The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-08-21
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
a BUSINESS VIEW.
What the Rum Traffic Costs tho LegIti-
mate business of One CITY.

vi VI luTulluIe, Ut any Quiet TcGdll OC-
cupation. This is not true. Dealers
in these and the thousands of other
articles of daily consumption and use
are engaged in supplying the natural
wants of humanity. The saloon keeper
is not The former gives to his custom
er an equivalent for his money. The
saloon keeper does not Rum is neither
food nor clothing, nor does it supply
any need of the healthy human body.
1t is a poison which Injuries, and in
large enough doses will kill. The men
who sell it are not on the same plane
as retail business men. Instead Of
catering to humanity's needs, they
pander to its vices. Their occupation
is on the same level as that of those
who traffic in the souls and bodies of
women to satisfy mems lust.
There is no legitimate business that
would not be largely benefited if this
traffic in liquid ruin were destroyed.
We will enter into a little calcula-
ton to show how much the traffic
costs Toledo We think it probable
that there is not Il saloon in the city
whose average sales are less than $40
per day. Unless the saloon keeper take
in this much at least, he cannot live;
for, though the percentage of profit in
the retail sale of liquor is enormous
yet when the first cost of the liquor,
the rent of the room, and the cost of
fire, gas, taxes and other expenses are
taken out, there would be too narrow
a margin for profit if the saloons sales
averaged less than $40 daily. 1t is said
that the large and fashionable saloons
on Summit street claim to average
$500 and over per day. We think
that the average of $40 per day
for all the saloons in the city is proba-
bly, too low. However, we would soon
er err on that side than on the other,
and so will let it stand.
There are, according to the collector
of internal revenue, over 600 saloons
in this city. For convenience in
calculation let us take that number.
Assuming the average of daily receipts
to be only $40, the amount paid over
their counters is over 1000 daily, and
over $l,S7S, 900 yearly. 1t will be
noted that we omit Sunday, and do
not take into calculation the illegal
sales OF that day, which are very large;
hence our estimate is very low if we
make it 81, 900, 900 yearly.
Think of what that s., 1000 600 a year
loses to the city and to all legitimate
lines of business and you will begin to
have faint idea of what the rum traf-
fic costs Toledo in a purely business
way every year! 1t does not do cents
worth of good to those who buy it, nor
to their wives and children. The
amount spent for rum is simply that
much filched from other necessities
and comforts. If there were not rum
hole in Toledo that $1,000. 900 would he
nearly all spent with business men il
legitimate lines. The men who now
pay it ont for liquor would then spend
it for more food or that of a better
quality; for better clothing for them
selves, their wives and their children;
for better furniture, home comforts
and the little Injuries of life. They
would live in better houses; they
would exist on higher plane. A por-
ton of it would probably be saved and
put away in savings banks as deposit
against times of sickness or misfortune,
or W hen old age shall come.
Leok now for moment at the bust
ness side of this state of affairs. Let
the retail merchants of Toledo consider
for moment the value to themselves
of an additional expenditure of So, 900
per day from retail consumers. We
have no means of knowing what is the
average total amount of retail sales
daily in the city, but we are quite GER
tain that the regular addition of
$4,000 to the total for every working
day in the year would give such boom
to the retail trade as it has not ex-
perienced in years, and it would be
permanent. 1t would not be only for
one day, but for every day in the week
and for every week in the year. If
there is any class of the community
whose own interests should prompt
them to be bitter opponents of the rum
traffic it is our retail merchants.
The benefit of the suppression of the
saloons of Toledo would not be confined
to the retail business and to the drink
ing class of her population; nor would
the enormous sum added to the legiti-
mate business transactions be the only
benefit Toledo would derive. There
would be less crime and disorder; the
expenses of our police force and our
courts and prisons would be diminished,
while the burden of pauperism would
be much lightened. There would be
more II en- who would buy lots and build
cottage thereon; men who are not now
tax pay ers would accumulate their saw
ings and become such. The effect
would not be for one year, but go on
through each succeeding year. The
basis of taxation would be broadened,
the rate of taxation would be lowered;
there would be such an increase in the
demand for, staple articles that it would
probably increase the number of our
retail establishments. and add to the
output of many of our manufacturing
ones.
Aud who would be damaged by such
a state of things? Not one, unless it
were some of the men now engaged in
saloon keeping; the benefit would ac-.
crue either directly or indirectly to
every other citizen. The saloon men
would be compelled to enter upon some