The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-09-19
The Curse of the Poor.

| | believe the experience OF everyone
who lives and has lived among the
poor whether it be Catholic priest or
Protestant clergyman, Sister Of Char
ity or district visitor, charity organ
ization agent or Brother of st. Vim
cent de Paul, will bear me out in my
conviction that nine-tenths, If not
ninety-nine hundredths, of the actual
restitution among the poor is to be
traced, directly or indirectly, to hab-
its Of drink. 1t is not, as general
rule, the drunkard himself who has to
pay the heaviest penalty, at least in
this world, for his intemperance. 1t
is too often the helpless wife and the
neglected children who have to bear
the burden OF their fathers sin. There
is scarcely city or town In the
whole world from which all abject
poverty would not practically disap-
pear if the vice of drunkenness could
be banished. OF course there are. be-
sides, a number of instances of desti-
tuition in no way connected with
drink. The sudden death or long i'll
ness of the bread winner of the fam
| lily will, from time to time, cause a
very acute phase of misery and want.
The poor helpless mother, with her
hungry brood, is as sad a sight as well
can be. But such cases are exception
al, and men do not legislate for ex-
ceptions. Such needs can easily be
met and are met in every well organ
lied community, by Christian charity.
They are also Of their very nature on
! ly temporary. Even the poor widow
left destitute with half dozen little
ones, if she is at all deserving, is sure
to find friends and obtain employment.
The pinch of poverty may be severe
for time, but ia our complex civil
! izaton there is work for all who have
willing hands and an honest heart.
Add to this that the advance of hab-
its of thrift, the increased facilities
for insurance, and the growing sense
of the duty of providing for such con-
tingences make the occurrence Of acute
cases of unforeseen distress tend con-
tinually to diminish.
There is another point that Is worth
considering. Does large family tend
in the long run To greater poverty? 1t
may for the first few years after mar
riage. But this is not, as rule, the
time when the pinch is felt. Both
father and mother are in the prime of
their health and strength, and the
difficulty of finding sufficient means of
support is, in the case of the indus
j trious and sober, exceedingly rare. 1t
is usually In later life that the pinch
comes, If it comes at all. 1t is when
middle age, or a life of hard labor, OF
some unforeseen sickness or accident,
brings with it a lessened energy, and
the need of more generous living. II
is when the hair begins TO grow gray,
and the once upright form is bowed
by advancing years, that hunger and
poverty are most to be dreaded.
From "Neo- Malthusianism" by the
Rev. r. +. Clarke, S. j., in North
American Review for September.
A stomachful of undigested food is
about as unhealthy a mass as one
can well imagine.
What can be done with it?
There it stays. 1t won't digest
1t churns up, ferments and decays
becomes poisonous as all putrid
matter does and causes great pair
and deep seated disorders.
In order to change all this, take
Shaker Digestive Cordial.
| 1t stops fermentation and decay
at once, so that no more poisons are
created.
/ 1t clears the stomach of poisons al
ready there. 1t helps it to turn thu
food that remains, into healthful
nourishment. 1t strengthens the
stomach for the next meal
Here is the whole philosophy and
cure Of indigestion in few words
And what's more, it's all true. Try
it.
Shaker Digestive Cordial is fol
sale by druggists, price 10 cents t.
} $1.00 bottle.