Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-05-06
fCoA,uvleATep.

7~Siii " ~ Ni'EiAVS1iie hioos VI phDitC ttttcn-
ton at this time. The Iaborers must cure
ly have something TO complain Of, forit can
hardly be believed that so many men would
combine in order to relieve themselves of
what was not a grievance. Where The shoe
pinches, am not sufficiently informed as
to facts to enable me to make more than
ono suggestion. If Congress, instead of
adopting absurd resolutions and acts, Twill
not say laws in order to pacify the knights
of Labor, would repeal, in toto, the internal
revenue system by which an enormous tax
is laid upon many articles of daily con-
sumption, considerable relief, think, would
be afforded. This internal tax is not justi-
fable in time Of peace. All our income
should be derived from foreign imports, taxed
for recenue and recenue only, the manufac-
tories to have all the protection which such
a system would give them.
OF what particulars do the knights COM
plain ? Are their wages too small Yet
there are good laboring men who are will
ling to accept them if the knights from their
high horses did not strike them instead Of
striking against their employers, proceed
ing against the comm0nea kind of law.
Their wages may be as much as capital
can afford to give, and may be sufficient to
support them except for some expenses
which their employers cannot take into
consideration. Meat, bread, rent, clothing,
ETC., are cheap, and suppose the wages
given do more than cover these expenses,
and would at the end Of the year leave an
handsome balance If were not for the sa-
looms and drinking establishments where
so large portion Is absorbed. Some SEN
timental people go in for breaking up sa-
looms and grog drinking, but my experience
and knowledge are that they might as well
attempt TO dam up the Potomac with straws.
1t seems to be nothing but an absurdity to
attemptit The great majority ofthese en-
ployees will have their daily grog and TO-
bacco, and these items cost enough to great
ly reduce their small incomes. Whiskey,
for instance, is taxed by the general gov
eminent about 81 per gallon, and from
what / learn the least cost of one. pint is
20 cents Before the war and before the
adoption of internal revenue, whiskey was
8 cents pint, thus making the difference
between now and then 10 cents per day.
Let US suppose that only the small sum
of fifteen cents per day is spent as an
average among the drinkers, yet the i'm
mense number Of men who drink would
make this apparently small daily tax run
up some millions in a year Others, by
nicer calculation than | can make, may
make out the number of millions it win
amount to. This is a large amount for
these poor laborers to have deducted from
their wages, for II Is an inevitable deduc-
ton. Now, Messrs Editors, what can't be
cured must be endured and made the best of
we can. This habit, asinjurious as It is, can't
be prevented, let moralists and politicians
talk as eloquently as they may, but, how
ever, one thing can be done by men dis
posed to look TO bottom facts--the laborers
may be relieved of this heavy charge upon
what they at least consider necessary Of
life by repeating the internal revenue law.
lwish no one to infer from what have
said, that am friend of alcohol !
suppose a quart would hold all the spir-
ituous liquor / ever drank Ia life Of
mean fuur-svvIv years. nave peeiF ANU
still am a great advocate Of temper
ance. Have been a temperance lectur-
er and President Of temperance society
and for several years exhausted my own
eloquence and borrowed to considerable
extent the eloquence of others in order 10
bring about reform among my fellow
citizens. The result was only temporary
and believe there Is as much drinking
now when whislSey is 20 cts. as there was
when the price was 5 cts showing the
almost irresistible demand for it at any
price. For myself can say that quart
would hold all the spirituous liquor / ever
drank in life Of nearly four score and II
II will be any inducement to others to
adopt my course in that respect, that at.
tribute to my temperance the good health
Of both body and mind which now ex-
ceptionably enjoy. l may in the estima.
ton of the powers that be, be too old to
hold office but temperance has so fortified
my health that l expect to read the obitu-
aries Of many of those who use that pre-
tense against me and, of course, in that
view wish them long life.
BENZ. G. HARRIS.