The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-03-02
TEMPERANCE.

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and drinks mainly cheap wine. 1t
is a drink which, while it does them
good according to the showing of
their own physicians, does not do
them harm enough 10 interfere with
their industry. Their drinking
wastes neither life nor money as
ours does, and they sell in value to
other countries more than they drink
themselves. During the year 1870,
in our State Of New York, there
were expended by consumers for
liquor more than one hundred and
six millions OF dollars, sum which
amounted to nearly two-thirds Of all
the wages paid to laborers in agri-
culture and manufacturers. and to
nearly twice as much as the receipts
Of all the railroads In the State.
the sum Of the latter being between
sixty-eight and sixty-nine millions.
The money of our people goes across
the bar all the time faster than it is
crowded into the wickets Of all the
railroad stations of the State, and
where does it go? What IS the
return for it ? Diseased stomachs,
aching heads, discouraged and slat-
ternly homes, idIeness, govt, crime,
degradation, death. These, in va
rious measures, are exactly what we
get for it. We gain of that which
is good, nothing-no uplift in NOR
ality, no increase of industry, no
accession to health, no growth Of
prosperity, Our State is full Of
tramps, and every one is drunkard.
There is generalization everywhere,
in consequence of this wasteful
stream of fiery fluid that constantly
flows down the open gullet Of the
State.
But our State is not alone. The
liquor bill Of Pennsylvania during
1870 was more than sixty-fve mil
lion dollars, sum equal to one
third of the entire State. Illinois
paid more than forty-swo millions,
and Ohio more than ffty-eight mil
lions. Massachusetts, paid more
than twenty-five millions. sum
equal to FIVE ixths OF her agricultu-
raj products, while the liquor bill
of Maine was only about four mill
lions and a quarter. Mr.. Hargrave
takes the figures of Massachusetts
and Maine to show how prohibitory
law does, after all, reduce the drink
ing but it is not our purpose to
argue this question.
What we desire to show is, that,
with an annual expenditure of
$60O,OOO,OOO for liquors in the
United States-and all the figures
we give are based upon official sta
tistics-it is not to be wondered at
that the times are hard and people
poor. Not only this vast sum is
wasted, not only the capital invested
is diverted from good uses, and all
the industry involved in production
taken from benefcient pursuits. but
health, morality, responsibility,
industry, and life are destroyed.
Sixty thousand Americans annually
lie down in a drunkards' grave, It
were better to bring into the field
and shoot down sixty thousand of
our young men every year, than to
have them go through all the pro-
cesses Of disease. degradation, crime,
and despair through which they
inevitably pass.
With six hundred millions of dol
lars saved to the country annually,
how long would it take to make
these United States rich not only,
but able to meet, without distur-
bance and distress, the revulsions
in business to which all nations are
liable ? Here is a question for the
statesman and politician. Twenty
five years of absolute abstinence
from the consumption Of useless,
and worse than useless, liquors,
would save to the country fifteen
billions Of dollars, and make us the
richest nation on the face Of thel
globe. Not only this sum-beyond
the Imagination to comprehend-l
would be saved, but all the abomina-
bic consequences Of misery, disease.
disgrace, crime and death, that
would flow from the consumption