Evening journal., 1916-01-24


ed and impoverished appearance, has
undergone a marvellous transforma- ,
ton They are sober. hopeful and
cheerful. They are becoming much
better fed and clothed. An expert
investigator made his report the other
day to the National Association OF
Life Insurance Presidents OF Amer
lea. that il the Russian empire con-
tinues sober for the next ten years, it
would save the lives OF a half a mill
lion men.
Liquor dealers are not in the busi-
ness because they enjoy Il. II is on
account OF the great financial prOdt.
Their position is much like that OF
the seasick man who was riding in
small boat on the Pacific Ocean out
TO the ~Cataline Islands. He was
bending over the side of the ship
seemingly throwing up everything he
had eaten for a week, when the cap
tain came along and said to him,
whats the matter. my friend, are
you sick?" He looked up at him with
woe-begone expression. as only a
seasick man can. and replied, You
don't suppose am doing this for fun.
do your
A saloon-keeper said to me not long
ago. "I despise this accursed business
as much as you do. Do you think"
said he. ut is pleasant for a man to
see, day after day. lot OF swearing.
splitting. puking drunkards?" "Then
why don't you get out OF the busi-
ness?" / asked. Because there is so
much money in it," he replied. "I
know am serving the devil and I ex-
pect to go to hell. The Bible says no
drunkard shall inherit the kingdom
of God and certainly then we fellows
who are making men drunkards will
not be saved "If the people OF this
country do not want us to continue
in this business. why do they give
us the license? They are Just as
much to blame for il as we are" And
what he said Is true. I have more
respect for that saloon-keeper, who
admitted he was serving the devil
/ than ! have for lot OF these spine-
less. cowardly church members. who
claim TO be respectable and religious.
And yet by this Indifference or con-
sent folks allow this hellish business
TO continue.
And there is another fact in this
connection that deserves attention.
The large part Of the money that is
spent for liquor comes out of the
pockets Of the working men: the most
of them poor men who can the least
afford to lose IT, Their innocent wives
and children are deprived OF the
comforts and necessities Of life. Many
a liquor dealer has been laying up his
ill-gotten gains at the expense OF the
hard. honest toll OF the day laborer.
Let me cite you a case in point:
A working man was asked by his
daughter one morning to give her fifty
cents to buy a graduating hat. "All
the girls in our class are going to
get a certain kind OF straw hat for a
class hat" The father replied. 81
have no money to spend for gradua-
ting hats" But that evening when
he was coming home from the fac
tory with a number OF assoc ties, they
passed a saloon and one of the mum
! Der said, Lets go in and take q
! drink" One after another treated
then it came his turn. He did no
want to be considered by his com
p panions to be stingy. Many a maj
: will spend his last cent simply to b.
! called a good fellow. Come up
boysl" he said, "and have the drink
on me-" He threw down a half dol
{ lar on the counter in payment. Jus
then the daughter Of the saloon-keep
er came to the rear door and calleI
to her father, who went back anC
spoke to her. The man heard the con
I versation. "I want fifty cents" shi
said. "What for. daughter" tn,
I co. fs,f
: hat" she answered. "All right" saiC
t he. and coming toward the front h
r picked up this half dollar which thii
J working man had just laid there ant
, gave il to his daughter to buy a hat
It taught that man a lesson. He said
, 81 have to work too hard for m!
money to give II to buy things To-
other mems daughters. My none,
hereafter will go to my own family.
) Not long ago / was invited into th'
= home Of a reformed drunkard. A yea
+ before he had turned his back upoi
= the old life and came out on the Lord
= side. As we sat there in the home
, the man pointed to the new carpet ol
e the floor, a new cook stove and Othe
: new furniture, a new organ he hal
y bought for his daughter. and as tn
S children came from school neatl
dressed, he said, This furniture AM
= clothing are some OF the things tina
( the saloons didn't get this year"
D One Saturday night recently, one o
= the workers. on the way to the meet
I ing. overlook a neighbor. a poor mai
= with large family Of small children
!, going down town with his market bas
e ket to get provisions for over Sun
:. day. Late that night the same work
f er. on his way home, overlook tn
i same staggering homeward drunk
(, with an empty basket. A world o
= meaning was contained in that pic
= ture.
o The story is told of a working mai
I who was addicted to drink. One Sat
- urday evening, after receiving hi
n weeks wages, he went to the salooi
4 and paid up his liquor bill and foun,
l. he had but little money remaining
Y Business men, be sure the saloon bill
y must be paid, even II the rest OF yol
have to wait for your money. Coin
G over TO the meat market to buy hi
e Sunday meat. he realized he woul
: either have 20 buy cheap meat. or g
L in debt, so he selected a piece o
o liver for their Sunday dinner. JUS
j. then the keeper Of the saloon wher
S he was accustomed to drink, came il
j. TO buy his meat What will yo
z have?" said the dealer. Il want
l. Dorterhouse steak" he said, "the bes
? YOU have" AS the merchant wa
g wrapping it up. this laborer said I
S himself. "Myl wouldn't my wife an
a Irf f.,f