Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-17

Boston Heraldl

In the current bulletin of the Depart
ment of Labor at Washington is an ex-
ceedingly interesting article on the
economic aspects of the liquor prob
lem. This was prepared in obedience
to an authorization by Congress that
the Commissioner of Labor make an
investigation into this question, although,
as no special appropriation was made.
1t was necessary 10 carry IL out In line
with the regular duties of the Depart
ment Of Labor. The portion of this re-
port TO which we wish TO call special at
tention is that which relates to the pro-
duction and consumption OF various
classes of alcoholic beverages by the
people of this country.
We have repeatedly given It as our
opinion that. compared with the other
civilized nations of the world, there is
no more temperate people than our
own, and none in which the progress
sive advance Of temperance can be
counted upon with gaeater certainty.
Statistical returns prepared in France.
Germany, and England prove that in all
of these countries the tendency Is to-
ward constantly increasing per cap
tia consumption Of alcoholic beverages.
In England the consumption Of distilled
spirits has apparently reached its high
est point and II may be that in this re-
spect the tendency is now I'm the other
direction; but the use Of wine and malt
liquors appears TO be on the increase.
Years ago the French people were
held up 10 US as a model TO be COPIED:
it was then said that there was little
distilled liquor. that Is spirits consumed
in France. but that the people exercised
a wise dissemination, and used, in place
of beverages containing a large oercen-
tage Of alcohol. great quantities of light
wines. But in the last two decades a rad-
ical change has taken place I'm the charac-
ter OF the beverages which the French
people consume. Almost every year
makes it evident that they are drinking
more and more spurious liquors The
amount of drunkenness in France IS
plainly on the increase. and i'm some Of
the country districts 1t is estimated that
the peasants spend each year quite half
OF their earnings I'm the purchase OF
cheap brandies This is also said TO hold
true OF certain parts of Switzerland. and
hence in both OF these countries the
drink problem is assuming a prominence
which it never had In the past In Ger
many the Increase I'm the use OF alcoholic
beverages Is understood 10 proceed at a
higher ratio than the increase in the
population, although the tendency to-
ward the use Of distilled spirits is by no
means so marked there. as Il is in France
The labor department returns which
are carried up 10 and through the calen-
dar year OF 1886. seem TO Indicate that the
OF alcoholic beverages OF all
kinds Is gradually declining in this coun-
try, when estimated on a per capita basis
So far as distilled spirits are concerned
there cannot be the least doubt OF this
Thus. In 1850 the average per capita con-
OF distilled spirits In the United
states was nearly three gallons. With
the gradual Introduction and use I'm tho
decade from 1870 to 1880 OF malt liquors.
the consumption OF spirits declined. untn
In 1896 IL was brought down 10 one gallon
per capita: that is 10 say, OF the intensely |
liquors the people OF this
'onrirv, taking man. woman. and child. |
are now consuming only about third OF |
what they used In the year before the out |
break OF our civil war.
With malt liquors the conditions are |
different In 1850 the per capita |
was little over three sal |