The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-25
Decrease Of Thirty Million Gal,
Ions of Whisky Drank
Last Year Over the Year Pre-
ceding 1t.
MEN MORE TEMPERATE
Whisky Dealers Say It Is Due
to Hard Times.
Other Reasons Are Kelley Cure
and Temperance Work.

st. Louis, Jan. 25.-The annual consump-
ton of whisky in the United States has
decreased about 100000 gallons since
1894
This may be due to the spread of the
Kelley cure for drunkenness, the efforts
of the National w. c. T. U. or the in
creased tax on bonded spirits.
Wholesale dealers in st. Louis, how
ever, say that none of these agencies
caused the decrease. They point to the
decreased consumption of wheat and
other necessaries and say that the de-
preston in the weekly market is due to
the same cause-hard times.
The whisky market is usually the last
TO feel the effect of hard times. While
the w c. T. u. and other organizations
for the promotion of temperance consider
cessity by a large portion of the popula-
ton of the United States 1t finds mar
main unsold.
Times must be hard when over 60 per
sent of the available supply in 1895
manned unconsumed at the end of the
year and over 20 per cent of the available
supply of 1896 found market.
According to statistics, the per capita
consumption of whisky in the United
States in 1884 was ]; 50 gallons year, or
total Of about 9S, 42o0 900 gallons.
In 1895 the Withdrawals from ware
houses on payment of tax and withdraw
ais for scientific purposes, which whole
sale dealers say correspond to conSump-
ton, We're but "a 256, 1873 gallons. This was
a decrease of 24163,S 42 gallons. or over "a
per cent.
In 1896. corresponding withdrawals
We're but 60 124.153 gallons, a, decrease of
13, 532, 005 gallons in one year. This is over
Y per cent and the decrease from 1894 was
The decrease has been all in the use of
spirits as beverage. The consumption
in the arts has increased. The increase
in the consumption of alcohol in 1896 was
IL, 193 gallons, and miscellaneous spirits
., GAL, OBS gallons while the total decrease
in the Consumption of bourbon and rye
whisky, rum, whisky for Immediate con-
sumption, gin and highwines, was 16, 295-
III gallons.
Bourbon and rye whisky manufactured
IN Kentucky and Pennsylvania is known
to the trade as aging whisky. That or
immediate consumption, known pure.
neutral or cologne spirits, is what is
commonly called barrel-hOuSe whisky. The
decrease in the consumption in the latter
was 5.S52,527 gallons; of bourbon 1921 $50
decrease in the Withdrawals of gin was
10000 gallons, and of rum 456, AS gallons.
The decrease in highwines, which are
crude spirits and not much of a factor in
the market, was !1,1O9 gallons.
There has also been a decrease of 49,
1913 gallons of all spirits withdrawn for
export
While the consumption has decreased,
there has been an increase in production,
put entirely for use in the arts and for
i ililIleulate cons udnPtloh ana OF mlscel-
laneous spirits. The total increased pro-
duction in these classes was II. 965 424 gal
Ions. There was a decrease of 1.7S1,290
gallons IN the production OF bourbon; B.
16S.4I6 gallons in the production of rye
whisky; rum 2S6.S55 gallons; gin, as, 293
gallons: highwines, 11,400 gallons. Net in
crease in production, $3.50 1O7 gallons.
The distillers of Kentucky and Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland have shut down by
agreement and will produce more
spirits until 1898. Many of the dstillers
north of the Ohio, which produce whisky
for immediate consumption only, have
also closed down.
F. A Bensberg, one of the leading st.
Louis wholesale liquor dealers. stated to
a POSt-DiSpatch reporter that the de-
crease in the consumption of spirits was
not due to an increase of temperance
throughout the country, but to the gen.
eral hard times.
up to June 30, 1894" said Mr. Bens-
berg, the average annual consumption
was about 90. 900 900 gallons in the United
States. OF this about s., 600 600 gallonS
was whisky produced for immediate con-
sumption by the distillerS north of the
Ohio river and east of Pennsylvania.
THE average annual consumption now
is probably not over So 900, 900 gallons 40
100000 gallons being whisky intended for
immediate consumption, leaving %, OOO 600
gallons less than in 1894.
Il think the estimated annual per capita
consumption of 1.33 for 1894 is excessive
The present consumption, however, may
not reach $4,000, 600 gallons.
The entire trouble is that the people
have no money to buy whisky. The de-
crease has been going on for the last
three years. 1t has been most notfcea BILE
the last twelve months. During the same
period the consumption of wheat and
other commodities has decreased in like
manner and the depression in whisky has
been due to the same cause-hard times
L have no reason to believe that any
spread of a temperance movement or any
other cause than the hard times is re-
sponsible for the decrease"