The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-28
STARTLING STATISTICS.

After ell, there is something paradoxical
in the facts and figures occasionally pre-
sented to the public relating to the use of
intoxicating beverages. On the one hand
we are required to contemplate the astound-
ing sum-totals expended for such intoxi-
cants, the poverty, crime and wretchedness
entailed, until the average reader is led to
exclaim that nothing short of the total
abolition of the liquor business will answer
the demand. General Z. A. Merritt, Consul
General of the United States for Great
Britain and Ireland, in his late re-
port, says that the United Kingdom, hav-
ing a population of 100000, expends
annually 1.-The sum of S65O,0OO000 for
alcoholic liquors, which is nearly double the
whole land rental of the Kingdom, or, as it
is more expressly stated, the annual rent
paid for houses is about $3.50, 000, 900, the ex-
penditure for wooden goods $4,000 600 and
for cotton, goods $4,000 leaving still a
balance of SIS 900, 600 in favor of alcohol"
1t is also stated that whilst there is $780,
900 houses in the United Kingdom, more
than 1900 of them are houses where in
toxicating liquors are sold, being one out of
thirty-six throughout the entire country
General Merritt further states that it is
found, from carefully prepared statistics re-
lating to the consumption of alcoholic IL
quors In the United Kingdom, that during
the past nifty years the colossal sum of $2l,-
232, 557, 400, or yearly average of 1924, 651,-
145 has been expended for that purpose.
Taking into consideration such expenditures
for alcoholic liquors the presumption is
natural that country so drained of its cash
for what is said to be worse than useless
would speedily become bankrupt and ut
terly powerless. But such is not the case.
General Merritt states that the United King
dom has steadily grown richer, with in
creased ability to purchase the luxuries of
life. He says:
It may be observed that during the past fifty
years there has been large increase in the earn
ing as well as IN the spending power of the pso-
pie With regard to great numbers, this spending
power has, to a large extent. taken the di
rection of articles of consumption. such meat
and mountaineering beverages. The ccnsump
ton. for instance, of tea has increased from one
and third pounds per head to four and two
thirds pounds. and of sugar. from sixteen and
three-fourths pounds per head to sixty and one
fourth pounds. The consumption of imported
butter has nearly doubled since 1s6l-three and
four-hfths pounds to six and one-half ponuns-
that OF imported cheese has more than doubled
while the consumption of rice has increased five
fold-two and quarter pounds to eleven and two
third pounds.
Here, then, we have the seemingly con-
tradictory statements that while 80 600, 900
of people annually throw away 1924, 651, las
on alcoholic liquors, the people have snnu-
ally more money to pay for the necessities
and luxuries OF life. Nor is this all of the
strange story. Wealth increases notwith-
standing the two items of pauperism, and
law and justice annually cost the United
Kingdom the sum of 100000 1t is
held that as per cent" of the psupers of
the United Kingdom, of whom there are
100000, lowe their position TO intemper-
ance," and that ''nine-tenths of the crime
that is brought to their attention, the
Judges, Magistrates and police officers aver,
SIS the offspring of drink" While the fore
going gives the reader fair idea Of the con-
sumption of alcoholic liquors in the United
Kingdom of Great Britain, statistics in re-
gard to the consumption of intoxicants in
the United States are quite as in
teresting, and in so far as they
at4t