Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-12-26
LABOR AND DRINK,

oTSHHiLcu "OThmen FaVOf Temperance
Restrictions.
To our limited vision, cause and ef.
feet SO often blend that just separa-
tion is impossible. We are not obliged
to assert as some do that the drinking
habit Of the masses of the people are
due to their poverty nor that poverty
is altogether due to the evil of drink;
but looking at some of the facts we
can see how closely allied the two
questions are, how they act and react
one upon the other and so learn that
any help in solving the one must bring
light bearing upon the other also.
Men and women overworked, with a
low state of vitality and innumerable
difficulties to meet, naturally turn
toward anything that will afford tenn
porary relief. Out of the hundreds
whom it is estimated perish yearly in
our large cities from exposure and
destitution, very large percentage
are no doubt victims of intemperance,
for cold, extreme heat and all forms Of
disease find ready victim in one who
uses intoxicants. Back of this large
number is clearly seen vast army of
anxious, troubled men and women.
''These are our cities with their great
foreign element" you say.
Well, turn from our cities to our min
ing regions, notably the Hooking val
ley, where even the slums of New York
are rivaled in wretchedness and want
and we see the same condition.
In the midst of such misery drinking
is almost invariable. Several American
manufacturers have testified that, with
solitary exceptions, the men who work
the longest are most given to dis
sipation. A person living under nor
NAL conditions can meet temptation
more easily than one whose powers are
taxed beyond endurance or than one
burdened by enforced idleness.
Our blood must thrill as we read
these words from the report of the Sec
retary of the Mule Spinners associa-
tion, given in the United States senate
before the Blair COMMITTEES: ''It is
dreadful to see those girls, stripped al
most to the skin, wearing only loose
wrapper, and running like a race-horse
from the beginning to the end of the
day; and ! can conceive that it is
bringing about moral and physical
decay in them. 1 must say that have
noticed that the hard, slavish work is
driving these girls into the saloons
looking scared and ashamed, and try
ing to go in without any one seeing
them-good, respectable girls, too"
and after a further description of them,
this man, familiar with the subject,
adds: drinking is most prevalent
where working hours are longest. To
be sure, the laboring man with his fam
lily might enjoy many of lifes comforts
were he willing to forego what he
deems his one great luxury"
The figures which give us some idea
of our worse than wasted resources are
familiar, but it is certainly gratifying
to find that organized labor is begin
ming to make a study of this subject,
and has repeatedly put itself on record
as opposed to the use of intoxicants in
q way that would do credit to societies
made up of men of other mould. Mr..
Powderly, head of the Knights of La
Dor, gives forth no uncertain sound on
this question. 1t has been said, and
perhaps most truly, by the trades union
of Atchison, Kan: ''The most deadly
blow given to King Alcohol is in that
declaration of the Knights of Labor,
which proscribes any liquor dealer for
membership in the order"
Prof. Ely, of Johns Hopkins univer-
sity, in his book, 1.-THE Labor Move
ment in America" after giving several
instances of the good effected by labor
organizations in this regard adds:
"When 1 consider all these circum-
stances the temperance of the masses
in America is marvel to me-" In
letter to working men he writes:
''There is no atom of help to you nor
to any in drink, the poor mans curse
so often and SO often the rich mans
shame. Every effort to promote tenn
perance among you should receive the
warmest encouragement Annie B.