Democratic messenger., 1894-01-06

tidue ~ utSt IpT otnefS. DIS tdTiTHC
controversy keeps business struck
through with uncertainty. and that un-
certainty results in poverty and wretch
edness for vast multitude of people.
If the eternal gab on this subject could
have been fashioned into loaves of
bread. there would not I've hungry
man or woman or child on all the plan
ct. To the end Of time. the words of
the text will he kept true by the tariffic
controversy Ye have the poor always
with you.
ALCOHOL As 4 SOURCE OF DISTRESS.
Another cause of perpetual poverty ia
the cause alcoholic. The victim does
not last long. He soon crouches into
the drunkard's s grave. But what about
his wife and children! She takes in
washing. when she can get il, or goes
out working on small wages. because
sorrow and privation have left her in
capacitated To do strong woman's
work The children are thin hlooded
and gaunt and pale and weak. standing
around in cold rooms. or pitching pen
nies on the street corner. and mun"i:ing
a slice of unbuttered bread when they
can get it. sworn at by paSscrshy be-
cause they do not get out ot the way,
kicked onward toward manhood or
womanhuod. for which they have no
preparation. except II depraved appetite
and fraIl constitution. candidates for
almhonse and penitentiary. Whatever
other cause of poverty may fail, the sa
loon may De depended on to furnish an
ever increasing throng of paupers. oh.
We grogshops of Brooklyn and New
York and of all the cities: ye mouths
of hell. when will We cease to cIaunch
and devour? There is no danger of
this liquor business failing. All other
styles Of business mt times fail. Dry
goods stores go under. Hardware stores
20 under. Grocery stores 20 under.
Harness makers fail. druggists fail,
bankers fail, butchers fail. bakers fail.
confectioners fail. hut the liquor deal
ers never. II is the only secure business
| know of. Why the permanence of
the alcoholic trade! Because. in the
first place. the men in that business. if
tight up for money. only have to put
into large quantities of water more
strychnine and logwond and nnx vomica
and vitriol and other congenial concom.
infants for adulteratinn. tine quart of
the real genuine pandenoniac elixir
will do ~ mix up with several gallons
Of milder damnation. Besides that,
these dealers can depend on an increase
of demand On the part of their custom
ers. The more of that stuff they drink,
the thirstier they are. Hard times,
which stop other business. only increase
that business. for men 20 there to
drown their troubles. They take the
spirits down to keep their spirits mp.
There is an inclined plane down which
alcoholism slides its victims claret,
champagne. port, cugnac, whisky. tom
and Jerry. sour mash. ON and down nm
til it Is Il sort of mixture cf Kerosene
oil. turprntinc. toadstools. swill. es-
sence Of the horse blankets and general
nastiness. With its red sword If flame,
that liquor power marshals its process
sion. and they move ON in ranks long
enough Ia girdle the earth. and the pro-
cession is headed hy the nose blutched,
nerve shattered. rhcun eyed. lip bluat-
ed, soul scorched inchriatcs. followed
by the women. who. though brought up
i'm comfortable homes. now go limring
past with aches and pains and pallor
and hunger and Woe. followed hv their
children. barefoot. uncomlied. freezing.
and with wretchcdness of time and
eternity seemingly compressed in their
agonized features. Forward. march,
cries the liquor business tp that army
without banners. Keep that influence
moving on. and you will have the poor
always with You. Report comes from
one of the cities. where the majority of
the inhabitants are ont of work and de-
pendent on charity. yet last year they
spent more in that city for rum than
they did for clothing and groceries.
THE IMPRoyIDENCE OF woRKMEN.
Another warranty that my tex: viii.
prove true in the perpetual poverty of
the world Is the wicked spirit Of i'm
providence. A vast number of people
have such small incomes that they can
not lay by in savings hank or life in
suIance on,' cot n year. IL takes every
farthinI they can earn to spread the
table and clothc the family and educate
the children. and ii you blame such
people for improvidence you enact
cruelty On such salary as many
clerks and employees and many minis
ters Of religion live. and on such wages
as many wurk;ncn receive. they cannot,
in 90 years. lay mp 20 cents. But you
know and | know many who have com
petent incomes. and could provide some
what Tor the future. who live up to every
dollar. and when they die their chill
dren go To the poorhouse or on the
street. by the time the wife gets the
husband buried. she is in debt to the
undertaken and gravcdiggcr for that
which she can never pay. While thc
man lived he had his wine parties and
fairly stunk with tobacco. and then ex-
pired. leaving his family upon the char
itics Of the world. Do not send for me
to come and conduct the obsequies and
read over snch Il carcass the beautiful
litugy. Blessed are the dead who die
in the Lord. for, instead Of that, i
will turn over the leaves of the Bible
tn Timothy V. Is. where il says: IF
any provide not Tor his own. and espc-
cially for those of his own horse. he
hath denied the faith. and is worse
than an iniidel. ur | will turn Ia Jcre-
miah xii, 10. where il says, He shall
be buried with the burial of an ass,
drawn and cast forth beyond the gates
Of Jerusalem.
Cannot imagine any more unfair or
meanei Thing than for man To- get his
sins pard"ue.l at the last minute. and
then go IT, heaven. and live i'll "a man
sion. and 20 riding about in golden
chariot over the golden streets, while
his wife aEd children. whom he might
have provided for are begging for cold
4 Million Friends.