Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-12-11

The mere value of the liquors drunk
bv the people in one year In the United
States is, therefore, nearly Fifteen Hum
dred Millions Of Dollars, or three~dfths
of the National Debit A9 the amount
of taxes paid by the retailers Is proper
tiona1e 10 the amount OF their sales, we
might safely assume that the real guam
titles sold are much larger; nut we are
content with the retailers own figures.
ant this is not all. In the msnufacture
of this amount of liquor it Is safe 20 es-
innate that the mateEiEi9 us9ds 1nc1u-
ding corn, rye, potatoes, hops, and
ofF,er crops. and the labor, are worth
fifTy lIer cent Of the liquors produced.
This leaves the disEillBrs and brewers
1et prOfit of one hundred Per cent. on
their active capital inVeSsa every time
It Is used, which surely ought TO De
enough, as they can turn snelr ca
tai four or i've times in 8 year. il this
estimate be correct, there are destroyed
or,cOnsumed in making these liquors.
s750. OOO. 600 worth of grains of various
kinds. potatoes, grapes, hops and LABOR
Il q. this value Of these articles Is de-
Quoted from the SUM total OF tho useful
industry of the country and contributes
in no degree to its support: Tne rye
consumed in making whisky Wou1o
nave made bread, and It's withdrawal
from the supply of rye for bread makes
averyz loaf Of bread 0eRreEs 50 OF The
other grains. Adding the v8kne OF the
fIod products and labor which are
Withdrawn from all useful eaaHs7esls enu
nracticallv destroyed II the Elanuiac
ture Of spirituOus liquors. We n1o the
total destruction Of values amount 20
a. $50 600 600 per year, or cons deraDle
more than the interest DesEiElg pOrtlOu
of the national debt.
But this Is not the entire taxation
which the people pay 70 Z sussain'. I 1 ret
/ m. s
still add the loss to tha laDors heaIn,
and industry of thaa paople which res
aTlIrs from It's consun1f 8F-s5gie nc
research has shown and scientinc men
substantially agree that A4conol con-
fains no uutritiYe principle whatever:
that IL acts while In the system ike
either chloroform or any other poison,
to 5eranRe the healthy action OF mind
and BODY: that all men, without excep
ton. can endure more heat or coAo5
more labor or exposure more oepriVA.
ton and pain, more mental or p1yalcai
ia no sooner taken than lungs stomach
skin. intestineB, and every other organ
combine in the common effort TO expel
IT, Indeed, the only instance IN WHICH
its utility is clearly proven Is when POI.
son has been introduced into the D4oou
as by snske-bite for instance, ana 4
is necessary to saturate the system WlGn
some antagonistic poison equally venO-
While the benefits of this vast waste
of wealth are thus reduced to the mini
mum. no limit can be assigned to the
evils resulting from its consumption IN
the form of liquors. Twenty-Five cents
worth of these fluids may unit man
for business; fifty cents worth may
place his entire property at the d1spD-
al of q syyindleE, and seventy-hve cents
worth NAV cause him to murder ms
wife. his parents, or his children. Bui
merely the time wasted in intoXtcation,
and the destruction of property result
Inc from the carelessness and crimes OF
intoxicated persons, may be estimated
at $500, ,000, 900 per annums ana even knls kl
| IL far below the truth. This brings our
annual taxation for Free Rum" up 70
| 81. SOC, ,0OO, 600, or considerably more
| than the entire principal ofthe national
| debit In other words, if there were no
spirltuous liquors drunk In the United
| States, the people would save enough
! thereby to pay of the entire national
] d abt Wtthin-ona veaT. The people o.
Great Britain, France. Prussia, Austria,
and Russia, could do the same with
their respective debts. Is sitnOt strangt
that the Democratic party should feel
so greivously the burden Ofthe national
debt, which taxes the entire population
of the United States less than one cent
per head per day, while they unan-
imOusly support Free Rum, which,
taxes the same people 81 rs per head
per dav.