The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-22
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
THE RUM POWER.
The Force that Is Back of the Terrible
Drink Traffic.

The EOrce that Is BACK OF the Terrible
Drink Traffic.
A reader puts to us this question:
"What do you mean by the rum pow
err in your noted war-cry, 'Pulverize
the rum power"
Probably there are other readers
who do not realize that the phrase, the
rum power, includes all men who make
money out of the liquor traffic, in any
capacity. 1t does not mean simply sa-
loon-keepers, but much larger body
of men than their aggregate numbers.
Let us illustrate by using the figures
as to the number of saloons and sa-
loonlleepers in the state of New York,
and the other persons who form, to-
gether with these, that class which is
collectively denominated the rum
power.
There are 1900 licensed liquor sa-
looms in New York city, 5000 in Brook
Ign, =, 200 in Buffalo, $50 in Albany, $50
in Rochester, and 700 in Troy, total
of Is, 400 in the six largest cities of the
Empire state. There are $500 licensed
saloons in the other As cities of the
state, and 5000 in the unincorporated
townships, a total of $4,000. Figuring
at two, the average number of bar
keepers to a saloon, the result is "a, 600
proprietors barkeepers and helpers.
TO this total must be added the follow
ing:
There are $50 breweries in New
York state, and the number of men
employed in each, workmen, super
intendents, book-keepers, collectors,
cashiers, drivers, hostlers, chemists,
coopers and engineers averages about
eighty men, making total of more
than $4,000. There are $50 distilleries
in the state, having an average work
ing force in all departments of about
thirty men in office and factory, max
ing IL total of about 13, 500 men engaged
in the wholesale branch of the liquor
business.
Then there are the dealers in saloon
keepers fixtures, their clerks, drum
mers and workmen; there are those
who make business of providing the
free lunches; there are the bottlers, a
large class; the manufacturers of and
dealers in glassware, saloon mirrors,
beer pumps, and corltscrews, and the
makers of advertising signs and orna-
ments. This about includes the domes-
tic beer and liquor interests of
the state and those interested and atfil-
lated with it. There is to be added the
foreign import trade in wines, cham
pagnes, ales, spirits, liquors and bran
dies, and the agents, clerks and sales
men engaged in it. With these addi-
tions the total number of men in the
wine, liquor and beer trades in New
York state, or directly connected with
them, does not fall anything short of
200, 600
The liquor business is peculiar in this
that, from its nature, women and
minors are excluded. 1t is conducted
almost exclusively by men. Hence
these 200 600 are practically all voters;
and this is one of the reasons for the
potentially of the rum power in
politics. Not only does every man en-
gagged in it have a vote, but probably
the largest number o. them each con-
troll one CT more other votes. Through
this means, its political influence is
would be inclined to suppose.
What is the cohesive force which
holds this army of voters together?
Simply the money that is made in the
liquor traffic. There is hardly any oc-
cupation which affords so great
q margin of profit. The greed of gain
holds these men in their occupation
and nerves them to resist any and all
legislation that would curtail their
sales or otherwise diminish their
profits. The temperance element of
the country is not animated, of course,
by this most potent of all factors Of
human activity, the desire for gain
They must depend upon argument and
moral influence in the effort to pulver-
ize the rum power.-Toledo Blade.