The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-04
Report of Committee on the Liquor Traf.
flc in Maryland.

Your committee appointed under the
resolution of last session to prepare sta
tistical exhibit of the amount of labor and
capital employed in the manufacture of
alcoholic liquors in Maryland; and also the
strength of the various temperance soce-
ties, would report that he has been thus
far unable to secure the separate data to
answer the first question, as. relating to
our State alone. He has, however, the
carefully prepared tables for the whole
United States, and by giving her an equal
proportion, rated by the value of taxable
property, the following figures are arrived
at.
According to the census of 1870, the
State of Maryland has population OF, $780,
S74, or one 50th Of the people of the Union;
and the value of her taxable property is
1-32 of the whole of the United States. In
the year 1867, there were made in the
whole country 100, 0G0,000 of gallons ofdis-
titled liquors, or 3 gallons for every man,
woman and child in the whole Republic
At this, the average, we have 2,342, 6S2
gallons consumed by this State. And this
is very low estimate, because the average
in all our large cities is double of this; and
Baltimore contains one-third of our popu-
lation, of whom, at least, 1000 men are di-
rectly engaged in distilleries. Add to this,
the brewed and fermented liquors, of which
our share is 10 gallons to each inhabitant,
and we have a rough estimate of the enor-
nous quantity of liquors that are annually
consumed among us. To this, must also,
be added the value of wines and imported
liquors of the value of which we have in
separate estimate; but may safely set them
down at 100000 gallons. We have, at
least, 100000 600 gallons of Intoxicating and
The grain or its equivalent required to
produce this, would give two bushels to
every soul in our commonwealth. Is it
needful that any human being should lack
the necessaries of life in this country when
we can afford to spend $500 to $4,000 for
each and every individual for alcoholic
stimulants and a more than like equiva-
lent in value of time wasted in manufac-
turing, vending and drinking these poisons9
You may think these figures are high,
but they are from the regular returns of
the tax collectors of the country that are
now likely to be below than above the
truth. And when you consider the large
proportion of our population that spend
much Of their time and all their spare earn
ings for drink, can you be surprised at the
result? Were all this wealth turned into
channels of productive industry, Maryland
might have turnpike roads from one end to
the other; free schools and libraries for all
her children, and time and money for all
other needed public Improvements. So
much fonthe liquor trade, more detailed
statement of which, can only be had by
weeks of labor and an acquaintance with
all our State records.
The principal temperance societies in our
State, at present, are the Good Templars,
numbering about 1000; the Sons of Tenn
perance 9, 100; the Temple of Honor, prob
ably, 600; the Cadets of Temperance, a
juvenile organization partly, and some
Rechabites, whose numbers we have not
| any record OF, at hand; and a considerable
number of pledged, total abstainers, in
father, mother, and some other organiza-
tions, exclusively under the control of the
Roman Catholic Church.
The working force of all these societies
together, is small, their capital is still less,
when compared with the magnitude of the
work to be done. 1t has, heretofore, and
continues to require all the means that they
can command to maintain their ground
against the mighty opposing influences. A
few public lectures have been given: some
tracts distributed; and a few of the more
Jealous and energetic workers have occa-
sionally been heard through our public
journals. And there is one very signiti-
cant and encouraging fact in this connec-
ton; that while all true temperance advo-
Gates, can and do claim the aid Of science,
morality and religion, as all opposed to the
present use of alcoholic beverage in any
shape; the supporters of the drinking
usages Of society, do not and dare not,
publicly defend the traffic b efore a civilized
community on any ground, whatever.
There are a few exceptions to the latter,
but only enough to prove the rule.
All. even those engaged in the business,
admit drunkenness 10 be curse and a few
nomnally Jealous christians have taken up
the pen to defend the moderate use of wine
as at present manufactured, on scriptuIal
grounds, and after one trial, have generally
given mp the subject, which is the strong
est kind of evidence that their arguments
are untenable.
| The only arguments used by those inter-
ested, to defend the liquor traffic, are such
as are prompted by purely selfish motives,
and appeal to the lowest appetites and pref
udces of human nature.
Such, being the case, have we not just
reason to expect the active aid of all chris
laws from all direct or implied completely
in this traffic upon which the Almighty
has placed his most wither.ng curse. But,
in numbering the temperance army, we
are sorry to have to publish to the world
that we find but few religious societies
that make total abstinence condition of
membership; while the many tolerate
moderate drinking in even their highest
church officials. Each year, however, the
wave is rolling on ana more strict dis
ciplinary regulations are being made re-
garding these wine drinking customs of
society, and we hope that the day is not
far distant wheE the mantle of the church
shall cease to conceal this stumbling block
which is causing so many thousands to fall
into drunkards' graves.
| January.
W" now r"np'r;" series "i r"tir"~ Of ' pa>ri'Il's
Fever and Aga" NiNtur" repeated monthly and feel
II" regret for haFIn. pursued this somewhat unusual
| course
If what is reported of the effects of the remedy he
tr1" shall not be red, Int rather thanked 10y
many. In the dead of winter the occasions for its
| are comparatively rar" and the public has time calmly
| to before for