The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-03-23
A FINANCIAL VIEW.
The Business Aspect OF the Rum Traffic
Its Enormous Cost.

The Business Aspect OF the Rum Traffic
Its Enormous Cost.
A brief calculation viii sho w loss
to all lines of legitimate business
through this damnable traffic in LIQUID
ruin 1t is entirely probable that
there is not saloon in any city whose
average sales are less than five dollars
per day. Even the enormous percent
age of profit which is made by the
saloonist would leave but a narrow
margin out of this average, when the
ilrst cost OF rum, rent, fire. gas, taxes
and other expenses are taken out.
Then the higher class of saloons, those
III the more frequent business streets,
sell anywhere from 800 to $500 worth
day. Let Us put the average for all
classes of saloons low enough, and as
sumo that it is SO per day all around
In the city of Toledo, we are informed
at the Internal Revenue Office, there
are over 600 saloons. The amount
paid over their counters, at the above
average, is over Sc, 900 daily. This is
over $l,S96, 600 yearly, not counting
illegal Sunday sales, which are very
large. The estimate is clearly low
enough if we make it 50, 600, 900 yearly.
Think of what the $4,000, 900 wear
loses to the city and to all legitimate
lines of business and you will begin to
have a faint idea of what the rum
traffic costs Toledo, in a business way,
every year, 1t does not do a penny's
worth of good to the buyers. or to
their wives, their families and their
dependent ones. 1t is that much cut
off from their necessities and comforts.
Ii there were not a rum hole in this
city, that two millions would be near
ly all spent with the business men if
legitimate lines. The men who now
pay it out for rum would then spend
it for more and better food, for better
clothing for themselves and their fam
lies. for furniture, home comforts
and luxuries. They would dwell
in better houses, would exist on a
higher plane. Let the merchants of
the city think of the value to them
selves of the added expenditure OF
over $4,000 per day by retail con-
sumers! They can then begin to realize
what a loss to themselves is the rum
traffic so long as it exists. And what
is true of Toledo is true of any other
city or village in the country, in pro.
portion to the population and number
of saloons.
Let us look at 1t in another light
Assume the average wages of work.
men in factory to be $500 a year-a
little over 50 day. That two mill
ions will then represent the wages of
1857 workingmen. The extermina-
ton Of the rum traffic in this city
would be equivalent to adding to her
buying population 1857 men, with
their families What earnest, united
effort would be put forth to aid in
bringing to Toledo great manufacture
ing establishment with 2, S57 hands, by
the business men of the city, simply in
order to add that number of consum-
ers to the population! Why not put
forth the same energetic effort to crush
out rum, when the result will clearly
be the same?
Nor would the enormous sum added
to the legitimate business transactions
of the city be the only benefit. There
would be less crime, and the police and
court and prison expenses of the city
would be less, while the burden of in
digence would be much lightened.
There would be more men, if the curse
of rum were lifted, who would buy
lots and build cottages. Men who are
not taxpayers now would accumulate
savings, and become such. This effect
would not be for one year alone, but
would go on through every succeeding
year The basis of taxation would be
broadened, and the burden of taxes be
lightened Add these to the veritable
"boom" that would be given to the
vast number of lines of retail business
by daily increase of some six thousand
dollars in sales, and the vast benefits
in business way will be clearly seen.
-TOZeHO B101e