The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-05
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF lNTEMPERkNcE:
One Million, Two Hundred Thousand
Railway Men, Along 275.Ooo Miles OF
Track, Operated Under Practical Total
Abstfnenca-Ma almond Ideal Changing

Railway Men, Along 275,000 Miles o.
Track, Operated Under Practical Tota
Abstinence-Manhood Ideal Changing
What q vision is that which OUT
railway speciar' to-day unfolds of
100000 railway men, along 215,OW
miles of track, sunder practical total alb
Stinence?
What a testimony to the worth OF
abstinence and the harm of intoxicants,
that hard. headed railway managers,
looking at the matter. from purely bust
ness reasons, insist that their men
shall maintain the strictest temper
ance always and everywhere, and on
duty absolute abstinence.
This requirement is the more effect
I've because this extent Of track not
lines, but crosses and recrosses, inter
laced and interviewer through all our
civilization like the veins, arteries and
nerves through the human body. And
Just as these blood vessels and nerves
give character to the flesh which they
everywhere traverse for good or i'll, SO
these hosts of railroad men have indu.
ence in the communities in which they
live. They are not q wandering class,
but assigned to definite sections within
which they may readily be found.
They rent houses, trade at groceries,
buy clothing and furniture and schoo
books. They are companions of men
in other lines Of business, and the
ideals Of adventurous, ambitious boys.
1t counts for much that their influence
should everywhere be for temperance.
These men earn more than $6T5,OOO,
600 in wages. Since this is not spent
for liquor it is spent commonly for
worthier things, invested in homes or
laid up in savings banks. No wonder
the liquor trade raves at the rules that
shut it off from plundering these wages
which it views as its rightful prey!
But for the country what an eco
nolnic gain that these millions of wages
should lie expended for those things
the production of which makes the
real, tangible wealth of the nation!
The gain for the travelling public can
be but partially expressed by figures.
Yet it is much to know that nearly
100000 persons are carried safely for
one who is killed, and nearly 100000
for one who is injured. An indulgence
in drink in what is called "moderation'
would quickly and disastrously change
all this. This excellence of the Amer
lean system of abstinence is attracting
the attention of other nations, as our
German and Mexican dispatches show,
and winning not only admiration, but
imitation.
This example must spread to other
lines of business in an ever widening
circle. Industrialism is intent and
alert. What works we'll for business
in one line is sure to be caught up by
other lines.
The same demand is already pervad-
Ing our mail service. Who ever catches
the odor of liquor in the breath of a
letter carrier? How long could such a
man hold his place? A high official Of
the Postofice Department said to US
recently! I'VE require of U postal
clerks absolute total abstinence when
on duty-absolute, sir! Otherwise we
could not trust them to handle the
mail. We, used to pay no attention to
what they did when off duty, but now
we have found that this also is impor-
tant. and we require temperance and
good behavior at all times. Men who
fail in this we are compelled to dis
charge for the protection Of the pub
lic."
Events move quickly in these steam
and electric days. The time is fast
coming when the drinking man will
not be able to find employment any
where. He will be everywhere dis
counted and displaced by his comrade
who is more efficient and trusty be-
cause free from any touch of intemper-
ance.
The ideal Of manhood is changing.
Once tie hardest and heaviest drinker
who could yet keep from helpless
drunkenness was deemed the manifest
man. But as avenue after avenue Of
high activity is closed to the drinking
man, the ideal Of manhood will come
more and more to that of Il strong
enough to do his work without the
Btimuius of liquor while on duty, and
noble enough to find higher pleasures
in the intervals OF work that shall
leave MIN not less but more competent
to take up his work successfully
again.-The New Voice.