The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-13
TEMPERANCE READING.
Something About the liquors Drank
How and of What They Are Made.

OOiAit'h ftbbuJ iiit Liquors drank
How and of What They Are Made.
The following in an article from the
Christian Sun, entitled Death in the
Cup," by Rev. James Maple, are start
ling suggestions. Among the practical
lessons to be learned from them are:
l. That the $9OO,OOO,0OO annual re-
tail drink bill of the American people
as claimed by Temperance speakers
and writer's is vastly underestimate,
instead of overestimated. as maintained
by the liquor interest The 5000, 000,-
900 estimate is based on moderate
analysis of pure liquors referred to in
United States Treasury reports of
homemade and imported, distilled,
fermented and malt liquors. Mr.,
Naples facts and figures have long
been well known, and by them it will
be seen that not one-quarter of the
total retail drink bill is for genuine
liquor. Therefore, that bill is more
likely to be four times 5000, 900, 900.
2. Let all men individually, and all
corporations doing an honest business
in farming, mechanical or commercial,
or other lines. candidly ask this ques-
ton: ''What would be the increase of
my business, individually or collective
ly, if this waste was stopped and
share Of it was spent by those who
wasted it, in dealing with me?" The
mechanic with a business of $1,000
would find his income jump to 1900.
The $1,000 annual sales of a mer-
chant to $15, 900. The farmer and the
professional man would find his re-
ceipts acted on in like manner through
the general prosperity.
The United States excels all other
nations in the use of champagne wine,
consuming 100000 baskets. How
much Of this is genuine? The whole
champagne district exports 100000
baskets. Russia takes 100, 900; France
10000; Germany 10000; England
220, 900; other countries 100. 900, leav-
ing only y, 900 baskets for the United
States. This leaves 9S8, 900 baskets to
be supplied in some other way. There
is only one pure basket in 49,. A
slim chance to stake your money on.
Madeira produces $4,000 barrels of
wine, and America drinks 10000 If
other coutries drink of this in the
same ratio as ours, he must be a
lucky dog who gets genuine drink in
an American city.
In 1866 four firms in New York re-
/ ported to the Commissioner of Internal
/ Revenue 225, 900 gallons of pure spirits
for the manufacture of bogus wines.
| And as this spirit composed only one
| tenth to one-ffth of the new liquor,
from two to four gallons of this vile
stuff are palmed off on unsuspecting
vendors and drinkers. This would
make, at an increase of two gallons,
100000, or at an increase of four gal
Ions, 100000 gallons. There are 400
such establishments in our country.
There is a dispatch in this manu-
| featuring of wine worthy of better
business. The whisky comes in under
the cover of darkness, and five or ten
+ CLuCo ChO quiuCllJ ILetioululcu IuIO
wine comes to the light of day next
morning. Some of these experts own
to the buying of barrel of whisky of
a countryman, and, before night,
selling him back barrel of wine made
from a part of it, at a profit of five
hundred per cent. A French merchant
bOasted that from two barrels in his
cellar he could produce any kind of
wine desired in six hours. This is the
rule, not the exception.
Thousands of dollars have been
found invested in wine dealers cellars
for articles used in making wines, but
not one dollar for the grapes or grape
juice. The frauds in bogus wines are
recorded at $88,000,000 annually in
New York.
How is it with our brandy drinksf
Those who drink brandy datter them
selves that they are drinking the prod
uct of distilled grapes, but not one
per cent. of it is from the grape.
Brandy dealers recipe books show
that their brandy is vile compound,
with no more relation to pure wine
than man to monkey, and not so much
if Mr.. Darwin theory is correct. DR..
Cox says that the best brands oil
brandy, fresh from the custom house,
when subjected to chemical tests, show
a basis of whisky and fusel oil, mixed
up with sulphur, nitric ether, prussiC
acid, copper, chloroform, guinea pep
per, tannin, sometimes a little brandy
but often not drop. He examined
rare specimens brought to Cincinnati
for pure articles of the best quality
and what was the resultP Blue litmu'
immersed became scarlet, polished
spatula in fifteen minutes was as black
as ink, rapidly corroded, and when the
rust was wiped off the instrument wa:
copper plated. What claimed to be
pure brandy from reputable house il
New York contained tifty-five per cent
of alcoholic spirits, and the balance
nitric ether, prussic acid, guinea pep
per, fusel oil. whisky, but not droI
, of brandy. If a cautious, experienced
and honest druggist gets taken in il
. this way, what chance is there for the