The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-11-25
TEMPERANCE.
RUM AND LABOR.

RUM AND LABOR.
A susssst,on % to what would Occur II |
worklng-saea catered Into . Campaign
Against whisky and Put the Money
They Spend In Drink Into Business.
The undoubted evils of the rum traf-
fic and its complement, intemperance,
would be grievous enough If they bore
only upon the persons directly con-
cerned-those who drink; but they 60
far beyond their limit The loss to the
man who drinks can not be measured
by the amount of money he expends
for rum, any more than can the damage
caused by the explosion of case of
dynamite be measured by the cost of
the explosive. One bottle of whisky
may cause the loss of mans life, and
take away the only support of wife and
which entails ten thousand times the
cost Of the rum itself. There are no
men, as a rule, who have no relatives,
friends or dependent ones; and the
evils of the rum habit falls upon these
innocent ones with full force. The
primary effect is upon the drinker.
AIS uOuy uCCOhiOo ulSCooOu, hlo AhCheuA
and physical powers fail, and he does
otherwise would have fallen to his lot.
parents, his brothers and sisters, his
wife and his little children.
1t has been estimated by Boston
authority that the total annual ex-
penditure for rum, which Is consumed
Nk;nArv I,,y yhD In 1sfo
is 5000, ,OO0,0 900. He goes on to say:
II we conclude that about one.third of the
earn most OF the money, the average ia on
each of these men for this harmful indul-
% &c ~es Sus
is probable that haf Of the working.men in
the country do not use Intoxicating drinks, or
isI iows thss hall N tSe
average tEo;third: Of dollar day for sum: +:
maxi MAKING Sftss them Snsk,ifn ana sasjectinr @ tint them
many Kinds; thus deteriorating their work,
consuming their wages. and keeping their
noses on the grtndstone all their days.
It is thought worthy of considera-
ton in the above that the burden on
the working-men is the greatest from
the use Of rum. The evils of drink
affect the whole class, even those who
do not at all indulge in the drink
habit. The intemperance of the others
deranges business. destroys property,
demoralizes society, increases crime,
insanity and pauperism, causes en-
ormous expenditures for the in
creased police service and the main
tenance of jails, prisons, almshouses
and hospitals. 1t burdens the temper
ate and economical class with the in
creased taxation thereby made neces-
sary, and loads down the charitable
and philanthropic with the care of
drunkards' wives and drunkards' chill
dren.
1t is fact to be noted also that the
Incorporate class, being also improvi.
dent, are the ones who are always in
trouble concerning their wages. While
the grip of hard times always is mos
keenly felt by the laboring class, who
are often obliged to practice the stern.
est self-denial in order to keep the vol
from the door, the case of the work.
men who are in the grip of the demon,
rum, is far worse than that of their
temperate fellows. They can not, OF
do not do as much work, or as good
work, as sober men. They can moi
work so many hours, and they can no
earn as much wages. They are not ,
desirable class of men in any establish
ment, and when a dull time comes
they are the ones who receive dismiss
al when the force Is reduced.
They are in constant poverty, fol
their earnings have gone into the pock
cts of saloon-keepers, rather than into
a savings bank. They have paid out
their money for rum instead of cloth,
ing and food for themselves and fami
lies. They have spent in debauche.
what would have bought them com
Portable, modest homes, and made
them bright and cheerful for theil
wives and little ones. The remedy
which presents itself to these men is
TO have an increase OF wages. They
do not recognize the fact that the prop
er solution of the problem is in prop
er economy; that a mans wages are tt
be measured by the amount he saves
rather than the amount he wastes. w,
by no means wish, however, to be un
derstood as arguing that man SHOULD
be ground down to the lowest poin
compatible with existence, nor that
man should not ask proper compensa
ton. ..'-. -..
Let us turn about and try to increas
wages by increasing the business o
our shops and mills and factories. LIE
rs suppose that every discontente'
working-man in all this broad Ian,
goes on a strike against rum. let u
imagine the result If not one man VIII,
works for living should spend on
cent over the counter of a saloon, bu
should spend his money for the neces
. saries and comforts Of life for himsel
and his family. Let each one keep ol
until himself and his family shall b
well clothed, we'll fed, we'll housed
: what would be the result upon bust
ness if those 5000, 600, 900 per year tina
Is now spent in running the health an
: lives of these men were spent in tn
> avenues of legitimate tradep Their
would be s boom that would be pei
manent in every line of business
. There would be abundant work il
every workshop, every factory, ever
mercantile establishment in the land
,, wages would rise, and employer
would be able to pay them. An er
of prosperity would set in that woul
have q sure, solid foundation, and tn
rum traffic would die for lack of sus
tenance.- Toledo Blade.
kelninr on the Work. .