The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-12-28
A NATION OF DRINK Frs
AMERICANS SPENT 5000. 600. 600
LAST YEAR FOR WHISKY.
Ter Says About it-Cigars Smoked
Champagne Used.

Although we are counted a fairly
sober people in the hurly-burly of
nations, the figures OF the internal
revenue commission for the last fiscal
year on the amount of whisky and
beer we drink and the number of
cigars and cigarettes we make, and
the quantity of tobacco we chew are
simply amazing.
They make the head reel The
preacher who peruses them will HE to
the pulpit to tell his congregation that
we are nation of drunkards, stupe-
fed with drink half of tle year and
drugged with tobocco the other half;
that each year we recklessly squander
upon these Inventions of Beelzebub
three times as much money as is re
Quired 70 keep this government in
operation and more than is represent
ed by the circulating medium of the
United States. And when the preacll-
er docs this he will be throwing
an armful of facts at his congrega-
ton.
We consumed last year, according
to this report of Commissioner Miller,
and it tells the story as detailed in
internal revenue office, 81, 900, 600 gal
ions OF whisky, brandy and distilled
spirits, or IN other words we drank
6,O9O, ,OU0. COO glasses of whisky for
which we pd!d over the bar the enor-
nous sum of $500, 100000, or $50, OO0.-
900 more than the annual appropria
tlOnS Of COngl esS combined. Tnis
represents consumption of 100
glasses of whisky each year for every
chi hot
rock bound Pacific and the storm
tossed Atlantic, or counting only male
adults, 800 glasses for each.
OF beer the figures are equally as
founding. The consumption was 81
9o2, 943 barrels, that is Il, IS5, 1863 200
glasses, representing an expenditure
for this mOue of IeuUonic hllarity of
S6l1, 20S, 400, or about $40 for each in
habitant. In the neighborhood of 230
glasses are charged up in this circula-
tiUn against each Of US as our annual
allowance. Ii we do not average our
daily glasses with our daily bread we
may be sure our neighbors get the
benefit OF our abstinence.
s253, 75O, 600 FOR CIGARS
In the matter of cigars, cigarettes,
smoking tobacco and chewing tobac-
co we are equally prodigal. The blue
I,
roots, and the curling wreaths of
), l16, 693, 900 cigarettes aid us in our
reYerieS and sOothe us in our work.
For this luxury we pay: For cigars
and cherOoJs, S253, 7oO, 900: for cigar
cites, 81, 332, U00 This is sapportiOned
tor cigars, 50 To each inhabltant or 415
for each male adult; cigarettes, ii to
each man, woman and child, or 250 To
tach male adult. All this goes up in
smoke each year, while people are
bungering for bread. But this does
not include the millions Of bowls of
tobacco that are consumed in pipes.
The figure for smoking tobacco eau
not be separated from those for chew
ing tobacco Combined we consume
219, 40, 092 pounds of the Fascinating
weed which costs US S139, 663, 036
Altogether, not taking stock of the
money We eXpend for champagne
whose sparkling bubbles burst about
the brimming goblet, and the Otner
and imported native wines which
drive away carhing care, the people of
the Uplted States spend annually for
drink and tobacco the almost incom-
prehenSibIe sum of 81 ,64l, 1903, 400. The
mind is incapable of grasping the
IargenesS OF this total, but when it is
remem5 5ered that this is more than
the circulating medium of the United
States; that is ST per head more than
the per capita circulation, that it
proves that the head of every family,
suppoSIng he handles the purse
strings, pays out Sl95 annually for
drink and tobacco and that every dol
lar in the UDited States goes each
year over the oar or a counter Of some
tObaccOniSt, some idea OF its magnl-
tude can be obtained.