The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-06-10
Does it Pay ?

OOCo ~ dy
There are two prime considerations af.
fecting mems judgments on the temper.
ance question-duty and interest. or the
conscience and the pocket-beok Where
the higher motive does not exist, the lower
one is sometimes active. Those who OBJ.
ject to the sentimental" and "fanatica"
notions of temperance reformers, as they
like to describe them, may be interested
in practical considerations and hard facts.
And the facts and figures bearing upon
the liquor traffic are even more startling
and suggestive than the lectures and the
rhetoric. During the year 1870, in the
state Of New York, there were expended
by consumers for liquor more than one
hundred and six millions Of dollars-a
sum which amounted to nearly two.thirds
Of all the wages paid to laborers in agrl.
culture and manufactures, and to nearly
twice as much as the receipts Of ell the
railroads 10 the state, the sum Of the lat.
ter being between sixty.eight and sky
niue millions, The liquor bill Of Penn
sylvania during the same year was more
than siyly-hve millions Of dollars, sum
equal to one.ihrd the agricultural pro.
duo, Of the state. Illinois paid more
than torty.tvo millions, and Ohio more
than titty.eight millions. Massachusetts,
paid more than twenty-five millions, a
sum equal to ive.sixths Of her agricutur.
al products. la the year 1872 there
were expended 10 the United States over
seven hundred millions Of dollars for
liquor, and the average for four years is
given, in official reports, at six hundred
millions, which is nearly twenty millions
more than the value of food and food
preparations. The money now spent for
strong drinks would pay the national
debt in less than three years.
The number OF schools in tho United
States in 1870 was just about equal to the
number of retail liquor sellers, while the
cost Of liquors was S715,5 1000, ard oil
schools and teachers only S95 ,4O2, 726.
In Pennsy lvania, which is fair average
state, the expenditure for educational
purposes in 1872 was bat little more than
one tenth the direct cost Of liquors. whila
the state has only about two.thifds as
many educational institutions Of all sorts
as there are dramshops.
/ Massachusetts may be called tho pio
ncer state Of the free school system she
supports three or four hundred families
by teaching, and spends about half a mil.
lion dollars for education while as many
thousand are supported By the drink
trade and four or FIVE millions are speut
for liquors. Boston sends about $4,000
to its public schools, and more than that
number into the hands OF the police and
the officials Of the almshouses Official
reports prove that one'eighth Of its pop
ulation are degraded by the drinking
houses Of Boston, so that they demand
public charity or correction.
ln New York city last year, according
to the report of the police justices, S5,S99
cases came before the police courts, OF
which "75 to 80 per cent were directly
and indirectly due to the use OF uiozi-
eating liquors" New York city ha, th,ce
hundred organized charities, expending
officially over two million dollars yearly.
"a noble tribute 10 our century Of pro-
gress in christian civilization, bur terri.
bic commentary "a the magnitude Of the
drink curse when it appears that three
forrlhs of these are made necessary hy
the Use oi .trong drink
Reports rom various Official hoard.
concur a tho statement that two.ihird-
ot the paHrer'-m and ihrec-'ouflas 81 The
vagranc, "a 'he country are Justly attFib
uted 10 intrmt fance The census OF
1870 shows Il, .nnual cost Of SUP, .r,ing
the pappefs "a hr about eleven million
dollars and thai the iri-on population at
that time wa thiily.ihrce thousand.
There were eugagcd iu the liquor bus
iness 10 1870 over half million men
and justly treating Their abor as aapro
ductire, DR.. ilargrrayes OF Philadelphia
from whose yaluabie work oD Our Was.
ted Resource" many al these statistics
have been taken, makes very suggestive
estimate of the loss to the couutry through
the diversion Of the labor aud capital
thus employed.
ln view OF these aud kindred ar's. is
not the question All eminently practical
one Does the liquor traffic pay As 80
economic issue, does it not oyershadoS the
diyision of party spoils