The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-07-12

gallons of spirits, wines and malt
liquors have been withdrawn for
consumption. Taking So, 600 as the
average population for the five years,
then the average consumption has
been over 1G gallons for every man,
woman and child in the Kingdom.
The amount consumed in 1859
was 3l0,l 1872 gallons or 2,4lS,296
pints. or an average consumption OF
over 20 pints for every inhabitant.
n glance at the table giving the
nationaliles OF those convicted,
shows that of the total 1909 con-
victions for drunkenness in the four
years, 2Gl7 were llawaiians and
1907 were foreigners (not including
Chinese, japanese and Portuguese).
In other words the Hawalians, Amer
leans, English, Germans, French,
etc, furnished over 81 percent Of
those. convicted for drunkenness.
The Hawaiians alone furnished over
56 percent, and the foreigners mem
toned 30 percent. The estimate of
population as given in Thrum's an
nual shows that in 1899 there were
~, 800 Hawaiians, and To-, for
cigners. 1t is fair inference that
the 80, $50 Hawailans and foreigners
consumed by far the larger part of
the $40, 1872 gallons for 1889. Ger
tain it is that 50 percent of the
population furnished over 81 percent
of the convictions for drunkenness.
The financial side of the liquor traffic
should be considered. 1t is lmpos-
siblc TO obtain exact figures because
the different departmental reports
on this subject are not exact or
complete.
From the report of the Collector
of Customs we obtained the follow
ing: For the FIVE years 1SS5-S9, the
total value of "spirits, ale, porter,
beer, wine, etc., paying duty" was
over S52S, 900 90; the value of the
spirits, ale, porter, beer, wine, etc. g,
entered in bond was over $500, GOO
90. The most of the bonded liquors
represented by the 100000 90
was withdrawn for consumption.
This is shown 10y the fact that of the
398,794 gallons of spirits given as
"withdrawn from the warehouse for
consumption" only S28,4 5S il
worth is given in the table as "spi-
rits paying duty" while in the table
of bonded goods, we find S4l9, 344.-
81 worth of spirits. This shows
that the most of the 1913, 794 gallons
of spirits were bonded and hence
did not pay duty until withdrawn
for consumption. The import du-
ties on spirits, wines, beer, ETC., for
the five years amounted to S1,278,-
1904. To these items must be
added about $3.50 900 paid in license
fees. We are unable to estimate
the cost of insurance, freight, hand
ling, and sale of the liquors consum
ed in the five years, but it is certain
that il We could get the figures i
would greatly increase the sums al
ready given. Without these items
we have as first cost ovar 50, 500,
100000 spent for liquors. 1t is no
the liquor dealer who pays this, it il
the people who pay it through thu
liquor dealer, after he has deducted
his large profits. The prices o
liquors in Honolulu are very high
Taking very low average selling
price, the drink bill of this .countr'
for the last five years was over Sc,
O00,00O, or the rate of $40 TO
every inhabitant. AT the same 10y
price. the liquor traffic cost tn
country over 81, 100000 last year
That is at the rate of SIG for ever
, man, woman and child.
When to this is added the jus
proportion of the cost to which tn
country is put by the liquor bus
ness in the items of police protec
ton, and courts, ETC., the amount
immensely increased. By a refer
ence to the reports of the Chief jus
tice it will be found that the conviC
tions for drunkenness" clique
selling" violations of liquor laws
all of which are direct results
and "assaults," "assaults and ba
: teries," etc., most of which can |
o traced to the use of spirits, make L
e more than so per cent. of the tot
G convictions for crime. Then it
J. fair that half the cost Of arrestin,
# convicting and taking care Of crimi
+ ais should be charged against Il
e liquor traffic. 1t is very evideI
e then that the country pays mut
" more to vindicate its laws, viola
G ed through this business, tn;
If it receives from this traffic which
is licenses to debauch its citizens.
n is not the rich who suffer, it is Il
Y laborer, the mechanic. The iii
>, man when he gets drunk is Sc
If home in a carriage. 1t is not u
II rich man who has 10 stand up in Il
y police court and plead guilty to b
r. ing drunk. 1t is the labering ma
NJ the man who has to earn his livil
10 by daily toll, who is condemned +
he being drunk. 1t is he who has
re go over to Oahu Prison and wo
Or out his fine, after he has spent |
III last cent in the saloon and finds th
of the man who took his money is u
VS. willing to pay his fine. 1t is Ii
70 class that furnishes by far I
greater part of 1900 men and W
of men condemned yearly for bel