River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-07-29

CONDUCTED BY THE w. G. L. u.
For God and Home and Natire Land.
Our Union sent q vote of thanks to
Hon. w. T. Price last week for vaiua-
BILE aid in securing the passage of the
Scientific Instruction Bill. The Maid
EN- Rock sent theirs also. Every w. G..
I. U. woman must feel grateful for
his work. All honor to such workers.
The following item from Maiden
Rock Union speaks for itself, but we
would like to add a word, and that is,
that they must have a band of fear
less workers. and we are glad that we
have a Union near us who is not afraid
to show its colors. May their good
work go on:
a member of the Maiden Rock
Union found cause for Indictment
against two saloon keepers who had
been secretly selling liquor without a
license. Two girls brought 3 bottles
of whiskey which they had purchased
from defendants, and placed them on
the Justices table as an indisputable
witness against them. The defen-
dants were fined $50 and costs for each
offence. The members of the Union
maintained the action of these brave
girls by being present at the trial.
After the dismissal of the court one of
the defendants wrote their names in
his note book, remarking that there
was not lady in the crowd We &C
knowledge that prosecuting liquor
sellers is not lady-like employment,
but since it was left for us to do, we
did it in the most lady-like manner
possible"
$50 and costs for selling without a
permit. SIS and costs for selling 70
minors, first offence!
The White Cross department, under
Miss Wizards lead, is destined to do
great good. She is one among a thous-
and, and her words carry conviction to
all those who hear her clear, pure
voice on the subject of social purity.
A typical member of the rank and
file writes thus: 'Chere are only six of
us but we work ri ,ht along as though
we were legion" That is the secret
of victory.
FRANCIS f. WILLARD.
1t is said in behalf of the working
men that many of them can hardly
make both ends meet with the wages
which are paid them. But how is this
accounted for! 1t is estimated by
good calculators, that from four to five
hundred million dollars are yearly ex-
pended by working men for intoxicat-
ing drinks. While labor is throwing
away annually this vast amount of
money, by what show of consistency
can it plead for sympathy! The mil
lions yearly squandered for strong
drinks, would provide for the necessi-
ties of every working mans family,
decently cloth them, take care of the
sick, the aged and orphans, educate all
the children, put comfort and indie
tendance in the homes of untold thou.
sands of wretched families. 1t can
not truthfully be said that this sad
condition Of society is beyond the con-
troll of the working men; they have it
in their power to drive out the leeches
who extract the earnings of industry,
and impoverish the people. Where
would the liquor saloon be to day if
the patronage of the working men
was withdrawn! AS graphically dis
cribed in the Atlantic Monthly, 1.-the
saloon stiles progress, keeps politics
corrupt, fosters pauperism, brutalizes
husbands and fathers, breaks women's
hearts, puts rags on the workingmans
back, disease in his body, shame and
despair in his heart. Yet when labor
is most depressed and the cry for in
crease of wages loudest, and strikes
most frequent; when hunger is most
rife in the homes of the laboring men,
the saloon still fourishes. There
may be no bread at home, but there
is always beer and whisky in the
saloon; the men who consider them
selves the victims of circumstances.
and who complain of the oppression
of capital, squander their savings and
earnings in these dens and help them
to do thriving business. Can there
be a serious labor question while this
state of things continuesl Can work
ing men talk gravely of their wrongs,
while it is plain to all the world, that
if they saved the capital they earn
they would be comfortable"