The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-10-20
PRINTERS AND DRINK.
An Old-TImer Tells of the DemOraliM-
ing Eject of Latter on the
Former.

| nee, was the proud reply given by
a young man who had applied for adj
mission to New England's foremost
theological seminary, when asked the
name of his college. The authorities
of the seminary wisely recognized the
| high standard of his alma mater, and
promptly admitted the applicant.
Printers are, as a class, the most in
| telligent workmen in the world.
| Housed up in some great building,
| bending over their eXacting task, lit
| tie is seen of them by their neighbors,
| yet these men and women, too, nova
| days, are engaged in a work, the least
item of which will be eagerly scanned
a few hours or days later, by myriads
| of eyes. Shy and taciturn before stran-
gers your journeyman printer may be.
especially when off duty, yet he is apt
to be voluble and even brilliant when
| in his native habitat, the composing
room. Alas, that it must be added, our
friend too frequently attempts to
heighten the value of his good Tins
when off duty, by resorting to strong
| drink. The pendulum that is forced
far in one direction by the exacting
nature of his work, tends to swing as
violently in the opposite direction. .
Direct testimony, therefore, by one
who belongs to this large and impors
tant class, as to the ruinous effect of
alcohol as a stimulant, is of peculiar
value. An old-time printer recently
told something of his experiences, in
our presence. He has long been identi-
| fed with all branches of the business,
and is therefore entitled to hearing
He said: twenty-five years ago the
| dring habit was almost universal
among printers, of whom am one Of
which, as Artemus Ward might say.
l served my apprenticeship of three
| years i'll country office, and well do
| recall the weekly sprees of the boys
from foreman down. Beginning early
| Saturday night they would seek out
congenial companions and, attired in
their Sunday best, wander from saloon
to saloon, playing cards, billiards and
| other games, drinking all the time. /
| recall one young man who boosted
that upon certain occasion he drank
no less than SO glasses of beer between
sunset and sunrise. On Sunday after
| noon in the beer gardens or Turner
halls the debauchery was usually re-
newed, and great was the frolic and
| happy were the hours, from their
standpoint, which were enjoyed by
those nimblewitted printers. Each
week they fairly succeeded in paint
| ing the town red But you should
have seen these men on Monday morn
ing. They presented a sorry spectacle.
| Fortunately for me, my parents dis
couraged all participation in drinking
| bouts, so that the new week found me
| strong and ready to work. But the
beer-guzzlers came slouching in, blear-
eyed, unsteady of nerve, husky of
voice, stiff ointed, irritable of tenn
| per, and usually dead broke 1t was
not until about Wednesday noon that
| Richard was himself again. and the
terrible effects of the 'Katzenj ammer'
had quite disappeared. l have been
associated mostly with German print
ers, and this word Katzenjammer sug-
| 3 NS'S u WI ~ VI N@Ol VI > " lutIl. L ub
word means cat lamentations,' and
If you have ever listened to the walls
of lost cat, you can form some con-
ception of how these topers feel when
SOLDERING up after big drunk. have
known German compositor piteously
to beg on Monday morning for a dime
to get "a bracer,' as he called it, before
going to work.
But it was not until took a posi-
ton on a great daily" continued the
| speaker, that 1 saw the full measure
OF the drink evil among compositors.
| We went to work at six o'clock in the
evening, and usually got in the last dis
patches shortly before three o'clock in
the morning. All was smooth sailing
during the first part of the night, but
after the last street car had ceased
running, and midnight tolled over the
sleeping city, the drinking men began
to feel the need of their favorite
stimulant. There was a standing rule
prohibiting the use of beer during
working hours, but this rule was easily
evaded, and after a glass or two, the
'click-clack of the type went on mer-
rier than ever. During short period
l was invariably distanced by these
thirsty souls, but long before one
O'Clock came the ebbtide of their
strength, making of the last hour a
terrible grind. Though not stronger
than others, my weekly earnings were
larger, solely, l think, because l let
the saloon severely alone. Occasion
ally still meet some of the boys, and
though many of them were once we'll
favored and talented, they now appear
anything but good-loolling and seem
prematurely old and decrepit."
We have only to add that could the
bottom facts be known, doubtless the
more thoughtful and observing men of
other occupations could give similar
telling manifestation Signal.
Brewers Are Worried.
At the recent meeting of the Nation
| al Brewers association at Atlantic Civ