The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-07-27
w. CT. U. COLUMN.
BY MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS.


Poverty and Crime.
Archbishop Ireland, the we'll
known Catholic bishop of Minne-
sofa, very properly charges the
drink traffic with the poverty and
crime Of his fellow-countrymen, and
we are dioposed to think that he is
right.
"What is that keeps the Irish
people in these low conditions?
THE saloon. Thither goes the mon
ley earned by the sweat Of the brow
thence do men issue broken down
lin health and strength, to swell the
lists of idlers and paupers. Our|
disgrace and our misfortune is theI
number of Irish saloon keepers. II
blush for the old race when ! walk
. .along the streets of our cities, and
read over doorways Irish names pre-
.. facing so seldom the words, Bank,
''Commission House, Dry Goods
Store, so often the words Saloon,
Wines and Liquors. Imported
Liquors. To what base uses noble
: names have come! Compute in
any one city the sums spent by lr-
ishmen in Irish saloons, and you
will be affrighted. In one western
city of America, there are / 800 sa-
: looms kept by Irishmen for the ben
left Of Irishmen. Allow the average
= receipts for each saloon to be fifteen
y dollars per day, you have an annual
;, }, expenditure for liquor, by the Irish
= of that city of $S,212. 500. Add to
these sums the value OF time
lost through drink, of wages un-
earned because men visit saloons,
: and $12, 100000 per annum is moi
too high figure to represent the
annual losses to the Irish Of one
city. Repeat the calculation with
proportion from st. Paul to New
'e York, from Boston to Philadelphia
and you will know why we are poor
D. 1t is idle to talk, to advise people L
secure homes of their own, to leave
+ the crowded cities, to gain by labo
and economy competence for them
selves and their families; we mus
u Law the axe to the root Of the evil
~ which is swallowing up their earn
% ings.
"The lists Of culprits with lrisl
names appearing before the munic
ipal courts, filling municipal Jail
nc and reformatories, fill us with hor
ror. Well they may. Let US tel
NJ the truth-thc world is telling it 10
ny US: but the world tells it for on
shame, while we will tell il that tn
world may be no longer able to te
il. Irish names, doubly more tina
IN our due proportion in America
an cities will allow, arc inscribed 0
our court registers. What a sham
en- for the Irish race! What dis
ne grace to religion! Who could Dc
OF fend them, if comparisons can d'
IN fend? The most shocking sins
the land are absent from Iris
homes. Weighed before God
the scales Of perfect justice, the |
ish crimes are often slight and pa
donable before the crimes Of mo-
favored classes, who are nev'
me- dragged into court. But what
this in the public mind? Who wi
len explain as we do, or see as we d'
The shame and scandal remain
Have YOU studied the causes
Der these crimes? ! have tried to stuo
them. and in large cities ] ha'
,auestioned judges and police 9
lnd icers. and here is the fact: Nine
per cent, at least, Of all Irish Grim
are traceable, directly or indirectl
to drink. The power Of rum
ga produce crime, great among all el
ments Of the population, attains 81
cial proportions among the IRIS
the As things are, we appear lar mo
,ed- criminal than we should be. Su
INV press rum, and no other element
be- 1.-The population compares with us
,er freedom from crime.
INV "Statistics which could be ~
'r' nished by priests laboring amo
the Irish people, better than tho
of statesmen, would tell the evils
not drink. Where is there sin? Wht
YER are children neglected? Where
ard there cursing and quarrelin
lces Where is innocence driven to
ieu' spair? Where are souls To-
Where whisky enters. Questl
il YOU may the damned souls OF
ish Catholics amid the flames
',,'s ., hell. am sure, if they were to I
'no swer. no one cause Of damnati'
~ - they would tell you, compares "
49, rum. II is rum that nulllfies
.,"o i"o the potent influences OF religlo
: "'so and dries up the sacred channels
grace"
- -
ural Is il the duty of the United Sta
grow government to make it easy for u
ke 10 get drunk and difficult for tn
ntax, onharo