The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-29
FINANCIAL RUIN.

that the drinkin man can nev
or accumulate money, unless b,
is the fortunate p0ssessor of 1
bonanza-a business that is, a:
| to profits, beyond any considera
| tion as to expenditure, no mat
ter how reckless. Rum has
burned a hole in his pocket
| which leaks faster than any or,
dinary business or inoney-mak.
ling ayocation will replenish it.
Bankruptcy and financial ruin
are inevitable. The drinking
man is at a disadvantage in his
business, because tire money
which should be used to push
trade, or tide over duh times, or
iextend mis- operations into new
lines or new territory, is spent
for rum and in the excesses
which follow in the trail of that
demon. He becomes more and
more involved, and tries re-
trencllment in all ways but the
one which is iais ruin. He will
Iop off all needless expenditure
save that for rum and its at
tendant vices. But they are
like the horse-leech's daughters;
they cry, "Give, give" until
the man becomes desperate; he
who was reckless incidentally,
now becomes reckless habitu.
ally. The crash of financial
ruin comes and h course from
that time is d direct plunge into
habitual drunkenness, poverty,
and finally death.
Reader, did you ever consi-
der the grim fact-for fact it is
that ninety per cent. of the
men engaged IN legitimate lines
trade in this country fail
sooner or later? And did you
ever trace this lack to its cause?
The pathway OF trade is strewn
with wrecks, and nine out of
ten Of them were caused by rum.
II should be plain to ali that in
these days OF fierce competition
in trade, the legitimate profits
| in any iine of business are too
small to stand the drain on the
pocket imposed by The rum
habit. Apparently the cheap
est of alldissipations, drinking
is the most cosby. All other
extravagances have q limit, but
the thirst for rum is linitless.
Ii Is like the ocean which re-
ceives all the rivers Of the world,
yet it is never any fuller. The
innre Ynn drink the more Ynll
tmtist, ana there can &c but one
end to both the drinkers money
land his physical endurance.
Rum not only cost frightfully
in money, but it takes away the
power TO make money. Ii is as
dangerous to i mans finances
as ii is TO his body, his mind and
his soul.
But though it is a fact that
ninety percent. Of our business
men fall, sooner or later, the in
tluence. Of rum in causing the
failure Of at least nine out of
every ten IL not So clearly seen.
We 10 not mean to say that
these all All Decauss they drink
| up the money that should be
used in business. While maITy
do this, there are many others
who donOt, and yet whose down
fall Il Just as surely the result
Of rum as.if they had done so.
10 do q successful business in
these rushing days, when every
avenue OF trade is the arena of
keen competition, requires
brains. II will not do that d
man shall have business saga
city, that he shall be. sharp in
bargaining and quickwitted u
laval himself of every opening
for profit. lie must not only b.
lall these, but hc must remain
so; aud he must give ali his ut.
tenti0n 10 bnsin ,ss. Now, nc
Icannot do these hing and daily
with rum. With navy men a
singl glass III the Internal stuff
| Oenuinbs the BRAN; and tile man
I'm this condition, with his men.
tai faculties clouded with tht
lfunes uf rum, cln never hope
to succeed III the struggle with
Il competitor oi equal natural
| ability who never touches rum
land So keeps his head clear, hls
wits keen, aud ali iis facultic.
Lon tho alert. lac who drink
| viii surely Iall behind, through
Ihis dulled wits lis trade dc
| serts MIN, ha hasl lost Tn ability
he Oncepossessed through soak
ling his biain in rum, and ht
goes u tile wall. The cause Il
stated as "bad investment,
too giuat competition" .'bad
debts. or something similar
4 But these are the result of drink
and rum Is really tine cause Q
| his failure.
The business man who begin
to drink might iustas well clos
up his establishment at ones i
HE intends to continue the un
equal effort to cope with run
and with Ills business rivals i
lthe same time. Thcrcis no lin
OF safety but in the entire aDan
doumeut Of rum. He may kee