Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-17

Facts and Figures Arrayed Against the
importation, Production and Use OF
Vf~,.rs

since Helper 'lAhHtuulAH CAAoi9 ~"
unprofessional writer has shown greater
power OF massing facts than MIS-. Eliza
beth Thompson (author Of Figures Of
HELD" They first repel, then attract,
then astound the reader.
Tee year selected for the statistical
proofs and startling facts of this writer
ended June 80. 1SS4-the last year Of au-
thenucated Federal returns available at
the time the book was written. The 10
tails would be I'D per cent higher for the
year that ends in jane, 1889.
In 1881 We the United states imported
of different liquors Z, 5j6,5Q3 gallons. we
manufactured OF distilled spirits o3,l- 1Jo
gallons, and OF termented liquors ll3,O4l,-
SOS gallons, makiuga total OF 32O,3-3,oU
gallons OF Intoxicating liquors that we're
imported, manufactured and sold in the
United states in one year. As
we had then j0,0O0.000, inhabitants
we consumed 10 % gallons for
every man, woman and child. or,
reckoning families as groups 81 five, one
gallon each and every week for each and
every family. maGing three drinks day
for each and every family. This estimate
leaves out 0f account all secretly made or
"moon lighp Whistles ana other liquors.
Every day We drink / $4,000 gallons
2S,5l1 ,000 glasses. So much tor quantity;
now tor the cost Of it.
Our imported liquors retailed for $751;
26s, 052; our home made spirits for S2O',-
BSl,6lS; our homemade iermented liquors
Tetailed for $443,64l, S6s, showing that we
paid in one year for intoxicating liquors
S7lS,297 DIS.
Striking OIL, 70 make round numbers, the
eighteen odd millions. and estimating the
population at 80, 000, 600. these figures show
that we spend for drink no less thar $li
for each and every person 10 the United
States, so for each and every family
81, 931, 93S daily, and every second-"every
time the clock ticks" as Mrs. Thompson
puts it-S22 IS.
The report OF the United States Com
missioner of Internal Revenue shows a
continual increase of these figures. For
example, according 10 the latest that for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1854 the
total revenue from distilled spirits
amounted to S76S05,3Sj -, an increase
over 1888 OF 81 $685. go o.. From ferment-
ed liquors the receipts tor 1884 We're $lS,-
0s4, 1854 II, an Increase over 1893 OF 81, IS4,-
33S 30. The total production Of distilled
spirits the last fiscal year WAS ,5,435. l39
gallons, an increase over the production
OF 1883 of ], 422, 49, gallons The total pro
ductiOn Of fermelted liquors for the fiscal
year 1894 was lS,99S6l9 barrels, an In
crease over 1883 Of l,240, 727 barrels. The
number Of dlstilleres operated during
1854 was 4,73S; the number of brewers,
2140.
There are 9O9,9S0 persons, adult males
for the greater part, employed in the man
ufacture and sale of liquors in the United
States. This is one to every sixty Of the
entire population. These men. mostly
Rble-bOdied, are taken from productive.
that is to say, wealth. producing, employ
ments. They are "a tax on the workers,
adding no one element OF prosperity 10
the common wealth of the nation. AT the
low wages at which all Of them could
earn they would receive for the 800 work
ing days OF the year 72,994, coo. Who
ran estimate the loss OF permanent
wealth taat this aggregate Of wages i'm
plies aud suggestsy
b The Federal statistics show that there
ale Ia the United States $500, 600 persons
daily iucapaciteG tor labor by reason OF
liquor" This number includes the drunk
ards, the insane, taC criminals and pau
pers dragged down 20 these classes by the
direct and recognized influence OF using
Intoxicating drinks. At 81 a day in a
year of 500 days these 100000 persons,
placed b8rs dU tfdrW BY the drinking
habit. could have earned $4,000. 600,
which, added to the other totals OF money
cost, and the loss of the services of the
army Of makers and sellers, estimating
these services on the wage basis only.
amount TO the aggregate Of $1,l7l, ,51S
per anaum.
ssThis vast sum-" writes Mrs. Thomp-
son, lis S23 per capita for every man,
woman and child in the country. IL is
nearly equal to our entire gold, silver and
paper circulation combined. II would
build and equip 80, 600 miles OF railroad:
pay the cost OF the public schools for If.
teen years; erect ana MAINTAIN II. coo col
leges; send out and support l.200 600 mis-
siDnarles; pay he entire national debt Of
the country. national. stale and munich
pal, in less than four years; construct 600
first-class ocean steamers; erect and
maintain 1850 hospitals, Libraries. or
homes for the aged; provide one.third OF
the people in the United States with home
sfeads OF 100 acres each; run the Post
Office Department for thirty-four years;
support tue navy for seventy-fve wears:
pay our foreign Consular service for /. 125
years; purchase, at 81 a barrel. 1867, 1921, 359
barrels OF flour. and pay the salary OF the
President Of the United States tor 1920
yearsw
More than two-fifths of the arrests IN
New York city are Of persons "int0xi-
Gated" or Of persons "drunk and disor-
Derby" Uniting the figures OF these two
4tAdii9 separator hNEUNtHs VET coming
from the same source. the total number of
arrests OF liquor criminals was 2SG $50.
The total number OF arrests 10 all offences
was 69,O52. Who pays the expense OF sup
porting twO-ffths OF the police force thus
employed, and for twO-fi.hs Of the prison
accommodations thus rendered necessary.
aud for twO-ftths OF the costly machinery
Of justice, otherwise unueeded. that the
liquor traffic forces us TO maintain? The
liquor manufacturers, or importers, or
wholesale dealers, or retailersg No; the
labOring classes and the law-abidng
directors OF industry.
The mRud!n or noisy drunkards were
moi the only persons in New York who
were thus lodged in public institutions ~
the public expense because Of the Ira fiic
in Intoxicating drinks. No less than
12Q6s3 "indigeut persOnsp were forced 10
ask for lodgings at the statiOn-house.
That is 70 say, number during the year
that represents one.twelth OF the entire
population. About $4,000 were men /:
over 81, 900 were wOmenl Eighty-hyr per
cent. OF them admitted that their poverty
had come from drink. Who paid for the
lodgings of these victims OF drink? You
and reader, and the rest OF the workers
OF New York. And how mucbY The
cost OF keeping up the police is $3.50. O58.
Tw0-tiuhs Of " must be charged directly
20 the liquor traffic.
"rhe cost OF the various courts,0 also
writes Mrs. Thompson, "made necessary
by reason ~ the traffic ia liquors In New
York city alone, reached the sum Of
$4,000 Geo."