Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-29
Sugar versus Tobacco.

Asioi'i foh ihh Ilhhss
Twenty houses built after the same plan
each door, window, and closet the exact
counterpart of nineteen others. A plot Of
ground containing the same number of
square feet was allotted to each dwelling
and at the time of their setting the shade
trees were of the same size. These were
small houses, but every inch of room was
made available; so that the families occupy
ing them were not disposed to complain of
limited accommodations.
The men renting these tenements were
employed in foundry near by the owner
of which also owned the houses, built under
his personal supervision, with special refer
ence to comfort and convenience, when bust
ness was good and profits large. He had
paid liberal wages, and the twenty houses
standing in close proximity were so sur
rounded with shrubbery and vines as to give
an air of positive elegance to the neighbor-
hood.
But now business prospects were entirely
changed, and the foundry was running at so
small profits it was often difficult to com
pute them The proprietor was at his post
early and late, anxious, troubled, and some
times well-nigh discouraged. His employees
complained of every reduction of wages, as
serting the impossibiity of providing for
their families, while a spirit of general dis
content was rife.
How does Farrell expect we are going
to live after another cut-down ?" exclaimed
! one of group who were diligently smoking.
Told my wife to-day we should have to give
up using so much sugar. 1t makes pretty
big bill in the course of year, and we've
got to live about as close as we can to make
both ends meet"
"That's what we have, and sugar ant
victuals or drink" responded another taking
his pipe from his mouth. " The children
would miss it, and 'twould take me while
to get used to tea and coffee without it; but
| don't know of anything else we can spare
as well as we can that, and every little saved
helps so much"
"You're right there" said a third told
my wife this morning we could not keep on
living as we have. If there's cut-down in
the foundry there must be one in the house.
There ant any other way. We havnt any
of us got much ahead, and man can't do
any more than he can
Much more of like import was said, until
these men fully decided that sugar is not
one of the necessaries of life, and that, un-
der the circumstances their families must
dispense with its use.
nounce this decision to their wives; but
they had pledged themselves to the reform,
aud remonstrances were vain. As result
| ten tables were spread without sugar the
next morning, and ten women sat down to
what seemed to them meagre breakfasts
There was grocery near by, kept by a
man who had been crippled in the foundry,
and which was generally patrouized 10y the
workmen. He soon learned of the new or
der of things, and during the forenoon ex-
pressed himself strongly in regard to it as
he had opportunity. lie quite astonished a
woman whose husband both chewed and
smoked by telling her that her husbands
tobacco bill was more every month than he
paid for sugar.
"There are plenty that do their trading
here who pay more for tobacco right along
than they do for sugar. There's been
enough of the money Farrell has paid as
wages spent for beer and tobacco to more
than pay for all the foundry property. |
know how it used to be when was learning
my trade twenty years ago, and it didn't
change any for the better afterwards while
was there, nor since then either. | made
my mother promise before she died that
saved me, and if hadn't tried to help my
brothers | might have been pretty well of" /"
"You worked when wages were high"
al know it, and so did good many others
who are able to work right along. Now
wages are low, but so is most everything a
man needs to buy in his family. Besides,
Farrell has put down the rent so that don't
count for much. You may depend upon it,
Mrs. Simpson, if the men would give up
beer and tobacco, TO say nothing of whiskey,
they wouldn't need to complain"
6 presume you are right don't sup
pose We women know anything about how
much money goes for what does more hurt
than good"
Some of you don't Beer counts up fast.
The seller makes a big profit
~ am glad you don't sell beer"
$50 am glad, but it is a temptation.
When | know there'll be just so much sold
and drank any way, | say to myself some
times, Why shouldn't have the profits in
stead of somebody else 2 A good many of
my customers have advised me to keep it,
but it would be as wrong to sell it as to
drink it,"
But what can we women do, Mr.. Bixby ?
Our husbands are so dissatisfied with their
wages it makes them dissatisfied with every
thing. There's great deal of fault-fnding.'
81 know it, Mrs. Simpson. | know how
the men talk, but they'd be well enough off
If they'd give up using what they don't
need"
81 wish knew about the beer"
/" can find out for you; but it's safe to
say that it's more than Tor tobacco"
"Then of course it costs more than the
sugar 7"
"Of course it does"
"Thank you for what you have told me.
don't think my family will live without
| | xvi1 taLy tan p11 Of ha hac
you have, aud you can charge it to my
husband"
"Yes, ma'am," replied the grocer, and
presently Mrs. Simpson entered her cool,
shady pantry with the sugar in hand
Before noon nine other women followed
her example and at diuner-time it seemed
TO ten men there had never before been such
a display of sugar upon their tables.
OF course severe remarks were made.
Mr.. Simpson manifested considerable anger,
insisting upon his right to dictate how his
money should be spent.
81 told you we couldn't afford to use
sugar." he said to his wife with great as
sumption OF dignity,
81 know you did, but thought it would
be better to economize in some other way"
she replied pleasantly, in no wise discon-
certed by her husbands dispeasure.
"What way :" he asked.
"If used tobacco, which cost more every
month than the sugar for our family, you
would think it best for me to throw away
my pipe aud cleanse my mouth rather than
have no sugar in the house" she answered
indirectly.
81 should aud if my tobacco bill equalled
our sugar bill, you would never catch me
with pipe or quid again." he said decidedly.
"Or beer ?" she asked in her quiet way.
"Or beer" he replied, while his ewes
opened wide with astonishment.
ado you mean to say you will give up
beer and tobacco, il they cost you as much
as the sugar for our family ?"
81 mean just that. | would give them
up if together they cost as much as our
sugar"
" Then Won tpW give them mn for Won have