Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-06-12
THE LIQUOR PROBLEM.
West Glover, VT.

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The Committee of Fifty, which was
constituted some years ago for the
purpose of making fuller investiga-
ton than has been before attempted
of the liquor problem, published re-
port in 1897 relating to the problem
in it's "Legislative Aspects" This
has now been followed by volume on
the Economic Aspects of the Liquor
Problem,' published, like the former,
by Houghton, Miff1in & Co. This is
written by John Koren, and describes
the result of an investigation made
for the Committee Of Fifty under the
direction of Henry w. Farnam, who
acted as Secretary of the sub COM
mittee which took this branch of the
subject for study.
The purpose of this investigation
was simply the ascertaining and tab
ulation of facts. No preconceived
theories of any kind furnished the
stimulus. The sole end in view was
to gather information from the widest
authoritative sources as to the rela
ton of the saloons, economically con-
sidereds to poverty, pauperism and
crime. The committee was able to
secure the cooperation of a large
number of officials in charge of pub
lie institute ons, and of the secretaries
of charity organizations, the result
being that, alike as to the number of
cases tabulated and the area covered
by the inquiry, the tabulations are
more comprehensive than any before
made. Three years have been oc-
cupied in the collection, sitting and
tabulation of the material, and the
fault of the investigation is a very
valuable addition on the subject.
AS was perhaps to be expected, the
percentage of poverty, pauperism
and crime directly attributable to in
temperance, as disclosed by this re-
port, are neither SO large as they
have usually been assumed to be by
temperance reformers, nor so small
as they have been represented by
those who look at the question from
the opposite point of view. AS to
poverty, for example, the inquiry re-
lates to persons applying for relief,
and Of about 10000 cases tabulated,
it appears that in almost exactly one
quarter of the Of the cases the pow
erty was attributable to drink. Of
about $500 paupers in public institu-
tons, 81 per cent. became paupers
through intemperance. About 45 per
cent of the cases of destitute children
Investigated was found to be due to
the drunken habits of parents. AS to
crime, the inquiries covered the his
tory of more than $4,000 adult con-
victs, and of these almost exactly
one half-to be exact, 49, per cent
became criminals through the infu-
ence of drink.
These percentages are certainly not
exaggerated, for of the other causes
assigned, such as unfavorable envir-
onments and lack of industrial train
ing, further Investigation would show
that, in considerable number of in
stances, these were but secondary
causes, and themselves the result of
intemperance.
Space is wanting for more detailed
summary of the facts contained in
this report, and the conclusions de-
duced from them. But the volume
deserves careful study as searching,
impartial and dispassionate investi-
CATION of most complex problem.
This presentation of the drink habit
in it's economic aspects strongly re-
inforces the moral arguments for re-
form, by exhibiting intemperance as
a great waste tof material resources
and a formidable obstacle to industri-
o1