The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-05-30
PRIZE GRAFTON IN
W. c. 7. U. CONTEST
Alcohol and the I.abOrer

The laborer undoubtedly holds the
most important place in the building
up of a nation, and in its protection.
How would the great industries of a
country flourish without the laborer?
They could not. How would a country
be protected without the common sail.
urs and soldiers, who are all of the
laboring class? 1t would be imposs-
ible. What would be done to help
beautjfy this old world without the
labUrer? Nothing. To be more par
ticular, what would become of the
great factories and mines, grain and
cattle ranches, cotton, corn and sugar
plantations Of the United States with
out the iaborer? What would become
of her great navy, ranking third in the
naves of the world, without the la
borer? What would be done to keep
up her beautiful buildings, forests and
parks without the aborer2 The an
swer remains Of the same import,
nohing.
But it is the laborer, more than those
of other classes, generally, who yields
most easily and quickly to temptations
to become Incorporate and dissipated
This is due chiefly to the fact that the
average laborer is not as vel educated
as, and consequently sees less of the
evils of intemperance than, people in
higher stations. And the greatest
( temptation of the laborer is to drink
Why? Because drink is generally
cheap, so that man can afford two or
three glasses of ueer in place of a
cigar, which would do him little or no
harm, and several glasses in place of
enough food to make him liable to in
| temperance in eating. Then, the drink
does more harm than smoking cigars
or eating intemperately. 1t attacks
and Injuries the drinker physically,
mentally and morally. Physically, be-
( cause 1t INJURIES and Weakens the mus
cles; mentally, because it weakens the
BRAIN and nervous system, and morally,
because It aids in slackening his
morals.
The physical strength of the man is
first attacked Though it seems at
first to stimulate and strengthen him.
it soon causes his muscles to lag and
get tired more readily than the muscles
of those who do not drink. Ii has been
proved, IN exhaustive tests, that the
iANh WIN hAethlu from any alcOnOilC
drinks can work harder and for longer
periods of time than those who take
beer or other drinks as stimulants. 1t
Is also well known fact, if not to all
people, at least 20 all physicians and
surgeons, that conyalescents, recover
ing from any disease like yellow fever
or malaria, or from wounds, such as
fractured bones, undergo a relapse if
allowed to take alcoholic drinks, and if
a man is allowed any wine or any other
similar drink soon after receiving a
wound, 1t is often impossible, and al
ways very difficult to prevent inhama-
ton of the wound setting in, which
sometimes causes death.
As the physical strength of drunk
ard must deteriorate, so must that of
his family, If he has one, aud especially
that Of his children The reason for
this is obvious. The money that should
be spent on good wholesome food, and
good physical and mental training. for
his children, is used to satisfy the
selfish cravings of the demon Drink.
when has hold of the man. Another
cause of this lack of good physical
growth in the children of the drinker