Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-01-05
WHO IS TOBLAME?
Dear Editor:

&~~~~~~%~~~%%% :
Dear Editor:
In answer to your query of last
week, "Who is to blame the jug the
individual, or the systemY' l here
with hand you working mans bill
of fare, and ask you to give it to your
readers. For me to say that am glad
Of this little editorial fails to express
it. l perceive that you with many
Others are very enthusiastic against
the sale of intoxicants aud verify be-
lieve this a cure all for all our t1oub-
les l grant that you are both honest
ana earnest and beg to assure you that
| mean to be so as far as the system
will allow me So with the very best
of feeling herewith submit a work
ingman's bill of fare as follows:
John Jones has a family of five and
works for the Nashville and Chatta
nooga Railroad Co on the section at
81. 90 per day, working from sun to
sun. He pays for a two-room house
81. 90 rent per month; he pays for 1
ID. of meat, 2Oc, for 80 days, S. 90;
for ! qt. OF milk, 80 days, ST. So for
fuel, So 90 for butter, . lbs per week,
900; for 90 lbs. of flour, 1 month,
81. so; for / bu meal, $500; for lard
or substitute, 81 90; for sugar, $500;
for coal oil, 25c; for vegetables, 10c
per day, $500; tea and coffee, Sun
days, 95c soap, per month, 15c; daily
paper, per month, to keep him in ig-
norance, 40c. Total for month, $24 o.
If am too liberal in any item,
please show us where.
Now for clothes as it is against the
law for one to 60 without in this state
For husband for year suit, sbod-
dy clothes, $1,000; hat, shoddy,
81. 90; 1 pair boots, must wade bitches.
SO, so; . ducking shirts, 81. 50; 2 pair
socks, 40c; pair overalls, 75c.
For wife, for one year, calico
dresses and trimming, $500 I pair
shoes, 81 50; . pairs hose, 40o; bon
net, 25c; . wraps, S1.00; underclothes,
So 90.
Clothing and snoes for children,
3d. 80 1-3 each, $40 co.
Total for clothes for year $33 90.
For / month divide by ~ which
equals, $2.77. Monthly expenses ad-
ded, $24 05, makes total monthly ex
penses, $685. SO. He must work nights
or Sundays to pay the bill, and I for
got to adj anything for a jug
am fully aware of the fact that
there are very few papers and preach
ers in our country but who and which
are earnestly fighting the liquor traffic
as being the greatest evil in our land.
I want to state further that l believe
them to be honest but don't see as |
do
Here is census report of 1900, show
ing %. per cent unemployed. This
means the country as a whole, but in
the industrial centers of the North and
East the per cent, OF unemployed rang
ed from 30 to 60 per cent. See census
of Massachusetts, Page 10, for 1895.
Worse by far now. Again, I refer you
to the 18th Annual report U. S. Labor
Commissioner of 1903 for the cause of
idleness and consequently the cause of
poverty, misery and distress:
81 per cent. by establishments clos
ing; per cent. by vacation; 2 per
cent. by bad weather; 3 per cent. by
strikes; per cent. by accident; 6 PER
cent. not given; one-fourth of 1 per
cent. by drunkenness.
Now, Mr. Reader, I am in dead
earnest, and I am going to make this
so plain that you can't help but see it
Keep in minl the working mans
bill of fare, and Commissioner Wright's
cause Of unemployment
About six thousand years ago God
told Adam in the Garden that he must
till the ground and eat bread in the
sweat of his face, and he told Eve she
should be the mother of the children,
Thee commandments hold good to this
day, and when you find a man or WON
an who will not comply with them,
you generally find persons who are
about as mean as the devil wants them
to be There are only three ways to
obtain the blessings or things of life
we call wealth. Work tor it, have it
given to you or steal it, and when you
see man dressing in purple and fine
linen aud living on the fat of the
land, aud doing no work at all, and
no one is giving it to him, you may be
sure he is stealing it. Then according
to the census reports of our (no, their)
government, the workers are robbed of
from rs to 50 Ter cent. CT what they
produce. In other words, it is stolen
from them by thieves. Now before
you get MAJ at me, | will tell you
what thief is. Let us see if we can
agree. will give you the truth, and
the truth will make Us free.
The man that takes what you have
while you are asleep is thief, or
called so; the man who holds revol-
yer in your face and takes your mon
ey is a daylight robber, and the man
that hires LAWYERS to make a law