The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-18
The LIQUOR PROBLEM
It's Economic Aspect
Considered by
Koven.
THE COMMITTEE OF FIFTY.
Rev. Dir. A. z. Conrad Re-
views the Pub
LEGATION.
The COMMITTEE or FIFTY.
~

The following review was written for
The Spy by Rev. A. 2. Conrad, D. D.
Economic aspect of the liquor prob
lem. Houghton, Miflin & Co., Boston
For sale by Putnam, Davis & Co.
This is a Volume prepared and COM
piled by John Koren. 1t contains an ac-
count of an Investigation made for the
committee of fifty" by him, under the
direction of Henry w. Farnham, secre-
tary of the Economic Club committee.
The preface of the book directs our at
tention to the origin of the committee
of fifty" and also to reports already
published. This volume contains the in
vestigations Of the Economic Club COM
mittee and 1t is the second volume in
the series of official publications blythe
COMMITTEES Of fifty. This committee was
constituted to study the liquor problem
from an unbiased standpoint, their de-
sire being to secure we'll authenticated
and fully reliable facts relative to the
ethical, legislative, medical and econ
omic aspects of the liquor question.
these facts being Of such a nature as
to afford a true basis for intelligent pub
lie and private action. All documents
published under the auspices of this
committee are first passed upon by a
vote. The committee, however, declares
itself in no way responsible for any in
reference OF. conclusions which may be
drawn from the facts. 1t does hold it
self responsible for the facts them
selves.
The subject considered in this volume
is one of the most Interesting of the
entire series. The first thirty pages of
the volume are occupied with the re-
port of the committee, over the sigma
ture of the secretary Mr.. Farnham.
The scope Of the investigation is clearly
stated as follows: First, to consider and
investigate the relations of the liquor
problem to poverty and restitution, as
evidenced in the work of charity or
ganization societies and houses and So
cieties for TIE care of poor children
Secondly, its relation to crime, as shown
in some of the leading reformatorles
and state prisons of the country.
Third its relations to the negro and
the North American Indian. Fourth,
the economics of the saloon is the chief
distributing agency of liquor in the
large cities This field was evidently
very thoroughly covered. The most
thorough investigation was prosecuted
along original lines and only the most
reliable data were accepted. The sec
rotary shows the Importance of the in
vestigations and disposes of the various
objections which are made, especially
the objection that everybody knows the
evil effect of drink, and that one mass
of poverty and degradation is largely
due to it. What is the necessity of go
ing to great expense and using Nalu-
BILE time to collect more facts? In
yestigation is defended on the ground of
the scientific spirit of such research,
and Furthermore, because of the eXag-
geration and grave errors which have
resulted from haphazard inquiry and
irresponsible statements
The secretary claims that the aver
ages and percentages are not merely
the playthings Of over-subtle minds
but that they have very practical use
for practical workers, and that such
Investigation is particularly important
at a time when phflanthropic endeavor
is so widely accredited. 1t is believed
that such knowledge as is here given
will influence philanthropic effort ana
also legislation. There is no uncer-
tainty as to the reliability of the t1g-
ures which are presented. 1t is said
that there is always an element of err
ror in statistical figures These figures
have been obtained by a method of Sc
lection. Representative districts, areas
and institutions were selected and care
fully studied and conclusions drawn
from them, aud percentages were thus
made. There is a clear recognition
bly enter into the results secured, but
this is believed to have been reduced to
the results secured, but this is believed
10 have been reduced to the minimum
in this valuable volume.
Attention is especially called to The
wide disparity of conclusion reached by
separate investigators. For example,
large numbers unhesitatingly ascrlbe
* oer cent of the crime committed to
LIQUOR directly or Indirectly, while by
others the percentage is reduced as low
as g per cent. The secretary calls at
tention to the fact that the errors have
been reduced to the lowest point. An
equal disparity obtains with respect to
noverty. In all these matters, the eco
homie subcommittee has undertaken
70 secure the most reliable data, and
+han draw its conclusions with accu-
Tacv without any reference to previous
Investigations There follows, then, a
summary of the magnitude of the liz
nor interest the percentage OF pow
ertv which is due directly and indirect
~ II the LIQUOR habit the amount OF
criroe due to liquor the saloon itself
az factor in social life and especial
Ivas a distributor of Intoxicating hq-
1Iors and then in conclusion a summary
of the economic forces working against
the consumption Of liquor. rms sec
tion of the book is particularly NaIud
bic. While it is more than posslole
that certain differences and conclusions
basad upon statistics here presented
are not altogether reliable, yet as q
whole il may be said with reasonable
assurance that we have here oody Oh
statistics mora accurate. more com pre-
hensive. more reliable, than any when