The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 45
A Whisper in the Ear of My Grocer
A Whisper in the Ear of My Grocer.
Good Friend, Will You Help Us? We are trying to help on in the work of freeing the land from the curse of drunkenness. There has never been so much interest in the temperance work as there is just now. Never has there been so general disposition on the part of all classes of the community to do their share, as there is to-day. Drunkards are seeing the foolishness of spending their money and their health in strong drink, and are trying to give up their bad habits. In many and notable instances, people who have made their whole living by the sale of liquors, have entered into a solemn pledge and covenant to abandon the business and engage in something more creditable to themselves and less destructive to society.
Now, we come not to abuse you, or to say hard words to you, but simply to whisper in your ear a kind word of suggestion.
If, in addition to your stock of groceries, you keep a stock of wines and other liquors, you are, even though unconsciously to yourself, helping to make drunkards, and hindering the cause of temperance.
It is said that your customers must have wines for cooking purposes.
But in almost every grocery store a variety of liquors may be found, the most of which are never used in cookery at all, but are consumed by bibulous members of the families who purchase them. The mischief which results from this use of liquors is at least as great as if the drinking was done at the bar of a groggery.
It is said that your sales of liquors are made in a respectable and quiet way, and that they are consequently no nuisance to society.
Respectable enough, and quiet enough, verily. You keep no "disorderly house," Your patrons do not disturb the neighbourhood of your store by midnight brawling. No helpless drunkards are kicked from your door or rolled unconsiously into your gutter. Yet there is many a "bottle in the closet" purchased at just such stores as yours, from which the head of the family is quietly drinking himslf into the most hopeless kind of drunkenness. His drunkenness is of the kind which has not even the merit of conviviality. Keeping in his pocket the key of the private closet containing bottled, flask, and demijohn, purchased with the rest of the "family supplies" at your establishment, he stealthily imbibes his daily and mightly draughts, unaware that anybody is noticing the inroads which the habit is making on his constitution. At last the truth comes out that he is a slave to it. It is too late for him to reform or he thinks it is; and he goes down, down, down from affluence, and from the patronage of a first-class grocery, to shabbiness, poverty, groggeries, and disgrace, in many instances bringing up at the poor-house.
It is said that you keep the best of liquors, and that you sell it only "in original packages."
Suppose it is the very best. Suppose it is in the bottles in which it was originally put up. Suppose it is very costly, as well as very "original." How does that help the matter for the poor fellows who drink it? A man can get as drunk on brandy at twenty dollars a gallon, as he can on the benzine whiskey which is sold at the low drinking-places. He can ruin himself as certainly on the costly wines he buys at your counter, as on bottled "Jersey lightning" at three shillings a bottle.
Now, good friend, all that we ask of you is to unite with those who are willing to give up the sale of intoxicating liquors, and confine yourself to a legitimate grocery business. If your customers actually need liquor for medicinal use, it is to be had for that purpose at the drug stores. If they want to get drunk, there are nearly 5000 places in Victoria where they can buy all sorts of liquor; and in other places the proportion of drinking-shops to population is almost as great. Surely there is no need that you should thus add to the general stock of misery, on the plea that your customers would have to go without liquor unless you sell it to them.
You Can help us. Will you? It may seem to involve some sacrifice on your part, but in the long run it will pay. Please to give the matter your thoughtful attention, and make up your mind what you will do. Will You Sign This?
We, The Undersigned, Grocers. do Hereby Promise and Agree That We Will Not Hereafter Sell, or Allow to be Sold, In our Stores, Intoxicating Liquor to any Person; and That we Will Heartily, and in Good Faith, Perform This Obligation.