the morning
these delicate organs go at such heavy
work under the double disadvantage Of
relaxation from the nights repose and
the pressure Of the Immediate labor Of
the body or the brain-ths one as severe
a strain as the other. An oatmeal pud-
ding is worth as much, practically, us a
beet-steak, though few people, not born
Scotch, think so. And in respect OF the
considerations above referred TO, it Ia
worth much more. Hugh Miller was as
hearty, in brain aud body, as any stone
mason in America, and that Is wha! he
,y n. "a 80 ;,baI ,-;,hal