The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-02-08

mark accidentally dropped in the hear
ing of that venerable gentleman. He
had never made speech before, and
felt somewhat diffdent, but concluded
to plant himself at once on the side
of the great reform and commence by
fulfilling the engagement, a habit
which he deemed prime essential in
business man. He said the phase of
the temperance question which he re-
garded as one of the most important,
and to which he desired to call atten-
tion, related to the bearing of the
drink habit upon business interests.
The business in which he was engaged
was one that had much to do with
railroads. Their. show was on the
cars much of the time, and he could
say from experience that the property,
to accumulate which years, almost a
lifetime, had been spent, was many
times threatened with destruction
through the influence of strong drink.
Many railway men, even the best of
them, from the lowest to the highest
grade, are addicted to the use of liquor.
When the show is on the cars it is of
vast Importance that sober engineer
be at the throttle, that sober brake
man swing the lantern, that sober
conductor give the orders, and that a
sober telegraph operator be at his post
to prevent collision of the trains.
More than half the men employed on
railroads, said Mr.. Sells, drink liquor.
They may have the right to take
drink if they see fit, but they have no
right to jeopardize other peoples
property and lives. There might be
some question whether.a a man has the
right to bring ruin upon himself, but
there could be no question that he has
not the right to endanger his neigh
boris property. He held that every
man in the employ of a railway COM
pany should be total abstainer. "To-
night" said the speaker, my wife
and child start from distant State to
meet me in this city. The journey is
fraught with danger at the best, but
how much more dangerous when
drunken men are. in charge of the
trainr' One may feel sense of pity
for the man who goes reeling through
the street, but he does you no harm
there. But when that man is to have
charge of your property, your busi-
ness, or your life, you have the right
to his sober services, and you
have right to claim that he should
be a total abstainer No man can be
deemed absolutely reliableswho drinks
even moderately. With a drinking
man it is question of stomach. not
of brain: hence total abstinence is the
only safe plan.
Mr.. Sells said that, politically, there
were but two important questions now
before the people, viz: the liquor
question and the tariff. There was no
difference now between Republicans
and Democrats except as to who
should have the offices. Laughter.
It was Of some Importance whether
the offices-and not only public Offices
but business offces-be filled by sober
men, or men addicted to the use Of
intoxicating liquors. When our bust
ness men come to employ none but
total abstainers, all the sober. reliable
men will be on one side and the doc
trine Of the survival Of the fttest will
be universally illustrated. The en-
ploye might claim that the employer
had no right to demand that he be a
total abstainer, but the speaker claim
ed that the employer had the right to
make such demand. How necessary
is a clear head and steady hand in
any position. and particularly in a
large business establishment? During
the speakers tour through the South,
the famous Josh. Billings entered a
hotel one day and entered into con-
versation with the clerk, in the course
of which the latter congratulated the
great humorist upon having taken the
bull by the horns, in business sense,
and met with great success. You are
mistaken" said Josh; Il didn't take
the animal by the horns. / took it
by the tail. IF you take the bull by
the horns. you are in danger Of being
mastered. but if you take it by the
tail, you have much better chance
of success" Mr. Sells advised his au-
dience to pursue that course in regard
to the temperance question. "Take
the bull by the tail" said he, land
swing it around until you wiring the
tail off clear to the horns" Laugh
ter and applause.
Among the other speakers was DIR.
N. Tracy, of Wisconsin, formerly of
Columbus. He was one Of the earliest
converts to the Murphy work in this
city. but has been in the Northwest
for about five years, where he is a re-
cognizpd leader in this branch Of tenn
perance reform. He is an impassioned
and eloquent speaker on this subject,
and interested the audience to an un-
usual degree. The theme of his re-
marks was the mistake Of the moder-
ate drinker, who sets himself up as an
example worthy to be followed. The
Doctor related many pathetic Incl
dents to show the mistake of men
who preach that they "can drink or
let it alone" 1t is not the weak
who go to destruction. but the
brightest and the best. Daniel Web
ster fills a drunkard's grave. The
speaker said he did not learn to drink
by following drunkard The sight
of a drunken man filled him with
loathing, but it was initiating mod
crate drinkers" that robbed him Of
the best part of his life and made him
what he is to-day, prematurely old
man. In his youth he had great
fondness for billiards, and while
shooting the balls over the green
cloth he watched the moderate drink
ers" who surrounded the bar. Among
these were prominent professional and
business men of Columbus, It was
considered smart thing to be a mod
crate drinker, and so he became one
of them to his sorrow.
The speaker said he could not see