The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-04-12

An unnnouvneo R1roRT.
Our Republican friends somee'mee
grow very fhcetious In charging tos'
liquor drinking b . cs'nnson pest.'"e
with Democrats. All Democrats, they
say, drink, and most Democrats ar'nk
4 greet deal. Nine:tenths Of the liquor
made in the United States finds its WY
down Democratic Threats, and nine
tenths Of the revenue on spirits paid into
the Treasury comes out Of Democratic
POCKETS. Republicans do not drink In
toxicating liquors. The fire, frenzy ana
concentrated wickedncss Of the article
antagonist the exalted serenity ana
purity Of the rank and f.le Of the party
and, therefore, they not only eschew 1t
but abhor it. They indulge TN nothing
stronger than ginger pop and root beer:
Hence. it is claimed, the communities
that cast steady and unvary'ng Repuo-
lican nnajorities are noted for their so
brietv, high morality, decoroasness anu
general exemption from the vices ana
ills which affect those whose indul
genccs are not bounded by pop and root
beer. The people have heard so much
of this kind Of talk that they are half
disposed to believe it; and accept AZ an
established fact that whisky drinking Is
part of the teachings of the Democratic
party. We do not recollcct Of hearing.
an explanation of this singular state OF
affairs, nor do We think one could Ike
giIen if it were attempted. 1t has hecn
iterated an d reiterated that Democrats
love whisky until it has Iecolne an
axiom that very many good Republicans
dare not dispute. But the lately issued
census reports will undoubtedly correct
this as well as many other equally reii-
able assumptions. They show the fact
that Republican States invariably sup
port more saloons per capita than Dem
Ocratic States. This will he shocking
news to those who have been led to be-
licve that Democrnt is only another
name for q topper, but The fact, nevertle-
less, remains the same. The figures are
puzzling and calculated to destroy our
confidence in the ,ntallibility of tradi-
tions. They show that after all Repul'-
licans and not Democrats are the whis-
Ky drinkers.
For instance, Kansas is u Republican
teetotal State. Not drop of liquor is
drank in Kansas from one year to
another. She has stringent liquor laws,
and no one dares violate them in the
,ace If its Republican officers. And
yet, the statistics of tie internal revenue
bureau for last year return 1872 licensed
saloons for the sale Of spirits in Kan
>;,s--a greater number than is returned
for South Carolina, whici, IL Democrat
IL, and wholly given ~ to liquor drink
ing. There is one dram shop in Kansas
10 every 81 persons, and in South Car
Dina one to every SO persons. Then
a gam. there is the Republican and tee
total State OF Maine, where the people
have had no knowledge of the taste,
smell and color of liquor for the past ten
Years, :ct the official reports crcti: Maine
with che saloon for every 79l inhabi-
Iants. Then there is Massachusetts,
'tai6 old Observation-Disclosures, discard
ri whiskcy and Democrats long ago,
hat comes to the front with one saloon
for every 245 Inhabitants, while Demo-
'r'tic Arkansas has only one for every
':'S Inhabitants. Rhode Island has twice
Is many in proportion to population
Is Georgia, the figures showing one "a.
con for every 2G sOals in tie former to
me to every G12 in the latter. Ken
ucky, the home Of good old bourbon,
Were it is generally supposed every
rood Democrat GOES to bed with a hottie
Under his pillow, manages to get along
With one saloon to every 43S souls, while
Ohio, just across the river
must have one saloon to every 2:.2 in
to supply their thirsty threats.
u course there must be something
wrong in these figures since they upset
he pleasant theory Of our latter-,lay Re
'u'i!itans. end if the Commissioner q:
Internal Revenue does not 20 immct!i-
iely t. work and revise them there will
e loud calls for his removal. a man
'ho has tie temerity to permit
"ch IN insuf,crably def:.nlatory docu-
neat to go out If his office should IN. (,
allied 10 Il strict account by his p,rty. ,
':'c figures it contains will DESTROY a !;
and, to some. u happy de-
ll:;ioli.
TIE BALL IN MOTION