The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-02-22
TEMPERANCE READING.
The Rum ElEND.
The Great Evil OF Our Land the Worst
Enemy of the Working classes.

OF working Iu0u III NdI1Ouo ONNUP"~
tions; with the great number OF papers t
published in their interest; with the l
advancement of their class as the
assigned reason for the existence OF
these societies and their organs, tnae
there is not one of these societies.
either local, State or National, so lar
as our knowledge extends, which mas
ever adOpted even formal resolution
| evidencing hostility to the rum trafnc
and the open saloon-the worst foes OF
the working population; there is not
one of their many newspaper organs
| which has come out boldly and openly
AGAINST the one thing which does more
than all others to drive into pow
ertv and debasement the very men In
whose interest they are all professedly
published Why do not the working
men of the country take decided at
titude of hostility to that inveterate
foe of every man who depends upon the
labor of his hands for his daily bread |
the rum power?
The rum power is more aggressive
than capital, more exacting than
| W
locality devoted to human toll ana
! sets it's recruiting posts for the 0rano
Army of Drunkards, the saloons, upon
every corner. Look about you ana
consider; did you ever see a new
, enterprise started large manu1actur-
mo plant erected in some hitherto
+ sparsely-settled suburb of any city,
, and note, even before the structure
a was completed, before wheel was
|. ready to turn, that some emlssary OF
a the ever-vigilant rum power estao-
!. ished a saloon in close proximity
thereto? When next you take your
4 walks abroad, on business or pleasure,
a. in any locality devoted to large mills
or shops, or factories, keep your eyes
onen. and YOU will realize the fact that
there is no street an operative would
a be likely to traverse, in going TO or
II returning from the scene of his daily
y toll. on which saloons are not planted,
r go that he must pass a run-hole at
II least twice daily.
v. There Is not in any State that mas
of not already banished the saloon a man.
|
anv large number OF workmen tha'
ID has not saloon in close proximity
- thereto. Let new establishment open
- it's doors a half mile from the nearest
~ saloon. and the brewing interest Of
o. that city sees to it that new nell
ut hole is set up near by. The working
" men of our land are kept under strlc'
hxy %
7 takes good care that they have before
nv them, day and night, the continual OPP
portunity and temptation to drink. l
,ai RECOGNIZES that in every establishment
there NAV be found men who are al
10 ready slaves to the drink habit an
ar that they are the best possible mis-
no sionaries in the work of bringing thel
fellows under the same terrible dom
Or nation.
asst If all the working men of this M
it. ton were absolutely free OF the VIC
ats of drink, the appetite for rum, yer
saw large proportion of the saloons woul
,tlv be compelled to close their doors Il
no, lack of patronage. 1t is paint
,er- fact. which any intelligent man who WI
to termine to be true, that the saloo
,oh keepers live largely off the hare
earned wages of laboring men. Wht
: ~ the weekly payday arrives in al
manufacturing or mining center, eve
saloon reaps its harvest. In mar
ma establishments the payday has be-
changed from Saturday to Monday,
some other week day, so that the m
; ho will not have the opportunity viii
In the Sunday holiday gives to indulge
ront dissipation. The Sunday debau
cd brought the men to work on Mond
in an unfit condition, while the mon
hut that should have been spent on tn
o,,1a wives and families were squander
+ho in rum, that the salOOn-keeper' far
w might live in comfort, dress in f
na raiment. and sit at table loaC
bri1 with rich fare; while the workl1
mans wife dresses in cheap cali
, n his children in shreds and patch
and their fare is of the poore
49, Heaven alone knows the misery 6
little lereu Ia A'in0 "1''0
Won drunkard.
. two What is the reason that the lead
in the labor organizations do not
led a pose TINS oouliiia'ion % ~
blue: bers by the rum power? Why d
card, not the honest Sooer eleIio". - ~
Net socletleS dlrect us eher le' ~ INC
IS for urpatloh ol tnls r0ilou' ." en- VI
draws so great a portion of its {
+braa port from the very men these so
! and ties were organized to benefit? '
is not the united strength of all
,ran+- labor unions thrown in behalf of
,, Rrt working-men, and directed to
1ost looseningo of the firm grip the
power has taken upon its membe
~anca to saving the boys who are ente
their ranks from falling into
, so;a +rhas? Why do they not Il