The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-12-12
WHERE THEY LEARN.

How Boys Are Taught to Drink in Nearly
All the Manufactures and Workshops
in Chicago.
A writer in the Chicago Tribune of a.
recent date says: "The reports of the
work of the Citizens League show
that the agent pays very little atten-
ton to offending saloon-keepors in the
manufacturing districts of the city.
The saloons cluster around and crowd
as close as possible upon the work
shops. The indolent, burly fellows
who stand in their doors in white
aprons watching for "trade" ought to
be welding an AK or a shoycl-every
man Of them. The poorest employee is
not more jubilant than they when pay
night arrives, and none knows the day
or the hour better than they. They
watch with intense interest the closing
hour when the crowd comes forth, and,
with bland smile, they welcome 1.-The
boys" Scores are squared up, there
are general treats, and soon the saloon
lists have possession Of q large share OF
the earnings of the workmen that.
ought to carry cheer and comfort to.
their homes. The worst of it is many
employers pay into the hands of the
saloon-keepers. There are factories
where the machinery is stopped for
few minutes in the forenoon and in the
afternoon in order that beer or whisky
may be sent for. and the time so lost is
made up at noon. There are factories
where strong drink is allowed at the
noon hour only. 1t is a common thing
for a few men in each department to
engage a small boy to run on this Ell.
rand. The moment the whistle is.
heard he rushcs away to the saloon
with a stick about thirty inches long in
either hand, and upon each are strung
four or six beer-bottlcS to be filled.
These kids come in for small share
of the beer, and pay-night they get a.
few cents from the men they serve.
at is q shame that employers should
allow boys to be so used. They are
equally guilty in violating one of the
best laws we ever had in this State.
the Dramshop act They would con.
fer an untold blessing upon society and
be gamers themselves if they would in
good faith put up conspicuous notices
in every department of their factories.
No strong drink allowed upon these.
premises under penalty of discharge
Men would 90 out to saloon, but
their influence in debasing the bows
and young men would certainly
be curtailed. and very few
know how many are brought to,
rum in this way. Less chan a week
ago, in one of the most orderly and
bcst-managcd of the large shops on
South Canal street, three young men.
about twenty-onc of them the cngin--
eer-and two boys about fourteen were
''tired" for a drunken riot in the base
mcnt, where they were ut work. Strong
drink is carried into that shop daily AZ
noon. If prevention is better than cure
this would seem like beginning at the
wrong end and yet it is going on per-
petually, differing only little from the
present case, where they became help
lesslv drunk and raised Ned
Every foreman or manager of eX-
pericnce can easily discern the growth
of the drink habit in young men and
boys, No matter how bright and prom
ising they were when first employed
they soon show the SLOUGH and the
slOycn; they become stupid and inapt
to learn, they have no desire for adj
vanccmont, they become Improbable
to their employers, and if they do not
demand more wages which is gcner-
ally the casc-somc prctcXb is found
for getting rid of them. But little can
be done to reclaim the confirmed inc
briate. The theory held by q great
many few years ago that he could be