Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-24
A TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
THE DRINK EVIL MADE MANIFEST
IN MANY WAYS.

How the Nations Drink-A Report Show
ing the Amount of Alcoholic Drinks
Produced and Consumed in Europe
and the United dStates-Germany Ahead
very interesting report, says the At
lanta Journal, has been submitted by the
British Board of Trade to the House of
Commons showing the production and
consumption of wine beer and spirits in
the various countries of Europe and in the
United States. : =*tf
The statistics thus supplied cover the pc
riod from 1885 to 1896, inclusive. The
most interesting part of the report is that
which refers to the comparative consump-
tion of alcoholic drinks in Great Britain,
Germany, France and the United States.
In France, where the production of wine
is larger than in any other country in the
world, the consumption increased from
21.3 gallons per head in 1885 to 29.5 gallons
in 1896, and has since probably undergone
no decline. In Germany the consumption
of wine is LOG gallons per head; in the
United Kingdom, 4, and in the United
States, 20 per head-a slight decrease in
both countries since 1885. The whole of
the wine consumed in the United Kingdom
is imported, and of the consumption in the
United States IS per cent. is produced at
home.
But in beer, Germany, the United King
dom and the United States make up for
their small consumption of wine. Germany,
the greatest beer producing country, CON
sumeS 25.5 gallons per head of the popula-
tion, against 1913 gallons in 1885. The
United Kingdom, next in production, con-
sumes 30.7 gallons per head-a small in
crease-and the United States. third in
production, consume 1877 gallons per head
of population, against S.S gallons in 1886
an increase Of nearly so per cent. per head.
With all the wine drinking of the French,
they manage to consume gallons of beer
per head besides. But Belgium has beer
consumption of more than 43 gallons per
head; and Bavaria makes up for some other
portions Of the German Empire with per
head consumption of so gallons.
Germany leads all the great nations in
the consu mption OF spirituous drinks, the
total quantity amounting to 100, ,760 900 gal
Ions, or 1.94 gallons per head of the popu-
lation-a small decline since 1890. France
has consumption of 10, 1870, 900, or 1.S5 gal
Ions per head The United Kingdom has
consumption of 40,076, 900 gallons, or 1.01
per head, and the consumption in the Uni
ted States is SO, ,1S6, 900 gallons, or .S3 of a
gallon per head. For the United States as
we'll as for all other countries in this report,
the measure is in imperial gallons, five of
which are equal to six of our gallons.
In Belgium, where the common drink is
gin, the consumption of spirituous liquors
is greater than in any other country, and
Holland comes next. The statement of the
revenues which the various countries re-
ceive from the traffic In alcoholic beverages
is interesting. In Great Britain the net
revenue in 1896 was S449, 500, 900, and of this
Sl59, 900. or 25 per cent, was in duties
and internal taxes on liquors. OF this taxa
ton II per cent. only was in duties on i'm
ports. The total net revenue of the United
States in 1896 was 1928 sos, ,139, and the in
ternal revenues and customs from liquors
amounted to $120, 1907 1884. or upward of 81
per cent of the whole Fha Djnrley tariff
will make little change In this fiscal rela-
tion.
In France the revenues from liquors
amount to Sl03, 400 900, or 10 per cent. of
the entire government income, but con-
sumers in Paris and in other cities are sub
ject to an octroi tax by the municipalities.
In Germany the revenues from alcoholic
products is $57, 500 040, or only 171a per
cent of the total income
1t will be noticed that the United States
gets larger part OF its revenue from the
liquor traffic than any other nation.