Daily globe., 1879-06-05
BEER BREWERS.

Proceedings of the National Convention at
st. Louis-Statistics of Consumption Of
Beer-Advantages Claimed for; 1T as =
Beverage-Temperance Statistics in Mas
sachusetts Miscellaneous.
ST. LOUIS, June The brewers nineteenth
annual convention formally met here on
business about noon in the Germania Club
Hall. VIM. Lemp, chairman of the local
committee, called the delegates to order and
wamly greeted them to st. Louis. Presi-
dent Ructer then delivered q lengthy ad-
dress, giving statistics Of the trade during
the past year also an argument in favor of
beer as beverage over all other stimulating
drinks and favoring legislation discriminat-
ing in favor of fermented over distilled
liquors exported. Reports were then pre-
sented of the board Of trustees and of the
executive committee Of the operation of the
committee on agitation, and of the commit
tee on bottling malt liquors for export.
The presidents address states that sales of
beer during the fiscal year, ending June 30th,
1873, were 8, ,473, ,361 barrels, and that indica-
tions based upon sales of government stamps
for the first nine months of the present fiscal
year are that the sales this year will
reach ten million barrels. In referring to the
prohibitory and license system in Massachu-
setts, the president quotes from the report of
the Massachusetts bureau of statistics of labor,
issued last January, and shows that the number
of arrests and convictions for drunkenness
under the prohibitory law in 1873 was about25
per cent. greater thar under the license law of
1877 and that the number of places where
liquor was illegally sold under the prohibitory5
law IN 1874 was 1856 larger than the whole
number of places licensed under the license
n orkn opa anA uoy.a
ment that license law az q legislative mea-
sure not only regulates the sale of liquor but
decreases drunkards while the prohibitory law
fails to protect or even to regulate the sale of
liquor.
The address argues at some length and from
. scientific standpoint the advantage of beer
as a beverage and also as an article of nourish-
ment. Referring to the appointment of
Congressional committee to consider and re-
port upon the use of alcohol. the president
says there is no need for the brewers to fear
the result of any investigation Of the question
and practical men, as thor
the whole subject cannot fail
t. bring out the fact, long understood in other
countries, that the brewing trade should be en-
couraged by the government. and that the use
of beer by tho people in place of stronger
liquors should be favored as an essential to the
public welfare and sobriety.
The report of the committee on agitation
calls the attention OF delegates to the necessity
of urging State legislatures, If they desire to
mitigate by legislation tho evils caused by the
use or abuse Of alcoholic drinks, to the differ
ence between fermented and distilled liquors.
The same report shows 9 large increase in ex-
portation of American beer and similar de-
crease il the Importation of foreign beer.
The committee on bottling beer reported q
lengthy communication they addressed to Gen.
Raum, commissioner of internal revenue, on
the present impediments in the way of export
ing bottled beer, and suggesting to him how
the defects in the present law covering the mat
ter may be remedied. These reports were all
adopted.
During the afternoon session committees
were appointed to consider the various sub.
Fjects to be reported on tomorrow, after which
Gen. Raum, commissioner of internal revenue,
from Washington, and several officers of the
revenue service residing here were introduced
to the convention and warmly received. Gen.
Ranm will address the convention tomorrow.
After adjournment carriages werein waiting,
and between two and three hundred delegates
were taken on tour of inspection to the
sbreweries of the city. Tonight the convention
is enjoying q concert at Schnider's Garden got
up with special view to their entertainment, at
which a large number Of prominent citizens of
both sexes are present.