The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-02-10
TO THE ROAD ovERSEERs OF BEAT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
GREAT FACTOR IN PROBLEMS OF LIFE
The Commercial WOrld is Waxing OH
Of Long Deep Sieeb.--a Day of Clear
Brains and Steady NerOes for the Bias
mess Man.

We are living today under laws that
require the study of the nature and eff
fects of stimulous and narcotics upor
the human system, in all the public
schools in the United States
Nearly four hundred years ago Eras-
mus wrote: "The world is waking out Of
a long sleep. The old ignorance is still
defended with tooth and claw, but we
have kings and mobiles now on our side
With reference to the study of Physi-
oiogy and Hygiene in the public schools
1t may be said that the great commercial
world is waking out of a long deep sleep
and that while the liquor interests are
still defended with tooth and claw, we
now have capitalists, employers, and cap
tains of industry on our side. The day has
already come when the boy, who has not
been taught in the school room the truth
concerning the dangerous effects of slim
uiantS and narcotics, and who has not
made that instruction an unalterable part
of character, has but small chance of any
place in the activities of the business
world. What is the probability of his
obtaining employment with the railroad ?
The New York Central system has this
rul e: "The use of intoxicants by en-
ployes while on duty is prohibited. Their
habitual use, or the frequenting of places
where they are sold, is sufficient for dis
missal." The Boston and Main rail-
road has the same rule, as also the Hud-
son. Indeed, 90 per cent of the rail-
roads of the country demand total abb
stinence on the part of employees; because
men, keen in business affairs, have learned
that alcohol, even in moderate quantities,
lessons the function of all the senses.
Surprising, however, the boy wishing
TO become a telephone or even a factory
worker, what are his chances of obtain
ing employment?
Since steam and electricity have become
the motive power of the industrial world
managers of great factories have studied
the effects of stimulants and narcotic.
and have reached the conclusion that they
cannot employ workmen whose brains
arc not clear and whose nerves are moi
steady where costly equipment and the
protection of hundreds Of lives are invol-
we'd Therefore these industrial managers
are demanding of their employees what the
Wyoming Light Company of Wilkes
barre, Pa, demanded of their linemen
''that they sign pledge to abstain from
intoxicating liquors while of, or on duty
or leave their employ" In the business
world, banking interests are of pre-emi-
nent importance of the employe must be
above reproach. Hence the rigid rule
of many of the large banking houses
that young men in their employ shall not
simply abstain the use of all intoxicants
but to be seen in any place where in
toxicants are sold, is a sufficient warrant
for their dismissal. When engaged they
sign a contract to this effect.
Even in the pursuit of agriculture the
same result is being achieved. Luther
Burbanks says that he can prove thai
even the mild use of stimulants and narcot-
les is incompatible with work requiring ac-
curate and definite concentration as is
the work of budding. Men fail here be-
cause of their inability to concentrate their
nerve force.
The result is that, from the truth
acquired to the effects of stimulants and
narcotics up on the system, we have IT
per cent of those engaged in agriculture,
81 per cent of those engaged in business
and SS per cent of the manufacturers of
the United States, demanding total abb
silence on the part of their workmen.
Now it becomes perfectly clear, in or