The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-03-13
FoURTEEN mILLIONs zoe LUxURIEsl

The recent report Of Senator Bradley 7.
johnson on the public debt of Virginia, con-
taius some strong arguments against ropudi-
alton, and among these there is one which
deserves the attention not only of legislators,
but every citizen, and especially Of all Chris
tisn people. It is that which is based upon
the amount yearly expended for liquors by
the people of the State, as shown BY the Ope-
ration Of the Moffett liquor register. We
quote from the report, page q:
CHOW, the returns from the tax on the
consumption Of liquor, as indicated By the
MofFett register, prove, as claimed In the re-
port of the Auditor of Public Accounts made
to the House of Delegates, January 18th,
1873, that this tax will yield at least $780,
900 per auuum to the State. A tax yield
of $500, 900 proves an annual consumption
Of S7,O00O00 But only liquor sold in bar
rooms, or in quantities less than five gallons,
is taxed BY this Law, and it is known that
large portion that ought to pay tax does not
pay. Therefore, it is fair TO say that the
tax, as returned, only shows half the con-
sumption of liquor in Virginia per snnum-
that is, that fourteen nations are annually
expended for indulgenoes and Injuries by a
people who, it is claimed, are too poor to pay
an additional tax of $500, 900 to $500, 600
per annum to their honest creditors for their
just debts.
On the same page Of the report We are told
that the public debt of Virginia is $50 OOO,-
900. Now suppose that the people Of the
State would agree to do without those " in
dulgonce5 aud luzuries" for time, 50 that
the money spent for them might be applied
to the payment, not of the interest merely,
but OF the public debt itself, how long would
it take? Just tao gears one month and
taoenty-One days! Yet sit is claimed they
are too poor to pay.sdeir -&ORest creditors
their just debtsl"
And how greatly is the force of this ar
guuent increased when We take into c9usid-
Grafton the fact that the fourteen millions
above mentioned arc but a part Of the
amount expended for liquors. It has often
been shown that the expenses iLcarred for
supporting paupers, trying and Furnishing
criminals, tho waste of time, labor, &C., re-
sulting from the use of those liquors, amount
to much moro even than their direci coat,
enormous as that is. Instead, therefore, OF
setting down the annual cost of liquor to the
State at fourteen millions, that sum should
be more than doubled. What then is the
result? Why, that the people of Virginia
spend money enough for indulgenees and
Injuries in the form of liquors, in one year,
to wipe out their entire public debt
But who has the right to ask the people of
Virginia to give up those indulgences and
luxuries ?" Nay, but to put the question in
its proper form, what right have part, say
less than half the male portion of the popu-
lation, to insist that the honor Of the whole
State shall be forever furnished BY repudia-
ton rather than they be deprived of the
pleasure Of INDUCING a perverted appetite
Or, to adept the question still more to the
facts of the case, what right have the iqucr-
sellers and liquor-drinkers-a fraction Of the
pOpulation-so say that rather than forego
their selfish interests and indulgences, the
whole state shall not only make itself BY
word by refusing to pay its "hOne5s credi-
tors, but shall endure in addition, as the
fruits of liquor. drinking, an amount Of do
nestle misery and other evils, social and
civil, utterly beyond all computation?