The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09
Money TO Burn.

which was published a few days ago,
contains some figures which are worthy
of passing note.
The total amount Of the sales for
the year was 81 .232 ,2S9. The total
population OF the State is represented
by about the same figures. The show
ing means, therefore, that the sales Of
liquors from the dispcnsarics repre-
sc":cd about one dollar per capita Tor
the whole population including both
sexes and all ages and conditions.
The dispcnsarics, however, proba
bly, did not sell half the liquor that
was sold and consumed il the State.
If they sold half, the whole sales
amounted to about $2.l0O, 900. or two
dollars head for every man. woman
and child in the State. which shows Il
liberal expenditure for expensive bcv-
! cragcs in Il year of hard times. The
people spent last year for alcoholic
beverages, in other words, the value
| of 100, 600 bales of cotton at ) cents
| pound And 100, 900 bales is one
| eighth, or II per cent. Of our average
cotton crop. 1t is not too much to
say. perhaps, that We spent the whole
profit Of the large crop of last year for
whiskcy and beer and hard drinks Of
that sort--whilc complaining loudly Of
the hard times.
We are not preaching temperance.
but only considering facts Of record.
| And there arc some others worthy Of
consideration.
The average family is estimated at
five persons, and the head of it usual
ly does the drinking for the rest.
Some women and some minors drink II
little, but they need not be taken into
the account. OF the population of
the State, it may be assumed, 25G ,GG1,
or onc-ffth, represent the men. strict
ly speaking, and the drinking class.
! broadly speaking. Tin the basis Of
this estimate, the total expenditure
for whiskey and such beverages last
year represented $40 per capita for the
adult male population, the working
and money making element. 1t was a
pretty heavy tax on the wealth and
industrial resources of the State. and
was none the less hurtful for being
sclf-imposed and almost wholly vast
ed The money so used was used to
very little good purpose. Most Of it
! went out Of the State to pay the man
ufacturers of the liquors, and was so
much dead loss to the State. The
same money would have done vast
deal Of good if it had been kept in the
State and applied TO the necessary and
useful public and private purposes.
It would have paid all the expenses Of
| the State government for two years.
1t would have built and equipped
twenty-five $4,000 factories and
mills. 1t would have made the schools
and colleges flourish like bay trees. 1t
would have paid off large part Of the
public debt.
The figures are not less impressive
when considered somewhat in detail
and in their bearings on the affairs
and conditions of towns and smaller
communities. A few examples are
taken at random: Abbcvillc spent
$50, 200; Aiken, s2s, 200; Anderson,
$il ,034; Barnwcll, sl9,56O; Camden,
s2q 500; Chcstcrs $35, 500; Darling
ton, s35, 900; Laurens, s27 600: New
berry, 3d., 900; Sumter, s35, 400:
Union. 24,7O0, and so on. Of the
smaller places, Allendalc spent $l2.-
400; Bamberg, sl6,8OO; Beaufort,
$lG,GGG: Blackvillc, $4,000; Dillon,
$l5, 900; Ellorce, $4,000: Eutawvillc,
$4,000; Monck's Corner, $4,000;
Mayesville, 81 400; Port Royal, &c.
600; Rantowies, 81 1000; Saluda, s7,-
50O Tirzah, $500: Toddville, 81
600, and so on. Some of these places
are mere villages or railroad stations,
supplying small community of their
own people and neighbors. The fig
urcs credited to each would establish
and equip all important small manu-
featuring plant Of some kind, and the
figures represent only the dispcnsary
sales of li1uor-about half Of the
whole expenditure. And this waste
full expenditure is repeated annually.
The amount expended in any one of
the several of the County towns
named, for dispcnsary liquors alone,
is far more than is allowed by the
State for the support of either one of
the two State colleges, and would pro-
vide college, or cotton. or wool, or
other factory for the town. and the
amount so cNDendcd rcprcscnts half