Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-16

Below / copy the stirring appeal Of the |
committee appointed by the National w, q. |
4. Union, to railroad and other corpora |
tiops. urging them to employ only men who |
praetioe total abstinence. look upon II |
ss move in the right direction, aud If the |
suggestions contained therein, were Rener- |
ally adopted by manufacturers and capital |
lists and strictly carried out in all It's de- |
tails. Uhave nOdoubt it wouldbe productive
Of inoalculable good. | think there can De
no question but that all employers have the
moral and LEGAL right to stipulate with |
their employees, when they enter their ser |
vice. the terms and conditions under which |
suoh service shall be rendered. One great
point gained would be the wholesome re-
straint thrown around the moderate dring
er. for it is the class that would be benefit
ed the most by the adoption OF the total
abstinence test. The confirmed drunkard
would seldom be reached by any such
means. l have been told recently Dy, q
heavy contractor and builder, that he early
adopted the plan Of stipumting with DIS
employees that not dime oil tnelr earnlnss
should be spent for liquor, If they dld so
and it came to his knowledge they should
be discharged. Such was the wholesome
restraint OF this contract with his work
men. hundreds Of whom were in his employ
during a specified time, during which he
paid out at least $40, and yet to the
best Of bis knowledge and belief, S5.OO
would cover the amount spent by them for
liquor Il was said at one time, that all
the Manufacturing establishments otGeneva
talked Of adopting the total abstenence
test with their employees, but think II mas
never been fully carried out. do not eX-
pect to see the day when the whole liquor
business will be suppressed by law, but l
do expect to see many Of the evils ofintem-
perance banished from our midst, and
believe the plan recommended by this com
mittee il faithfully carried out in oil its de-
tails. would be a powerful factor in the
temperance work. AT least, ] would like
to have the satisfaction Of seeing it fairly
and faithfully tried.
A committee OF the National W. z. Il.
Union, consisting Of Mrs. Mary Q. Mobiles
and others, has issued the following sur
ring appeal to railroad and steamship cor
porations, manufactures and all employ
ers.
Gentlemen TO the railroad and steamship
lines OF the country are intrusted annually
millions OF lives and a vast amount OF prop
ertv. in the manufactures thousands Of
men and women are employed, upon whose
sobriety and industry depend the success
OF the great business interests Of the land.
To the corporations which many Of you
represent are consigned interests which
are above and beyond all others-even
those OF life and death. You are the
guardians of the public-a trust accom-
panied with the greatest responsibilities
and upon your rules and precautions, and
the principles which actuate you depend
the welfare and prosperity OF the commun-
ity at large. II was that glass OF beer
drank by the station master Of a western
railroad caused the destruction Of an ex-
press train, and the loss Of twenty lives
Owing to such considerations, total alb
stinence should be one Of the first require
ments Of employers. It is impossible for
the brain tainted with alcohol TO possess
the clear Judgment and command fall the
faculties which are necessary in the per-
formance Of duty.
In view therefore, OF the vital interests
involved, and the influence such actions on
your part would have upon the homes Of
the land. We respectfully ask that you
require total abstenauee in your employees,
thereby securing better service TO your
selves and greater safety TO the public; al
so that you will discourage by every means
in your power, the habit Of treating Gus
toners, so prevalent among salesmen.
We also suggest, that in your manufact-
ories, facilities be granted for making cOf
fee at noon, in this manner removing the
temptation and desire for beer which SO
often accompanies the noon lunch.
Total abstinence is positively safe, while
moderate drinking is unsafe. Were all the
drunkaTds removed from the world, and
moderate drinking still permitted, in d
short time the sots would be as abundant
as now. The habit Of moderate drinking
is the seed bed Of a new and heavy harvest
Of drunkards,
The CIDER QUESTION
From our Union.
One Of our best workers said ~ had a
long talk on temperance work with con
verted saloon keeper" At last ! asked
him, "what do the signs in the saloon win
dows mean. "Sweet cider free?'
Well, said he hesatitingly 81 really
don't like to tell you." Yet Iurged il and
he said, "the thing is really TO satanic-its
to bad to tell" But ut last prevailed up
on him. at is nothing but lure-a
trap. You see there are so many boys from
the contry going up and down the streets
they are from pure, good homes, and have
probably promised their motheri that they
would never drink, but they get auful lone
some and hOmesiok in great city, with M
place to 90 TO but comfortless boarding
house, they see these signs, and they thnl
how good the sweet cider used TO taste a
home. One boy remembers how iathe
made II, and mother never thought Of Their
being any harm in drinking II, and h,
longs for II. One draught Of cider woult
be almost home--it would be as good us th
odor OF a clover field. So he goes in, tn
barkeeper pours out glass, so sweet, s,
good and nothing 10 pay. Well you see h
has been in the trap once, taken one nib
ble at the bait, and the man behind the ba
is perfectly satisfed-he is in for it now
so he goes In the second time, for there /
not the least harm in sweet older-i
wouldn't heart a baby: But hi Is ASHAMED
to 90 in without paying something so h.
buys glass Of beer, next thing there Il
a game Of billiards. Then he is fast th
business Is done, and that case Is as seour,
as regular regular customer.
Is anything more to be saidI Are any
instructions as TO why oider-poor harm
less apple juiee-should be included viii
intoxiCants, when II can do work which
nothing else can do
~ M A 4 H.