Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-02-01
RUM AND RUIN.
Some Startling Figures About
the Liquor TrafIic-What and
How Much We Drink in
This and Other COun-
tries.


tries.
Several publications have recently
oesn made in behalf of the cause of
which throw much light
On the liquor traffic in this and other
growth, present magni-
tude, effects on society. DR.. Young,
chief Of the statistical bureau of the
U nitsd States, included in recent re-
port some valuable statistics concern
ing the cost of liquor. His estimates
for the sale of liquor in 1871 was
$500, 100000 nearly one-sixth of the
entire value of all the manufactures,
and S9,057, $50 more than all food
and food preparations. The total
quantity and cost of intoxicating
liquors, from 1860 to 1872, inclusive,
is given at $3.50, 161, sos. The to-
tai war expenses of the United States
and loyal states, from 1861 to 1866,
were Sc, 165, 237, 900, being less than
the drink bill for thirteen years.
This is the direct cost. Careful esti-
mates show sos, go persons engaged
in liquor selling, and 40,364 making
liquors These latter consume 90
600, 600 bushels of grain annually, at
a cost of $36,000,000. The receipts
of internal revenue for 1875 from
liquor manufactures were iS66b 5 70 Of
005,55. The -asagnout the various
seares is 100000, from which tax of
$50, 900, 600 is annually collected.
Miss. f. e. Willard, in an address.
before the Chataqua Temperance Con-
vention, said that America in its Gen.
tennial year, is spending in rum as
much as it would cost to put five lines
of railroad from Maine to California,
with all their equipments; as much as
it would take. in addition to that, to
endow university with $40, 100000
in every state in the Union; to build a
$4,000 school-house for every 100
people in America; and as much as it
would take. in addition to all that, to
put out at interest and pay for one
teacher for every 100 people of the
$4,000, 900, in America.
There were 69,572,062 gallons
spirits distilled in the United Sta ties
in 1874, and 100000, 900 in 1875.
The production of beer for 1876 is
estimated at 279,746,O44 gallons, or
7 IA gallons for each person in the
United States. The imported wines,
about 10000 gallons for each year.
This would give for ten years, at pres
ent prices, an aggregate estimate of
50, e63, 947 ,662, cost of spurious
liquors, beer and wines in this country.
This would make in 100 years a sum
equal to the present real and personal
property of the nation. There are
1913, 4O5, POI bushels of grain destroy
ed IN manufacturing liquor every ten
years, valued at $428, 954, $50. 1t is
estimated that $23, 900, 900 i. invested
in buildings, machinery, land and la
Dor to supply the liquor traffic.
A recent writer, in commenting on
these, says: eff all this was turned
into production, including the grain,
to go to feed the poor, and the money
spent in liquor applied to honest and
legitimate purposes, we should be the
happiest, richest, noblest and greatest
nation the world ever saw. We should
be sober nation Hard times would
Immediately cease, jails become almost
empty. poorhouses vacant, the labor
Question solved, taxes vanish into al
most nothing, and the millennium would
be seen in the near future
Dr. Hargreaves, in his book. "Our
wasted revenue, gives official figures
from revenue reports and census re-
turns, showing that the United States
spent the enormous sum of S725, 72O,-
O4o in 1872 for Intoxicating liquors
In the same year there were y, 450
religious organizations in the United
States, with membership of 11,452,-
534 and S3,63S ministers. All the
contributions for benevolent purposes
amounted to SAT, $50, 495. That is
while We pay 81 to support benevolent
and religious enterprises, We pay SIS
for spirited and fermented liquors
The premature deaths caused by alcho-
hol, as estimated by DR.. Hitchcock.
president of the Michigan State Board
of Health, amount annually to 1,127,-
600. The same authority estimates
those constantly sick from the use Of
alchohol, $4,000, number made insane
through alcohol annually, 1888. be-
ing 90 per cent of all the insanity that
occurs in this country DIR. Har-
greaves, in his treatise, says: ssThe
drinking system is directly responsible
for 20 per cent. of our idiots, 40 per
cent. of our lunatics, IS per cent. of
our criminals. so per cent of our pau
pers, and 50 per cent. Of the shiftless,
ne erdo-well, broken down, broken
hearted, miserable people of the COM
monwealth."
Some interesting statistics are pub
lished concerning the liquor traffic in
the eight territories of Arizona, Da-
kota, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico,
Utah Washington and Wyoming.
Arizona, in 1875, had 6 brewers man
ufacturing fermented liquors, 167 re-
tail and 20 wholesale liquor dealers,
who paid into the national treasury
$6,S1 Colorado, as territory, had
Y brewers, $40 retail and SO whole
sale liquor dealers, who paid into the
treasury $50, 143. Dakota had Z
bresers, It's retail and 6 wholesale
dealers, who paid S7,095. Idaho had
q 90 l.