The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-02
An Irretrievab1e Financial LOSS.

The New York Observer says: The
liquor traffic has many sides. 1t may be
that the financial side is less important
than some others, but it should not be lett
out of consideration. Broken hearts, ruined
homes and lost souls are results that cam
not be passed lightly, but for til; present
the money side is before us. A nation
cannot increase or decrease Its wealth az
will. 1t would be impossible to plant col.
ony of 100000 men in the Sahara desert
and each worth Sl,O00,000 in dozen days.
It is true, also. that if one-fourth of ma.
tion's capital is invested in any one lndus'
try not more than three-fourths is avail
able for all other lines of business. What.
ever money a man spends for liquor ne cam
not spend for anything else. We are inter-
ested to know whether Solomon told the
truth when he said that the drunkard
shall come to poverty He use the word
'winebibber,' but it can stand for the user
of any kind of intoXicants. This verse
links the drunkard with the glutton and
the sluggard-all are headed toward pow
erty. The word translated poverty has
more in it than our English word. The
rendering. This shows not only the poor
condition of the drunkard, but also the
course by which he has arrived there.
There are three leading causes tor the
drunkard's loss of property-the drunkarrd
himself; . the oppressor; drink;
Drink itself is one Of the most powerful
agencies for producing poverty. 10 pro,
cure it requires money. 1t is true that
much is given away among companions,
but what is so received is in the end the
most costly of all. Breweries and distiller:.
les INTEND, that every swallow shall be paid
for. and the final cost falls upon those, who
drink. When we learn that the sale of
malt liquors in New York City averages
more than barrel for every man, woman
and child; in Chicago and Philadelphia
nearly two barrels for each inhabltant: IN
Boston more than two barrels; in st. Louis
and Cincinnati more than three barrels: in
Newark, N. j., nearly five barrels, and in
Milwaukee seven barrels, do we doubt that
strong drink requires money? The above
figures do not include distilled liquors and
wines. The use Of liquor beeets desire ire
to squander money. Drink makes most
people liberal. Money is free as long as it
lasts Common laborers often come out of
a three days spree $25 or $50 poorer than
before. Ones own appetite requires a
larger expenditure, and the circle OF friends
increases to whom he feels under obligation
by the unwritten code of intemperance.
Gambling is inseparable from drinking in
this age. and furnishes new channel for
the outflow of money.
Drink also destroys the ability to earn
money. The capital melts away, and the
debt accumulates, if the man can find
credit. Business expeulency should put a
stop to drinking, if no higher motive can
appeal to a man. It is becoming harder
and harder for an incorporate man to Sc
cure a good job on the railroad. Some
roads will employ no man who goes into a
saloon, and will discharge an employe for
the first offense. Others that are less rigid
will give the sober man preference over an
other applicant for position who indulges
in drink occasionally. If one of two men
is to be discharged, the. temperate is re-
tanned and the incorporate dismissed. If
other things are equal. The ability of a
drunkard to- earn money is growing less
and less every year. Much of what has
been said about railroads is equally true of
other lines of business.
Zone might reply that the circulation of
money is essential to business prosperity.
That is true, but there is no circulation
about the drunkard's money. To circulate
means to 60 round and round, permitting
the same man to buy with it and sell for it.
That would be more like business, but
money spent for liquor does not circulate
it moves forward, but does not return. 1t
ends in the pocket of the brewer and dis
tiller, and the great majority Of it stays
there"