New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-29

produced, as he did for the previous
year. He finds that the quantity taxed
in 1871 exceeds the quantity produced
by 6 million gallons, and, therefore,
makes the 63 million gallons taxed the
basis of his computations. This reduces
the troublesome decrease from 16 to 1C
million gallons. Leaving unchanged
the 13 million gallons of domestic and
imported spirits and the IA million gal
Ions of domestic wines which he had
estimated as having escaped from being
included IN the production report OF
1870, he considers them sufficient to
offset the alcohol used for mechanical
purposes in 1871, which, according to
the production report, is probably less
than 20 million gallons. This places at
his disposal the watering of liquor,
which in 1870 was required to swell the
Offset to alcohol to the desired figure.
1t will be remembered that in 1870 dea-
lers put 10 per cent. of water into
liquors sold at ten cents q glass. In
view of the difficulties that beset him
on all sides, the eminent mathematician
INV Seel1o upOu tIlC bttsSA o1CJ VI
domestic distilled liquors, the alcohol
for mechanical purposes included, to
submit to the process of dilution. But
10 per cent. of 63 million gallons is lit
tie more than million gallons, which
would still leave decrease of nearly 4
million gallons as compared with
1870. It is evident that at this junct-
ure dealers must awake to the fact that
an increase in the amount of water ad-
ded to their liquors would greatly con-
tribute to their material prosperity.
Accordingly, the entire quantity of SO
million gallons is diluted to the extent
of ta0epty per cent. in 1871, thus in.
creasing the bulk by Is million gallons.
Dr. Hargreaves thus obtains,
Domestic spirits taxed 1S1......... .63 mill. gal
Water added thereto. 13 mill. gal
Total quantity, 1S71...... rs mill. gal
Domestic spirits produced, $780,. .73 mill gal
Eureka! The troublesome decrease
by 16 million gallons has now been
turned into an increase of millions.
Wiping the perspiration from his brow,
the great man now turns to the high
priced imported spirits. It is evident
that dealers who are mean enough to
water their own beloved country's prod.
uct to the extent of twenty per cent,
will not hesitate to apply the same proc
ess to the productions of foreign
countries. Accordingly, imported
spirits are watered to the extent OF
twenty per cent. This process, togeth.
er with the increase obtained above
and that in fermented drinks, brings
the nations drink bill for 1871, at the
given prices, up to $50 million dollars.
For the next year, 1872, the base OF
computation is shifted from the tax re.
port back to the production report. By
adding twenty per cent. of water and
applying other approved methods, the
drink bill for 1872 reaches 1856 million
dollars. Ii to this total we add 81 mil
lion dollars for illicit whisky, we obtain
for that year the round sum of 800 mil
lion dollars.
Conscious of human imperfections,
the true mathematician ever seeks for
Independent verifcation of his work.
DR.. Hargreaves finds that in 1872 there
were about 100, 600 licensed retail deal
ers in alcoholics. Now, every cultured
person in this broad country of ours
will readily see that, at the small prof
its allowed by our statistician, dealer
cannot take out q. S. license at TWEEN.
tY-five dollars and make a living be-
sides unless he is able to sell at least
SIS, 900 worth of alcoholics per annum.
If there are any druggists, little coun.
try merchants and others who obtain 8
U. S. license and are thereupon impru.
dent enough to sell only two or three
hundred dollars worth of alcoholics,
while the license empowers them to sci
any quantity they please, that is entire
ly their own fault and not DR.. Har
greaves's. Having thus satisfactorily
shown that each Of the 100000 q. s.
licenses issued in 1872 represented 6
retail trade of at least SIS, 200, the grea
man asks us to multiply $4,000 b,
| 100000. We perform the operation
and, behold obtain the very aggregat,
of 800 million dollars which was above
computed from the production report
This independent proof settles the ques
tion for all time to come, so far as tn,
year 1872 is concerned.
With retail trade in alcoholics ag
gregating 800 million dollars in 1872
the amount of 900 million dollars giv
en- more than ten years later in the ia
vorite diagram appears extremely rea
sonable, especially if we consider wha
the amount might have been if homes
DIR. Hargreaves had extended his com
putation to subsequent years.
| From the above, the reader will un
derstand why | said in my first articl
that DR.. Hargreaves, if honest, must b
on the verge of insanity.
The question may be asked, what i
| the actual cost of alcoholics to the ma
ton if the statements usually made ar
exaggeratious of the truthp The ques
ton may be asked, but no edEeatet
person of sound mind and morals vii
attempt to answer it. We have no in
formation and ne means of obtaining
information that would enable us t
i L 11oo -