Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-06-09
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
CONTRIBUTED BY THE WoxEs's sTEHPEgAScE UNION J
TIE ECONOMY OF TEMPERANCE.

TIE ECONOMY OF TEMPERANCE.
Not the least important point of view from
which to regard the temperance question i:
that which reveals its relation 10 th,
wealth of the nation, and of the individual:
who compose the nation. The manufacture
and sale of intoxicating liquors forms a
business so extensive, that if 1t can be shown
| TO be productive of real increase TO the
financial prosperity Of the country proper
tlonal to the magnitude of its operations,
1t will be hard to convince men that it is
wise to discourage and suppress it. On the
other hand, if it is a wasteiul business. de-
stroying far more wealth than II creates.
many who could be touched by no argu-
ment drawn from moral and humane ro-
tiyes would yield to this one, provided they
could once realize its truth.
The statistics bearing upon this subject
are necessarily imperfect. lt Is impossible.
for one thing, to get at the precise amount
OF liquor annually manufactured and sold,
as viii be readily believed in the light OF the
late disclosures regarding the whiskey
frauds. But. for this very reason, the state
monts made will be within the truth. and
the conclusions derived from them will be
reliable so far as they 60
1t is estimated, and the estimate Is prob
ably low one, that there were consumed
in the United States during the year 1872.
three hundred and thirty-seven million two
hundred and twenty-elg h titnOusand and six
ty-slx gallons OF distilled and fermented IL
quOrs. which cost to the consumers seven
hundred and thirty-iiy million. seven hun
dred and twenty thousand and forty-eight
dollars. 1t will be seen that, if weput the
population of the country at forty millions.
this quantity OF liquor allows more than
eight gallons to be consumed BY each man,
woman and child in the country, at a cost
to each one of more than eighteen dollars
Now II this were a productive expendl-
ture all wohld be well. The money spent
for nourishing food Is well spent, for, tax
ing still the ground of economy, food gives
strength for labor, and labor adds TO wealth.
The money that goes TO bring real refresh
ment to either body ard soul Is not lost, but
comes back with interest. But the money
spent for intoxicating drinks yields no such
return. The strength these drinks may seem
to give for d time Is deceptive. Instead OF
adding to physical and mental forces, they
weaken and destroy them, where used habit
ually. They make men idle and dislncllned
to steady work. and finally unit for 1t. IL
Is plain that the money thus spent Is Gear
loss 10 those who spend IT, and as the value
received for it Is consumed without produc-
ing anything but evil, so much at leas; Is
worse than lost to the nation at large Let
any one consider how different the result
would be If an equal sum OF money had
been spent each year tor food. clothing. and
the other necessirles and comforts oil lie
What vast addition would have been made
to the welfare of our great population. As
large portion of the liquor consumed Is
a Il Nuhr. F.sr
the support of themselves and families. the
great loss occasioned by this traffic falls
hardest on them, and these dependent on
them. Suppose the sum spent by one such
person In one year were only eighteen dol
lars for each member of his family. what
difference that sum would make III the com
fort and happiness OF the household, If used
to procure the things Of which they are
really IN want. But, in the case OF many
labOring man, the sum annually wasted on
what does him and his family much more
injury than good, must be greater than
this. When "a man becomes thoroughly ad-
dlcted to drink, it Is more to him tnan tOOd
OF clothing or shelter, more than family
comfort, or even the happiness and well-oe-
ing of those who should be dearest to him.
Many a man spends the greater part OF his
earnings in this way. Not a cent does ms
family see of the fruits OF his toll. lie :
content at last to 20 in rags. and to sub
sist an the poorest food, II necessary, that he
may satisfy the intOlerable craving which
seems to have usurped In him the place OF
reason and fTee-wIll and the noble instincts
that belong to men by nature. And who Is
prUhted? Ii any, it Is the makers and sell
lers OF the wretcned mixtures. But who
would willingly be partaker Of their gain ?
" no rejoices IN them? The people IN gen.
eral2 How can this be, since the prosperl-
ty Of this class Of men means les 10 all the
interests OF honest industry? Inc cJnsuiG-
er? Ii is through has loss and degradation
that this wealth is acquired. And l. 1t 80
certain and secure possession a. II may
seem to him who thus 'maketh haste
TO be richi' Doubtless ''he cOnsitereth
not that poverty shall come upon him. vet
it Is the blessing of the Lord that 'maseth
rich, and lie addeth no sorrow with It
Ii Is well known that the business OF liquor
selling is one that involves great.rl-ks. The
losses through destruction of property are
not incOnsierabe There is also much loss
through bad debts, and in most Of the States
of our Union where prohibitory or strict
license laws exist, there are the dangers that
spring from pursuing an illegal traffic, no.
unfelt. even where those laws are most
imperiectly enforced
II is impossible to do anY justice to this
subject in brief article. Doubtless. some
who read these remarks know much more
about the matter than the writer does, and
will only need to 90 back into their own ex
perience TO find yet more conclusive evidence
in regard to the great loss Of wealth and its
products, that society is suffering through
the wide spread use Of intoxicating drinks.