The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-01-02

II is no exaggeration to say. in the
light OF this estimate, that for every
dollar that is spent for proper food.
clothing and the other necessities and
comforts OF lie, something like fifty
cents is spent for rum. That is, one
third the money that should be spent
for these necessaries, and which would
be, were it not for the accursed rum
power, goes into the Golfers of the
latter. II the latter were pulverized
between the upper and neither mill
stones law and popular opinion. an
added sum, equal to One-half their
present receipts, would accrue to the
men who are engaged in producing
and supplying these necessaries OF life
to the people of this country.
Here is vast field for the labors OF
the political economist Here is u
solution Of the problem of hard times,
which is the vexing one to which We
all are seeking permanent solution.
II the expenditures of our people for
useful and needful articles of food,
clothing, ETC., were increased One-htlf,
the domestic trade OF the country
would be increased One-half. The
only ones who would suffer would
be the men who make and deal in rum;
but the increased expenditures in
other lines would require corre-
spending increase in the means of pro-
duction. Our farmers would find sale
for one-half more of their products;
our factories would need TO be in
creased in number, or their force OF
operatives be enlarged; our merchants
would enlarge their stores. and new
ones would be added; and the in
creased demand would furnish labor
for tens of thousands more OF work.
ing-men and women.
It is to be remembered that when
man spends money for rum, he gets no
equivalent for his money. He buys a
coat which lasts him for months; but
while he is wearing it, he drinks a
dozen times its cost. and has nothing
tangible to show for the rum he has
imbibed, unless it be the evil that 1t
does him. And it is not to be forgot
ten that the number OF men 1t takes to
produce a thousand dollars worth of
drinks of rum is much smaller than 1t
takes to produce one thousand dollars
worth of food, or clothing, or any
other necessary Of life. The vast bulk
of the money paid for rum goes as
profit into the pockets OF the salOonist;
in any other case, the bulk of it is paid
| to working-men as the cost OF produc-
ton. 1t is the one form of traffic
which pays the least, in proportion, to
the labor which produces its staple,
because 1t requires comparatively less
actual labor to make rum than almost
any thing else.
1t is traffic without ono redeeming
feature. 1t is an ulcer In the civiliza-
ton of the Nation, eating out the
vitals. tbs burden on every legiti-
mate occupation. robbing each and
every one of them of one-third OF its
legitimate trade. Every manufact-
urer, every farmer, every producer OF
food or any other necessary of life,
: every business man whose occupation
u is the traffic in any of these neces-
saries and comforts of life, should
q look upon the rum traffic as his own
t personal enemy. robbing him every
p year Of one-third of the sales he would
: make were it not for this internal
4 burden, of which he must carry his
@ share so long as the cause Is allowed
y to exist. From position of indif-
K ference, all these classes of people
}. named should spring into active OPP
p position to this Internal tax upon the
b people and the legitimate trade and
|. industry of the Nation. Toledo Blade.
Il 0HN- -