Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-08-19
TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT NOT
MORAL. ISSUE BUT BUSINESS
PROPOSITION.
DRINKING MEN ABSOLUTELY NOT
WANTED IN MANY OF
THE CALLINGS.
MANY RAILROADS ENFORCING
RULES TO THIS EFFECT
ON OR OFF DUTY.

| The temperance wave which swept
over the south last year has reached
the west, but its character has been
Ientirely changed, says the New York
Tribune. Instead of being a moral
wave. it has been transformed by
the busy westerners into a strictly
business proposition. Instead of he.
ing headed by ministers and Woman's
Christian Temperance union members.
the big business interests, which EN-.
ploy great numbers of workmen. are
the power behind the movement.
There are no pledges to be signed, no
blue ribbons nor white badges to
wear: no abstinence oaths to take
Instead o. these, there is the terse
order. IF you drink. you lose your
job
! The case of the Northwestern rail-
road may be cited Some time ago
employees of that system presented
the officials of the road with bound
volume containing the names of 40.
600 employees who had sworn off,
and agreed never to drink intoxicating
liquor again The pledge" had not
been required of them. yet the men
saw that the drinkers were being dis
chargtd ana we're unable to- get Jobs
oh other railroads,
Some months ago, when the Bur.
lington road began cutting its force
because of the financial depression.
orders Were issued to lay off the
drinking men. regardless of the length
of time they had been ~ the employ
of the compa1.t
"A man cannot be drunk tonight
AVID show up tomorrow ready TO give
his employer his best work." says
George w. Loomis, assistant TO General
Manager HCldrege of the Burlington.
, There was a time when EMPLOYERS
/ aid not care what their mea did
when off duty. But that time has
passed. We know we cannot ge. the
best work out of a man who drinks.
And we know that drinking man
though he never drinks when on
duty, Is not as safe as man who
never drinks at all. 1t is not a mat.
ter of temperance with the Burling-
ton; 1t is a matter of business, pure
land simple. We have made a very
strict rule against drinking, both when
on duty and when off duty
The American Express company has
also Joined the movement against
drinking, whether the man be on
duty or off duty. The superintendent
( the western division, with head.
qaurters in Omaha, says:
we find that almost every defal
cation has its beginning in drinking
II we find man drinking when off
duty he is warned The second time
he is discharged. If we find him
drinking on duty he Is discharged.
i The drinking, even when off duty,
often leads to gambling and other
bad habits, and the next thing there
is a defacation. Our men must not
drink, even when off duty"
The big packing companies in
cuth Omaha, which employ 10000
unskilled laborers, have not taken a
stand. AT least no attempts have
been made to prevent the men from
drinking when OF duty. The office
men and skilled workmen, however,
are not permitted to drink even when
not engaged on the companies bust
mess.
Like the other railroads, the UnioY
Pacific has drawn close lines over /.
employees where the use of liquors is
concerned, and all men found drinking
are discharged.
These employers insist that the
stand they have taken is not one
against drinking in general, but
against drinking by their employees.
The situation has scared the sa-
IloonkeeDers and brewers of the wes,..
Many of them are being driven out of
business, and in their efforts to pre-
vent the nondrinking rule from
spreading are going to many ex.
.tremes. They fear the vote Of the
prohibitionists, coupled with the bust
ness sentiment, win drive them out
entirely.
The state convention Of the Ne
braska Retail Liquor Dealers associ-
alton on June 3 went on record as be.
ing opposed 10 the saloon in politics
and formally disbauded any political
Organization existing among the sa-
lOonkeepers Of the state, Resolu-
'tions were passed unanimously agree
ing 10 keep out OF politics and not to
contribute one cent TO the campaign
fund Of any political party. no matter
what It's platform and promises.
The convention also gave notice
that fits members would fight the
dives in the larger cities and would
ASK the annumert Of the license OF
any saloonkeeper found violating any
law whatever. especially Sunday
closing and selling liquors after
hours.