The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-30
ARTICLES.
rFrom he Daily PACIFIC Commercial Adgertis

I "s
THE facts placed before the Tenn GRANGE
Meeting held at Fort Street Church last
week, as TO the effect of the new LiqHor
Law upon native race, are Of a very grave
character, and deserve the most serious con-
sideratiOn. There Is, however, one enquiry
in regard 10 them that must need be made
and should be answered, and that is:-"Do
they cover the whole of the grnund-are
they a complete ent of the results of
this enactment? ," We should he sorry to
accept them as such without fuller inform
alton than is at present before US. We are
not prepared to believe that the whole
native race, or any considerable section of
it is ready to rush into habits of intern
pertnce. I: a nutnri us fact hat the
El;gIiSl ~p-ai ing -Ts.c- have always i
larger per-ce' tag,. of iuehIiate~ amcngst
them than any other races under the sun
yet even amnngS them the Icfccntage is
but small. The restrictions placed
by law on the sale of liquor to
Hawaiians alone out Of all the pO ulaLion
of the country have existed for Il number of
years. They were st ingent, and although
they have of late been systematically
evaded in certain quarters, they certainly
prevented many from indulging in strong
drink frequently and openly. They have
been removed, and it is only natural that
some excess should be manifested i'm conse-
quence. On the other HAND it is, we con-
tend, also natural that the percentage of
permanently Incorporate people among the
Hawaiians should be small - certainly
smaller than among those of the Anglo
Saxon race who reside in the kingdom. If
we were not correct in assuming this to be
the natural course of things statistics would
very soon make manifest the error. On the
1st of October two-thirds of the population
of the Island fOun the consumption of in
toxicating beverages thrown open to them.
If this race were disposed to be a race of
inebriates how large an increase in the
quantity of liquor sold and drank would
there not have been. The actual fact is that
the consumption has not increased during
the period since October 1st in any greater
ratio than it has been increasing from year
to year during the existence of the law
which prohibited the sale of Intoxicating
liquors to Hawaiians. If the change in the
law has had any effect on the total consump-
ton it has been so small that it is not dis
tinctly recognizable. The actual figures
would nave excited no surprise had they
occurred under the old law instead of the
new one.
before our readers, we are indebted to the
courtesy of Mr.. Hendry, who has very
politely placed the figures which represent
them at our disposal, The deliveries of
consumption during 1881 amounted to
Al, 8O1 gallons. This year, up to 21st De-
cember, the deliveries of the same articles
amounted to 46, PIG gallons. This shows an
increase upon the previous year of 5,415
gallons. During the same periods the
Quantities of Beer which passed into con-
sumption were as follows Year 1881,
as, 614 gallons; 1882 Ito December 2lst),
1928 gallons-showing a decrease of 1881
gallons. OF the increase in spirits during
1882 more than one-half occurred during the
first quarter of the year-thus quarter
ending March 31st, 1881, 1854 gallons; same
period 1882, 1870 gallons. The increase
during the last quarter of the year Qeaving
out the present week. was from 1881 gal
Ions to u ,916 gallons, and was accompanied
by a very large decrease in the consumption
of beer. A comparison with the records OF
previous years shows that this change in the
liquor law has made no actually distin-
guishable change in that constant in
crease in the consumption of liquor
which has been going on here
for years. The consumption of rum, gin,
brandy and whiskey in 1878, was 30, 153
gallons. The next year showed an increase
of 60S4 gallons in the consumption 1880
showed a further increase of $3.50 gallons.
In 1881 the further increase was only 1864
gallons, but it was accompanied by a quite
unusual increase in the consumption of beer,
viz:-from, SO, 917 gals. to 1854 gals. Up the
21st inst. the increase for the present year
was for spirits, 101 per cent. on the con-
sumption of 1881 with a decrease of Is pei
cent. in beer. In 1879 the increase in
spirits was 81 per cent, and in beer nearly
200 per cent. The statistics Of the present
year are likely to show that the increase
of the consumption of intoxicating liquors
has not been up to the average of former
years, Notwithstanding the fact that the
new liquor law came into force three
months ago. This fact must be taken into
consideration along with the statements to
which we referred in the opening sentences
of this article. Some explanation of the
conflict between the differences to be drawn
from them needs to be found.
Though we call attention to these figures
which show that the increased con-
sumption of liquors by natives car
neither be very great nor very wide
spread, we do not desire to ignore the facts
uI.io la6 fhnGa vvhn GnnEaa f tho To m mar
ance Meeting to take such respondent
views. These demand consideration at the
hands of every good citizen. Nay, more
they demand of all of us that something
thorough and effectual should be done &c
meet them and neutralize the tendency to
frequent saloons and waste their time and
money there. on the part of the natives,
On this point we shall have more tC
say, but will content ourselves to-day
with expressing the opinion that it is moi
in the direction of new ~prohibitory laws
that we can look with any hope o. finding
a successful antidote.