New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-16
LLOTOR CONSUMPTION.

The official report OF the consumption OF liquors
Just prepared by the Bureau of Statistics Is docu-
ment of peculiar interest in many ways. The most
striking fact that it brings TO light is that the
general consumption of liquors is increasing, in
spite of all prohibitory legislation. Last year there
was some ground for hope that a permanent de-
crease in consumption of spirits had begun, though
it was more than balanced by the increase III
use of wine and fermented liquors. For, after
rising to Las gallons per capita in SS4, the ap-
| parent use of spirits had declined in three years
70 11s gallons but it rose again in 1888 TO 1.23
Gallons. which is higher than the average in
1870 1t is but fair TO say that the official
figures do not indicate with great accuracy as to
nar,icular wears the quantity OF spirits used, be-
cause they show only what quantity passed out
of Government knowledge into the hands OF private
holders or dea lers the tax having been paid. But
not inconsiderabe quantities carried over from
year to year. Taking the quantities consumed III
consecutive periods of three years. however, the
average il now 30 gallons, against lilo gallons
in the three years ending with 1919, which proves
at least that there has been no substantial decrease
In view of recent prohibitory enactments IN sew
eral States and the much more extended apphca-
ton of prohibition by counties and towhs tls Is
not an encouraging result For legal prohlpitloh'
in one form or the other has been extended wlthh
q fcw wears over a considerable part of the popua-
tjon-over more than 5000, 600 in Iowa ana han-
sas alone. and probably more than a tenth OIL the
nopulation in all But, instead of diminishing by
10 per cent or any appreciable part. the con-
sumption of spirits has apparently increased over
, per cent. If the prohibitoTy enactmentS had' Ill
fact proved as efficaciouS their advocates AZ
6rme1 some perceptible decrease In Consumption
would have resulted The statistics therefore tell
Al, To- htr
of taxes maid bv retail dealersin short that pro-
hibitiOn does not prohibit.
Rut the case IS even worse when the consumption
Of other liquors is considered. For Prohibition
ATTEMPTS to arrest the sale and use OF malt liquors
and wines, as well as of distilled spirits, and 1t
is in fact far more easily enforced as to articles
comparatively bulky in proportion to value, which
cannot profitably be moved about the country
secretly for retail sales. But the consumption of
wines increased about 10 per cent last year, and
l5 per cent during the ten years, 1S7o-'So The
CONSUMPTION of malt liquors increased AS of
Gallon Der capita, or per cent last year, and
5s gallons per capita, or 81 per cent, during the
ten years, 1883. 1t is utterly impossible to
reconcile these official returns with the theory
that prohibition, by State or county action, has
in fact arrested the liquor traffic or liquordrink.
ing for a tenth, or any other appreciable part of
the population.
The comparison of consumption in different
countries must be received with some reservation,
because exact information regarding those coun-
tries is impossible. But this country appears to con-
sumo about a quarter more spirits per capita than
Great Britain, about as much as France, and a
little more than Germany, but still falls far be-
hind the other nations in the consumption of wine
and fermented liquors, Notwithstanding the recent
increase here. The average German uses more
than twice as much beer, and the inhabtant of
Great Britain nearly three times much beer and
ale as the inhabitant Of this country. The French
consumption Of wine per capita is nearly as great
as the German of beer. Canada, the official
figures indicate, has diminished its consumption
of distilled spirits much more than this country,
and has not as largely increased its consumption
Of malt liquor. But the general tendency to
substitute fermented for distilled liquors is ex-
hibited by the statistics of nearly all countries