The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-28
BEER, WHISKY AND TOBACCO.
They Coat the People of This Country
S1,IS9,OOO, 200 Yearly.

They Coat the People of This Country
81, 189, 0OO,0OO Yearly.
While demagogues continue to COM
plain about the sufferings of labor, and
croakers of the hard times, the con-
sumption of luxuries in almost every
particular is greater than It was one or
two years ago, and in most classes of
expenditure greater than it ever was in
the times called most prosperous, as is
shown by the internal revenue report.
The consumption of beer increased l.
524, $50 barrels The consumption in
1885 was greater than ever before, and,
adding the officially reported increase,
it appears that no less than 642, 600, 900
gallons of beer were consumed last
year Reckoning the mean population
for that year at about SO, 257, 600, the.
consumption appears to have been
1888 gallons for every inhabitant, ba-
bies included. Considering that large
part of the population does not con-
sumo beer at all, this seems to imply
an enormous consumption to those
who do.
The increase in the consumption of
whisky was 1,606, 10S gallons, which
makes the consumption for the year
70,763,010 gallons, or 1.19 gallons per
capita. That is much more than was
consumed in the years of depression,
the fiscal years 1878 and 1879, when
the tax was the same that it is now;
but it is much below the consumption
of 1888 or 1884, when the quantity was.
1.4l' and LAP gallons per capita
Probably the rapid spread of prohibi-
| ton has reduced the consumption.
| Fifteen years ago, when the tax was.
only 80 cents per gallon, the consump-
ton ranged between II and 2 gallons.
per capita.
The increase in consumption of to-
bacco in various forms has been re-
markable, but especially in the least
healthy of all forms. Snuff-using, it
may be remarked, is on the decline;
1875, 747 pounds less were used Lastly
than the year before. But the consump-
ton OF manufactured tobacco, for
smoking and chewing, increased H.
OlO, ga pounds, reaching 19l, 023, 66S
pounds, or 1922 pounds per capita,
which is considerably in excess of the
consumption in any previous year.
Prior to 1870 the quantity consumed
was from l to 2 pounds, in 1870 it rose
to 2.38, and until 1879 averaged about,
800 then it rose in 1880 to 2.75, in,
1882 to 3.06, and has been above 3
pounds ever since. But the increase in
this form of tobacco would have been
greater but for the increase in the con-
sumption of cigars and cigarettes :
The number of cigars consumed M
creased last year ISL, 925, S55, making
q total consumption of 1910, 372, $50,
OF 59.2 per capita. Twenty years ago
the consumption was 1912 yearly; liz
1870 it rose to 80; in 1875 to 1879, and
then declined little with the haru
times to 405 in 1873, butin 1881 it rose
to 52.6, reaching els in 1884, and de-
| clined to $50 in 1885, but has now
risen again to 59.2. The consumption
of cigarettes has greatly increased.
Last year alone the increase was 252,-
PIP, 112, or about % per cent, making,
1910, $50, 512 in all, or p. per capita
In 1865 there was a small consumption,
but practically none officially recorded
in the years 1S66-1869 In 1870 it rose
to A per capita, in 1875 to g per Capita.
and in 1876, just ten years ago, rose to-
IL per capita. But that was only the
beginning; in 1880 it had risen to s. 2
per capita, in 1884 to 16.1, in 1885 to
1873, and now averages %, l per capita.
Surprising cigars to average only five
cents each and cigarettes twenty cents
a package, tobacco dollar per pound
in retail forms, beer five cents a glass.
and spirits five cents for half a gill;
prices which are certainly not as high.
as those paid by most consumers, the:
cost of these articles to the people Of
this country is over S1,1S9, 1000, 900, or
S19.S2 for every inhabitant This bur-
den is borne by about 10000, 900 wage.
earners, however, and for them it aver
ages $50. 46 yearly. The consumption
of liquor alone costs the working peo-.
pie much over 100000, 0O0.- United
Presbyterian.