Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-12-22
The Custom of Treating.

prominent railroad man says: 'The
men of our profession know every Tom,
Dick and Harry from the Atlantic TO the
Pacific. We go into place to get drink,
and before we can leave we have had half
dozen or more drinks that we have had
to take as treat, or join in as treat to
Others" The consequence Is that they get
full" without previous intent simply out
of good fellowship, and others get "fu,l"
with them for like reason. This good fell
lowship, therefore, leads to excessive
drinking and drunkenness all around. Nor
can this be avoided so long as treating is
recognized as the expression OF courteous
treatment and good will among friends
and chance acquantances. Every railroad
man feels that, so long as this Gus
tom prevails, he cannot main
tain his standing among his boon
companions and business associates
without following it. To refuse to "stand
treat" would belittle him in the eyes OF his
fellows, make him appear small and
stingy, whereas railroad men are among
the most generous men in the world, and
justly pride themselves on their large
hearted generosity. Nothing hurts a
generous man like the charge OF meanness
and stinginess.
What is thus true of railroad men is true
of men, more or less, in the various ranks
OF business and of social life. From the
country men go to the village or city, and
get full' solely because they have met
acquaintances there with whom they have
passed the compliment OF good will too
frequently. Had they drank only as
their personal inclination prompted. they
would have returned home comparatively
sober. II not wholly so. In the city, after
the days work is ended, men go down
town" for recreation or shopping, with no
thought or purpose OF a carousul, and be-
fore midnight are beastly drunk, fighting
crazy. or maudlin foolish-all as the fruit
age OF the treating custom. Young men
everywhere are led into habits of drink
through this method Of induction, and
even boys find this the entrance door into
the wider fields of dissipation.
Three things result: Money is worse
than wasted that otherwise might have
been put to some beneficial and commend
able purpose; lives are wrecked that
otherwise might have been saved and
made a blessing to the world; families are
blighted that otherwise might have been
ornaments in society; hence, out of it
comes evil and only evil. Why, then, con-
tinue such a custom? If it he essential to
express good fellowship, let it be expressed
in some other way. Or, II we must treat
our friends, associates and chance ac-
quaintances to something, let us treat
them to something that, ut least, will not
be ruinous to them, their families and to
society. We ought to make men better,
and not worse. 1t may be that we think
We individually have a personal right to
but that cannot eXculpate US from the
woe pronounced upon him that "giveth
his neighbor drink, that putteth thy bottle
to him, and maketh him drunken also"
Well might this railroad man, already RS
ferred to, say that "This treating business
has got TO stop" Wisely has he organized
non-treating society among the agents
concentrating In Chicago. Wisely does he
propose to push it until it has a chapter in
every large city from Maine to California.
Cheering Is the success with which it is
meeting. Five thousand buttons and cards
were issued within the first few days; ten
thousand more were ordered; and up to the
present time the demand has exceeded the
supply. Surely the time seems to be ripe
for the movement. Why, then, not push
it? Assuredly every lover Of humanity
ought to lend 1t a helping hand. And why
stop with railroad men2 Why not include
every business man, professional man,
social man, young man, men of every class
where treating prevails and the curse of
excessive drink extends? Who can say
anything against movement of this kind?
Do away with the custom OF treating, ani
more than half Of the present drunkenness
will cease. Who, then will speak and act
for 1t? Will yOu?-Christian Work