The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-20
TEMPERANCE STATISTICS.

TEMPERANCE STATISTICS. 4
Tho Erroneous Statements Made Concern
ing the Cost of Liquors.
Few are guiltlcsS of unconscious OK
aggeration. A good cause is damaged
more by exaggeration in its support
than by opposition. The simple truth
alone is permanently helpful. Even
Temperance statistics are by no means
always accurate. Figures are often
made to tell most damaging lies Even
contrasts are frequently incorrect on
both sides. Ever since first began to
read Temperance figures it has been
stated that the country StarveS it's
clergy on S13.000,0O0 annually. while
hundreds of millions are laviShcd ON
the saloon-keepers. Yet the Methodist
Episcopal church alone pays her min
listers over S9,000,000 each year. She
supportS about onc-ninth of the cOun
try's clergy, and if others are as we'll
paid the whole sum is over $50, 600, 900.
In similar contrasts, SS5, 100000 is often
put down as the cost of education. Yet
the Commissioner of Education in the
report of 1883 places the expenditure
for public education at SIP ,500,0 200. II
we add to this the cost of universities
$1,000, 900 - the cost of private and
parochial schools. probably S5,000,000
as 500, 600 pupils are reported, and the
expenses of commercial colleges, schools
of law, medicine, theology and of sec
ondary instruction, we shall not fall
below S15G, 900, 600 us Americas annual
tuition bill
Again, some OF the best statistical
writer's fix bread ut $5O5, 100000 and
liquors at 5000, 900. 900. This bread item
is the Wholesale value of ''grist-mill
products given in the census of 1880.
The same table reports the brewery
and distillery products at less than
SI43,OOO, 900. That the liquor output in,
creases in cost vastly more between the
producer and the consumer than the
grist-mi1l product is acknowledged, but
the grist-mill product is by no means
the Nations bread bill. If the fair val
uation of labor, fuel and rent were
added the bread of the people would be
found to cost scarcely less than $1,000,
0OO,O Large additions must also be
made to the wholesale figures OF the
cost of meat, cotton goods and shoes il
quoted in the contrasts.
Further is the common estimate OF
5000, 200, 900 as the Nations liquor bill
reliable? Quite likely nearly that sum /:
paid each year to the liquor dealers of the
country. 1t is absolute loss, more thai
loss-a damage to the consumers But IL
1t such to the Nation? One hundred mill
ion go into the Government Treasury q
internal revenue tax, and perhaps more
than half that sum is paid into mu
nicipal treasures as license fees. This
money certainly is not lost to the Ma
ton. Nor does the currency paid 10
drinks drop out of circulation or SUITE
depreciation. 1t is there all there
and is Just as useful as ever when re
turned to legitimate channels OF bust
ness To this is often added Il very larg
if unequal sum for indirect cost Q
the traffic But what is lost? All tn
barley, hops, corn, st-ychnine, indlcn
coculus and other ingredients used i
the manufacture are lost. The Worl
receives no return for them. No health
strength or warmth is secured by tn
OuLldN. NO =" "AAS 49,
munity by increase of assets is renders
by the time of brewers, distillers an
rectifiers. The labor of the army {
employees, saloon-keepers, clerks an
carriers is lost. The immense annuf
value of the plants, the store buildings
teams, railroad cars and varied prope
ties used i'll business, is wasted Th
time of men spent in places OF drinl
wasted during and after drunken az
baucheries. in sickness and early deaf
from drink, the cost of the prosecute
IT drink-made criminals, of the suppo
of insane and paupers made by liquor
the cost of medical advice in sickness
the lessened value through life of tt
labor of children OF drinking parent
because of lack of education, the ge
eral depreciation of prices of real
tate and of profits of honest bushes
all indicate total and iuccssant loss
the Nation, entailed by the liquor ira
fic. That the figures of these irr
trievable losses, could they be ascc
tanned, would equal the usual estimat
of the direct cost of the traffic ca
scarcely be doubted, but that they CT
legitimately be added to the direct co
and then charged against the murde
Gus business, doubt. There are mar
intricacies in this business. and Il
political economy may be all wron
Others, better versed, may set me rigt
Rev. Henry Colman, in N. w. Chr
tian Advocate.
A MEMBER of Viennas town coun
when rise in beer was reported was