Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-05-28
The Power of Rum.
Few Facts and Figures Regarding
the Liquor Traffic Of the Country.


disciple of this horrible and blood
cur'lling monster, Rum, which tenn
pelance fanatics hold up before the
public AZ the prime cause Of all the
ev' degradation and crime known
in the world today, and who pour
out their Walls of wrath in every
known manner of viuperation, even
des Grating the Sabbath day to heap
intamy upon the people who engage
in the sale and manufacture of
quors. l desire to discuss the ques
ton from dispassionate standpoint
aud endeavor to eDiighten thinking
and reasoning men and women re-
garaing traffic in this branch of bus
mess.
The sale and manufacture of
liquors is purely business PROPOSE,
ton in this country, and ia sane
rioned and protected by the Govern
mcn', all bowls about the villainous
rumseller to the contrary notwith-
Standing; and the idea of one State
or community saying that the people
in ITS domain shall not have or enjoy
the privileges accorded by another
is the height of fanatical absurdity,
in the outset. Where there ia one
who fails from the use of intoxicants,
there are hundreds that do not.
Where there is one man or woman
that goes to an untimely grave from
.ho effects of opium. there are hun
d, eds of others that 10 not. Where
there is one woman who has squeezed
her vital organs to inactivity and
early death, thousands Of others go
on with the pressure. While one
loses nerve force and mental debility
from hot ro'ations of coffee, there
are millions who keep right on soz-
z:ius into their overworked stomachs,
and while one unfortunate woman
se:s beaten by an Infatuated hus bund
for making sour biscuits for dinner,
rund,eds escape and have their be
ng. Even water. improperly used.
has caused the death # n hundred
cores of human beings. There are
Il so ',any otter ;hingS which cause
crime besides drink. There is, it j.
Very safe to assume, aud always will
De, u good denl Of animal abou, man,
and it is questionable if by the com
~ etc exunciion of alcoholic bev~r-
ages crime would be greatly reduced
or society elevated, except by educa-
ton and natural advancement thus
CAUSED. 1t IL not my purpose to
Il sru>s NJ length the curse of Rum
still !es to advncntc il, hut t" dwell!
npnn ,xpediency Of this little com
muui;y, at this tine g'arpling with
his p,nbiem Of prohl1lion, which
9th. and far more powerful COM
n.nni,ies have wrestied with and i9-
ANONYMOUSLY failed. Does any one
that is rig hit minded, sensible per-
s0n-tLink for one moment that the
non-granting of licenses will in any
way stop the consumption of liquor
in this town which now pays its tax
and helps bear the burdens of gov
erumen,? If SO, that person is GER
,aiply devoid of common sense. So
long as it is manufactured and H.
censed by the Federal Government,
those that desire 1t can buy it and no
one has the right to deny them this
privilege any more than they have
to try aud stop the stop the sale OF
tea. coffee, opium or morphine.
Temperance aoitators tell us that
there is over 5000, 100000 spent an
nually in this country for drink,
which is worse than wasted-liter-
ally thrown to the MISUNDERSTANDING
bodies as we'll as souls and spread
ing desolation and death in its wake.
l desire TO make few statistical car
; cula'ions for the purpose of showing
these brilliant stutisticians that this
money is, to very large extent.
well and economically expended, aud
does as much towards the mainte-
nance of our social fabric, lubricat.
ing the machinery of government as
well as maintaining large proper
ton of our population, as any Other
industry in this country to day
The extinction of this branch OF bus
: mess in this country, which the TEN.
} p+rance people propose to do by
Legislative enactment at one fell
swoop, would cause such change
IS these people do not anticipate and
cannot comprehend.
Ont of the 5000 900, 900, tho an.
nua. drink bill claimed, the Govern
ment receives 800. 100000 derived
from customs, revenue taxes and
special licenses requiring the service.
Of nearly sc, 900 clerks, revenue off
GERS and gaugers to look after thi:
n,eres'. There are, according tc
lie ceusus of 1850, 4,G6l distillerie.
anI 2.741 brc .,er'e- i'll this country
emp o,irg 1882 persons whose
wages amount to ST.. 239. 56S a year
We also find that there are 1856 ,00(
wholesale and retail liquor dealers
/ employing $40 600 persons aud the,
pay in wages $2S7 ,044,O67 paid GU
in wages IN the manufic,ure unc
sale of liquor. These distillers
br. wers and liquor dealers give en-
rloymtn, to about $500 cooperagt
aud buttling works. engine ana
boiler works, still makers, tank fac
tories and general machine shops
. also require the services of 1,O0l
printing establishments. paper mali
: uf.ciurers, engravers, osraphers
and type makers, employing in this
way not less than 10000 laborers
who secure wages and expend same
IN living. This interest, to which il
is proposed to grant no quarter,
supports the hop and vine growing
industries of this continent. The
} Mississippi valley, California, our
Territory, the islands of Lake Erie,
the States of New York, Ohio, New
Jersey, aud in fact to greater OF