The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-23
THE WAY WE WASTE.

One of the facts brought prominently
before the world during the last few
wears is. that France is rich. The ease
with which she has recovered from the
disastrous war with Prussia, and the
promptness with which she has met, not
only her own. but Prussia enormous ex-
penses in that war, have surprised all her
sister nations. Every poor man had his
hoard of ready money, which ne was
anxious to lend to the state, How DID he
ret it How did he save it! Why Is 1t
that in q country ike ours, where wages
are high and the opportunities for making
money exceptionally good, such wealth
and prosperity DO not exist! These are
importayt questions at this time with ali
Of us Business is low. industry is par
alvzed. and the question Of bread stares
multitudes in the face.
Well. France is an Industrious nation,
It is said But is not ours an industrious
nation Is it rot, indeed, one OF the
most hard working and energetic nations
of the world We believe 1t to be
harder .working n ton than the French,
with not only fewer holidays, but no
holidays at all, and with not only less
play, but almos. no play at all. 1t is
said, too, that France is a frugal nation.
They probably have the advantage OF us
in this, yet to feed laboring man and
to clothc a laboring man and his family
there must be definite, Necessary expen'
diture in both countries. The difference
in wages ought TO cover the difference IN
expenses, and probably does. If the
American laborer spends twice as much,
or three times as much, as the French,
he earns twice or three times as much ;
We, the American laborer lays upnothlng,
while tn French laborer and small farm
er have money to lend to their govern
ment.
France produces its own wine, and
drinks mainly cheap wine. 1t IS drink
which, while it does them no gooo' &C
cording to the showing Of their own
physicians, does not do them harm
enough to interfere with their industry
Their drinking wastes neither lie MOI
i money as ours does, and they sell II
value to other countries more than they
1 drink themselves. During the year 1910
in orr own State Of New York, there wer'
expended by consumers Tor liquor NOR
than one hundred and six millions OF dol
lars. a sum which amounted to neari.
two thirds Of all the wages paid to labor
er's in agriculture and manufactures N
to nearly twice as much as the receipt
OF all the railroads il the state, the sur
of the latter being between slXty-eigh
and sixty-nine millions. The money
our people goes across the bar all tn
time faster than 1t is crowded INTO I'll
wickets Of all the railroad stations Oh IN
state. and where does it 90. WAT
the return for it Diseased stoma"h
aching heads, discouraged and siattern
homes. idlcness. govt, crime, depreciation
death. These in various measures, al
exactly what we get Tor it, We gam
that which is good, nothing-no upiitt
morality. no increase Of industry, no a
cession TO health, no growth Of psospe
tv. Oar state is full OF tramps, al
every one is drunkard. There Is q
mobilization everywhere. in conseqnen
Of this was,eful stream OF fiery nuia IN
constantly flows down the open gu'let
the state.
Rut our state is not alone. The liqu
bill OF Pennsylvania during 1870 W
more than sixty-hve millions OF doilal
a sum equal to one third the entire az
cultural product Of the state iil'n'
maid more than forty-two millions, a
Ohio more than ftty-eight mililol
Massachusetts, paid more than twent
five millions, a sum equal to hve-slxt
of her agricultural products, whiie
Gouor bill in Maine was only about TO
millions and a quarter. MIR. HarSrea'
takes the figures Of Massachusetts a
Maine to show how erohloitory /
does. after all, reduce the drinking
it is not our purpose to argue this gu
ton.
What we desire TO show is, that, w
an annaul expenditure of S6oo,ooo.t
for ,;ouors in the United States and
tho figures we give are based upon oii'
St,t;st;cs-it is rot to be wondered
that the tunes are hard and the PEG
moor No. only this vast sum vast
not only the capital invested Is a'ver
from good uses, and all the industry
volved in production taken from
efcent pursuits, but health, msraiity,
spectibili,y, industry, and lite are des''
ed Sixty thousand Americans annu
lie down in drunkard's grave. II
better to bring into the held and 81
down sixty thousand OF our young
avery wear than to have them so thro
all the processes of disease desraaa'
crime. and despair through which
inevitably pass.
With six hundred millions OF 90
saved in this country annaully, how
would it take to make these VI
4 States rich not only. but able to
without disturbances and cistress
,svnlsions in business to which al
,;ons are tablet Here is quest'o
The statesman and politician. ~
i've wears Of absolute abstinence iro'
consumption Of useless, and worse
useless. liquors. would save the COZ
efseen billions Of dollars, and ma
,h.. richest nation on the face Q
slohe. Not only this sum oeyoi
;mar;na,ion to comprs hend-woul
saved. but ali the abom'naole
ouences of misery. disease, dis
crime. and death. that would now