The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-04-25
NATIONAL DRINK BILLS.

ing, ana 1t nndS the entire bill tor drink
in this country to be $900,000,000 in
round numbers. The Union bases its
estimates on the last census and other
official authorities, and it arrives at its
estimates in the following manner:
"The internal revenue on distilled spirits in
1888 was STA, 1868, TVS; the rate is so cents gaL
lon. and the quantity of liquor taxed is there
fore 81, 63l ,972 gallons. A certain part of this
was used for mechanical and scientific pur-
poses, but most of it was drank as beverage.
Sold by the glass it would cost the consumer
rate would aggregate 1886, 791, 1872. The tax on
fermented liquors in the same year amounted
to $I6,900,615, which, at ST. per BARREL repre-
sents an equal number of barrels containing at
thirty-One gallons to the barrel 523 9l9, 065 gal
Ions. At five cents glass and twelve glasses
to the gallon this costs the consumer $314
351, 439. The imported liquors estimated on u
similar basis cost the consumer at least $780,
100000, which brings the total cost up to more
than $900,000,000. No account is taken of ma
tive wines, nor of liquor, crooked whisky,
and other which escapes taxation; and the
cost or these may be taken as a fair Offset to
the distilled liquor employed for mechanical
and scientific purposes"
A recent statement in the London
Times enables us to compare the drink
bill of Great Britain with our own. In
1883 there were 6,949,735 gallons Of
intoxicating liquors consumed, and
965, 1872, 423 gallons of wine and beer, or
a total of LOOP, al, 1913 gallons. as COM
pared with COG, 551. 037 gallons in this
country, representing an expenditure OF
$627, 1856, 375, as against 5000, 900 in
this country, which goes to show that
liquors are considerable cheaper in
Great Britain than here, and adultera-
ton much more frequent here than
there. Estimating the amount con-
sumed per capita, as represented by
these totals, the results are quite as
founding. While the sixty millions of
people in the United States consume
about nine gallons of beer and wine and
one and third gallons of liquor per
capita, the thirty-six millions in Great
Britain consume at the rate of about
one gallon of Intoxicating liquors per
capita and about twenty-seyen gallons
OF beer and wine. There is one feature
of the drink bill, however, upon which
Great Britain can plume itself. While
the expenditure in this country is in
creasing year by year it is diminishing
in Great Britain. In 1860 the drink bill
bill was 1926, 1874, $50. Year by year
the expenditure rose, until 1876, when
it reached 1876, 443, 705. In those six
teen years the population had grown Is
per cent. and the drink bill Y per cent.
Since 1876, however, it has steadily de-
clined, and is now 1927, 1856, 375, a fall
ing off of So, $40, APO as compared with
1882. While a portion of this was ow-
ing to depression in trade, it was main
ly due to the vigorous efforts of Tenn
perance reformers.
The enormous amount of money spent
for liquor in the United States may be
more clearly realized when compared
with other expenditures which are es-
timated by the Union, such as S505,
600, 600 for bread, and $303, 0OO,0 900 for
meat, showing that more isl paid ont for
liquor than for bread and meat togeth-
er; 1920, 100000 for iron and steel,
1921. 100000 for wooden goods, $685.
900, 900 for sawed lumber, $210, 100000
for cotton goods, 1896, 000,0 900 for boots
and shoes, 1856, 100000 for sugar and
molasses, $85, 200, 600 for public educa-
ton, and S., 800, 900 for missions. This
expenditure is only the direct cost. It
ism, idiocy, insanity and crime which
are entailed upon the country by liquor.
Chicago Tribune.
The following diagram is compar.
lson OF the annual expenditures in the
United States for intoxicating liquors
E with various other of the largest
items Of expenditure. It is based
on the census of 1880 and other re.
liable authorities. Scale: Each
three-fourths of an inch represents
anexpenditure Of $100, 900, 900. We
are indebted to the Christian Union
for the measurements and statistics.
The liquor bill represents the cash
paid for it by consumers, and is,
in our opinion, not an exaggera.
ton of the facts. We consider
81 it just about the actual amount.
Comments upon a showing so APP.
palling would only weaken the
81 power of truth. Interior.
i HIlZZ
sHgA 5ggg s
ns.Hazgxgg 5g ).
HzHnHS Ys7 3
I|I||||IIIII!!!
n "a Ed "a EH Ell "a "a "A Z q
ARKANSAS has lately done a good
deed, and after valiant fight, won
notable victory for Temperance. No
saloon will now be allowed to stand
within three miles of a church or school
house, if a majority of the men and
women over twenty-one and eighteen
years of age are opposed to it, and pre-
sent a paper so stating to the County
Judge. This has made a great stirring
up in that State, and is doing a vast
deal Of good. n Gotdea R'4le.