Temperance Progress.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 244, 26 January 1906, Page 2

Temperance Progress.

Ir. a recent American publication the chapter of “Temperance and Labor” shows to what a large extent partial or total abstinence is now insisted upon by employers of labor in America. “ Most of the great American steamship lines forbid their employees to use intoxicants whenfon duty ashore or afloat 0? forty-nine Ameriem railway companies who responded to an inquiry, twenty require t .tai abstinence of their entire staff on or off duty, and others make restrictions and give decided preference to abstainers. By a statute of the State of Michigan, no engine-driver conductor, or other having anything lo do with tbe working of trains, must use intoxicants as a beverage. An inquiry among employers of labor by the United States Commissioners of Labor in 1897, brought replies from 7025 establisbmente. In tbe great majority ot these the habit of using intoxicants is taken into account when new men are engaged. As many as 696 establishments insist on the total abstinence ot all employes, both on and off duty, and 1284 enforce this stringent rule on certain classes of their workers; 855 establishments forbid the use of intoxicants when on duly to ail their employes aud 692 to those engaged in certain occupations . The reasons given for these restrictions are interesting; iu 555 oases it is ‘ because of responsibility of positgon,” in 686 ‘ io guard against accidents,” in 65 cases for both those reasons combined and in 134 cases ‘ because of unreliability of drinking men.’ ”