, 1873-06-01
Or Gb1fagn U2ib111&.
Sunday Morning, June I, 1878.

Sunday. Morning, June I, 1873.
EXPENDITURES FOB DRINK.
Areport Of the Excise Commissioners OF the
City Of New York discloses that in that city there
are 8.4o3 places where liquor is sold at retail,
which is equal to one saloon for ovezy 115 OF the
population In the City Of Chicago there are
1850 licensed places for the retail Of liquor.
Adding to these the vurious other places where
LIQUOR ia cold and drank on the premlseH, and
which pay no license, the aggregate number may
be fairly stated at z 5oo Assuming the total pop
ulation at 35o, ,0o0, this furnishes one saloon for
each 14o persons Of all nges in the city It is curl
GUS to inquire the proportion Of the population
who visit and support these saloons. The cen
sus tables put the proportion Of population IN
Illinois under Is years Of age at tiTe-e1evenths
of the whole This would give of this age in
Chicago about $4,000. OF the remaining
1872, 1000 population, $4,000 are women. These
two classes may be safely computed as non
drinking, or not patrons Of tho saloons. They
number 248.000. This lea7es for the num-
Der Of males over Is years Of age
100000. But the whole male popu1a-
ton Of Chicago do not visit and pat
xonize drinking saloons. There must be
deducted the thousands Of boys who do
not visit the saloons, and the adult males who
do not drink liquor at all. Then there is avery
large class who only drink at home, and who
never visit saloon. Tbs numbers of these can
only be estimated. The following table will, per-
.haps, approximate the true numbers Of those
who do not visit drinking saloons at all
l. Children under Is years Of 900
2. Females over Is 10000
8 Boys ever Is years 1900
4. Adult male tcetotale1z. 10000
s. Males who drink at home. 15,0oo
Total. 900
leaving o4 thu number Of Lob;lual 1egu1a1
customers, Of the saloons $4,000 persons. This
number di7ided by the number Of drinking places
gives about Is persons for each saloon This is
not too low. OF course, it applies only to the resi-
dent population. It should be remembered that
in all large cities there il 3 constant influx OF
strangers. and the better Glasses Of these eBtab-
Ishments derive great portion Of their support
from those who spend but short time in the
city. TIE whole Northwest, so far as it travels,
finds it's way to Chicago during the year, and, ex-
cept comparatively small percentage, these
visitors patronize the saloons, bi1liard-has, and
restaurants literally during their stay here.
Nevertheless, the fact that $500 places for
the sale of liquor and beer at retail are support
ed and maintained shows the large amount OF
money expended in them. These $500 saloons
support as many families they pay large rents
and employ expensive help. Estimating their
annual average profits from the sale Of liquors
Of all kinds at tie moderate sum Of $4,000 each,
the aggregate profit annually is 97,5 900. As.
fum;ng that this profit is about 25 per cent
Ion the amount received from the sale oi
liquor, and we have as the aggregate Of sa1eE
OF liquor by retail in this city sso,ooo,0o {
year, which is, perhaps, below rather thai
above the actual figures. Il to this sum b
edded the large expenditure for cigars ant
tobacco, any one can compute for himself hov
much is expended annually in q city Of this siz'
for drink and smoke at retail. :.
There arc PERSONS who Till be startled by thest
figures but Chicago is not peculiar Like e1
penditure for like objects is made in all parts o1
the country, including Boston, where prohibition
is the law, and in all parts OF the civilized world
The fact is established that very large proper
ton Of the earnings OF every people is expended
for stimulauta and narcotics in one form or m
other. No law or regulation ever made by Gov.
ernment has everhad any effect in restraining this
appetite Of mankind The expenditure for Liquor
actually consumed is by no means confined to
the saloons. The more expensive and better
grades Of wines and liquors are consumed in the
privacy Of the domestic household. There has
been at all times . war made upon the use of in
*o5icating drinks, but it has hardly made any
percoptible impression On it's consumption. No
legislation has ever been effectual in breaking
no its use, though in small communities it
may have suppressed its public sale at retail.
Under these circumstances, would it not
be wise policy On tho part Of those
who go zea1ouRly derote themselves to
the extirpetion Of intemperance, to apply some
Of their energy to tho correction Of the great
frauds and injuries done by the sale Of poisoned
t7ecoctions, under the name Of liquor, which are
really nine-tenths Of Ell that is consumed
II man will drink, is it not great end accom-
p1ished il he can be induced to substitute beoz
or pure wine for alcohol ? And It he insists on
drinking alcohol, would it not be something
gained il he was not allowed to purchase tusel
oil, or drinks compounded Of stTychnine and
other deadly poisons2
The exhaEagance and bigotry Of certain
Church newspapers almost pass comprehension.
The United Presbyterian OF Pittsburgh, speak
ing Of the falling Of the bridge at Dixon, says !:
.sTha Christian conscience throughout tho