Moderate Drinking: One Reason Why Some Are Always Poor.

Moderate Drinking a Losing Business, or one reason why some are always poor. — Por Richard says “A small leak will sink a ship;” but of all leaks, that which is made in a man’s pocket by ardent spirits is the worst. A few simple details will render manifest the want of many comforts brought upon a family, by the use of strong drink.– Able-bodied, industrious, laboring men receive, one day with another, 75 cents per day, for 300 days out of the 365. This will be $222.50. Now if a man apends 12.5 cents per day for liquor, and few drinking men spend less, it will amount to $37.50.

Let us see what this would do toward making a family comfortable, taking advantage of the best season for laying in supplies. With it a man might buy
2 bbls. flour at $5 – $10.00
20 bushels potatoes, at 25cts. – 5.00
2 cwt. pork at $4 – 8.00
50 lbs. sugar, at 7 cts. – 3.50
4 lbs. tea, at 75 cts. – 3.00
10 lbs. coffee, at 18 3-4 cts. – 1.87 1/2
——
$37.37 1/2

Here, then, is small list of supplies which, though not all that a family requires, will, as far as they go, greatly add to their comfort; and for the want of which many families suffer. And why? What need of suffering? The money the above articles cost, expended by little and little goes for that which not only does absolutely no good, but a great deal of hurt. The effect of this liquor is to make men less kind, less affectionate, less attentive; and if he does not become decidedly intemperate, his moral sensibilities are blunted, and he is rendered a less valuable member of society. And if this course be continued ten years, three hundred and seventy-five dollars will be thrown away–enough to buy a good farm in– Michigan.

Reader, are you a laboring man, and do your drink ardent spirits? Peruse the above statement again; sit down and calculate your losses, and commence at once the work of reform, and hereafter expend the money, now paid for liquor, in making your family comfortable, and in giving education to your children.