Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-16
my POCKET"
The Liquor Question from an Economic
Stand : Point - How 1t Affects the
Farmer.

The Liquor Question from an Economic
Stand : Point How 1t Affects the
Farmer.
The following significant article APP
pears editorially in a late number of the
Farm, Field and ~Stockman:
In a former issue we reprinted a me-
mortal respectfully received by the
United States Senate at its last session
on the politico-economics Of intoxlcants.
This subject is far too often treated
along lines of glittering generality.
The individual pocket is the true object
i've point. Records of courts and of con-
ventions, and ofexpert testimonies, have
for more than a generation gone to
prove that nine-tenths of the crime,
pauperism, insanity and such like-with
all that means to tax-payers-come from
he use of alcohol. These records and
testimonies show that the grand total
of yearly cost of alcoholic drink in tho
United States is several times the nine
hundred million dollars suggested by
some Temperance publications. Nine
hundred million dollars of waste can be
shown by pretty fair analysis of customs
and internal revenue returns as result
ing from the use OF intoxicants in this
country. These returns represent APP
proximately pure liquor. But it is well
known that not a quarter of the liquor
sold owe the bars of this country is pure
liquor.
But all this, even after the mass OF
intelligent people accept it as true, will
not lead them TO efficient action.
Not till the problem reaches the voter
formulated to touch that magic point
my pocket" will he be sure to act as il
he realized that 1.-THE shortest line be-
tween two points is straight"
Take the farmer as an illustration.
Like every other member OF any inGus-
trial class, his prosperity depends on
general prosperity. II the merchants
and mechanics, and the railways, manu-
facturers and other corporations are in a
prosperous condition-not otherwise
be can get fair prices for his products.
n individuals who ompose ''the
masses" are generally doing well in
their business, these other classes and
combinations will have a similar ex-
.oerience. And the farmer, whose prod
acts are the foundation Of them
III, will not be an exception. Work.
ng from the circumference-the
nasses-to the center. the individual.
We find that each OF these millions OF
enters or individuals is financially
prosperous, exactly in proportion to the
spending Of individual incomes.
I half OF those who should be the con-
t~ituents OF a country merchant are
pending a greater part of their earn
ngs for drink, that merchant has cor
espondingly hard work to make ends
acct The farmer for whom that mer-
liant is measurably banker and medium
I exchange feels the pressure at every
ONT of his financial experience. Every
of a score or more of mechanics
tho help to consume that farmers sur
lus haszhis share of shortage, because
are spending all they have to {
pare for drink, instead OF for the prod
SITS of these skilled workers. There :
IRE, these mechanics can not buy freely I
the farmer and he loses hat best Of r
Il markets. home market. !
To sum it all up, the farmer may as. j
ire himself that If his net income is
200 a year under license-high or low a
1t would be 50, 900 if his neighbors s
ere spending their surplus for honest
'oducts of labor and capital instead of n
r drink. This loss is a million dollars v
r every thousand of such farmers, and o
90, 600, 900 for every 1Oo,O 600 of them. b
MS line Of fact, philosophy and action a
III lead to the central citadel of ''hard h
mes" and to its capture. Let each I
rmer use this philosophy as the lens a
tn which to scrutinize the condition O
his particular pocket.