The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05

ANANhAit <AAiiidhdS.
Diplomat. Graduated from journalism
into diplomacy in which he spent Il
years. Many years in England ano
France.
Statesman. Three years president OF
Pennsylvania, receiving no salary
Helped frame the constitution.
Scientist Proved that lightning and
electricity are identical.
Philosopher. Founded the American
Philosophical society and instituted the
movement which resulted i'll the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania.
SPECIAL STUDY.
Benjamin Franklin. the total alb
stainer.
why lie was called the Water Amer
ican'
Reading. selections from his autobi-
ography.
"At my first admission into this print
ing house / took to working at prose
ina ginning 1 felt want of the bodily
exercise 1 had been used to in Amer
lea, where press work is mixed with
composing. 1 drank only water; the
other workmen, nearly so in number
were great guzzlerS of beer. On occa-
sions 1 carried up and downstairs q
large form of type in each hand, when
others carried but one in both hands
They wondered TO see from this and
several instances. that the Water
American" as they called me, was
stronger than themselves. who drank
strong beer.
I'VE had an ale house boy WHO at
tended always in the house to supply
the workmen. My companion at the
press drank every day a pint for break
fact, pint at breakfast with his bread
and cheese. and a pint between break
fast and dinner, a pint at dinner an
other when he had done his lays
work. l thought it detestable custom
drink strong beer, that he might be
strong to labor. I endeavored to con :
vince him that the bodily strength af-
forded by beer could only be in pro-
portion to the grain or flour of the
barley dissolved in the water of which
it was made: that there was more
-four in a pennyworth of bread: and
therefore if he would eat that with a
pint of water it would give him more
strength than a quart of beer He drank
on. however and had four or five shil-
lings to pay out of his wages every
Saturday night for that muddling
liquor; an expense 1 was free from. And
thus these poor devils keep themselve 8
always under.
W aus, dIIeT some weeks, desiring 10
have men in the composing room, 1 left
the pressmen. A new bien venu or sum
for drink, being five shillings. was de-
manded of me by the compositors. l
thought it an imposition. as I had paid
below; the master thought SO, too, and
forbade my paying it. l stood out for
two or three weeks, was accordingly con-
sidered as an excommunicate, and had so
many little pieces of private mischief
done me. by mixing my sorts. transposing
my pages, breaking my matter, etc, If /
We're ever so little out of the room. and
all ascribed to the chapel ghost, which
they said ever haunted those not regu,
iary admitted, that Notwithstanding the
masters protection. l found myself
obliged to comply and pay the money,
convinced OF the folly of being on i'll
terms with those one is to live with con-
tinually.
II was now on a fair footing with them,
and soon acquired considerable influence
| proposed some reasonable alterations
in their chapel laws, and carried them
against all opposition From my example
a great part of them left their muddiing
breakfast of beer and bread and cheese.
finding they could with me, be supplied
from a neighboring house with large
porringer of hot water Cruel, sprinkled
with pepper, crumbed with bread and a
hit of butter in 1t, for the price Of a pint
OF beer, viz, three half pence. This was
more comfortable as we'll as cheaper
breakfast and kept their heads clearer.
Those who continued sotting with beer
all day were often, by not paying, out
Of credit at the ale-house, and used TO
make interest with me to get beer; their
light. as they phrased It, being out.
watched the pay-table on Saturday night,
and collected what I stood engaged for
them, having to pay sometimes near Sc
shilings a week on their accounts. This
and my being esteemed a pretty good
riggite, that is iocular, verbal satirist,
supported my consequence in the society
My constant attendance q never making
st. Monday (By ST. Monday Mr..
Franklin means that he never turned
Monday into n holiday as other work
men did, who when paid Saturday night
squandered their earnings in drink and
were good for nothing before Tuesday,
recommended me to the master; and my
uncommon quicl<ness at composing occa-
stoned my being put upon all work of dis
ratch, which was generally better paid
| So | went on now very agreeably'
"A penny worth on bread eaten will
water gives more strength than quart
Of beer said Franklin, and Kaiser Viii
| helm of Germany is now urging the same
truth upon the German soldiers and sail
ors for the world has awakened to the
| truth which Franklin taught.
Beer is very injurious to health and
| destructive to life. Kant in 1751
| Beer Is a far more dangerous enemy
TO Germany than all the armies oil
| France. Won Moltke.
Drink stupefies and besots. Bis
marck.
''If | could destroy tomorrow the desire
for strong drink in the people Of Eng
land, what changes we should see We
should see our iails and warehouses
empty: we should see more lives saved II
- months than are consumed In a century
of bitter and savage war."--Mr. JOSEPH
| Chamberlain in 1874.