The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-03-02
w. Q. II. u. Column.
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. l.. HoBBs.
Big Economical Question.

South Caro- lima continues to drs,
the attention Of those interested in tn
drink problem. The liquor dealer
there we're defeated In their attempt /,
prevent the new law from going int,
effect July lst. The supreme cour
; has given unanimous decision which
settles the matter, and makes all II
censes expire with the last day OF thil
month.
Gov. Tillmsn has issued rules fol
the regulation of the "Dispensaries,
official name Of the State bar-ro0ms.
The rules prohibit person from bel NJ
served more than once day. No
loafing will be allowed around the
dispensaries. Clubs will not be per-
mitted to serve liquor. The dispen-
saries are to open at 7 o'clock in the
morning aud close at 6 in the evening.
A special constabulsry force is to be
employed to enforce the law. These
rules are certainly a wide departure
from methods now in vogue, and ben.
eficial results ought soon to be OBJ.
servable.
The governor saws he expects to
sell between 100000 and 100000
gallons Of liquor the first year, at a
profit OF at least Sl.00 per gallon. L.
Is to be assumed that he has carefully
studied the field aud has q pretty ac-
curste kno owledge Of the bibulous ca
pacity of his esteemed constituents.
South Carolina bad 1027 liquor deal
ers in 1890 Taking it for granted,
that these 1927 saloon keepers made
IS much in the aggregate IS Governor
Tillman and the State will make, the,
average net income Of the saloons is,
in round numbers, $500 As the
svowed object Of the new ! " is to re-
strict drinking, this must be consider
ably less than the real amount. Then
The governor says that the liquor here
lofore sold in South Csrolius has been
'doctored," and that short measures
we're the rule. This b, ing true there
IAN scarcely be q reasonable doubt but
hat the net income OF the saloons have
'anged at about 81 900
Let US suppose the Indiana saloon
men make rs much a. do their South
Carolina brethren. aud this is certainly
! low estimate. Indiana, according to
he census Of 1890, had z 7,l78 retail liQ.
nor desIers. Multiply this nuu6of 6y !.
wo thousand dollars and the result -"
IA, 1856, 600 gives US an approximate
dea Of the enormous amount OF mon
,y "worse than wasted" over the bars
II this State-for. mind you. these fig
lres represent the profits only Of the
rade. Is il any sonder the cry of
hard times ia heard in Il Q land while
10 vast a sum Of money j. diverted
rom Legitimate channels into rum ;
sellers Golfers?
Let us take a broader look, that will
include the entire country. There
we're 203 344 liquor dealers In the
United States In 1890. The average Of /
wo thousand dollars net profit would :
place the aggregate profits Of the trade j
n the whole nation at e406 ,688, 600.
DR.. Hargrcsves' estimate of the total I
iirect cost of the traffic is $500. .O00,O0O 4
md the amount above given Of the d
profits of the liquor dealers would q
'eem TO indicate that the doctor was
lnder. rather than over the true fig Q
Tres. 9
This is pretty big question, and I
me Of these days, when our national s
tatesmen get tired OF quibbliug over
he tariff and other alleged issues, ii
will be given the attention its import 9
demands. '