The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
BEER AND SPIRITS.
Omcial Returns That 90 to DisprOvo tho
Old Theory of the Brewers.

Oficial Returns That 90 to Disprove tho
Old Theory of the Brewers.
Tho internal revenue collections from the
sale OF lager beer. ole and porter for the fiscal
year ending July /. 1893. were S39S00 900.
The act OF juno 10. 1895 known as tho War
Revenue act. which went into effect on July l
year ago and doubled the tax on fermented
beverages, was expected to reduce the sales
Of these. and WAS therefore criticised as aid
ing ntsm perancs under an ancient theory.
very popular among the brewers OF the coun-
try, that tho more beer and light wine sold.
tina less Is the demand for spirituous liquors.
aRd therefore tho less intoXicatiOn. 1t Ia said
by them that so long as there is any lIduor
traffic the larger tho proportunatO use of beer
and light wines as compared with spirits. the
better 1t will be for the cause OF sobrlety. and
that In European countries generally the laws
are framed on this principle or Germany and
England. the two great disappointing and
beer-consumlng countries, this is undoubt-
sdly true, for the policy OF tho Government IN
both has been To favor as an aid to temperance
the larger salo'ot beer and ale and a more ro-
strlrted use Of strong drink.
THIS view ID not sustained by experience
here. The report Of the Internal Revenue De
partment shows the returns from the beer tax
to he larger than they were Il year ago. but the
amount OF beer on which tax is paid decreased
imnosition OF tax OF 81 a barrel, the manu-
facturo and consumption OF lager beer In the
United States has decreased, while. at tho
same time. the Government revenue from this
source has been increasing. II does not ap-
pear that consequent uL.On the reduced manu-
facture VI beer there has been any increased
SAFE Of whi-key On the contrary the sals OF
whlsk-Y aurrars To- haze fallen IN a little too.
Another Illus ration OF tho correctness OF nr!e
sans view thar a Government has nothing to
30 with the Preference Of its leurs IN lhs mat
tel II their averages Is shown IN the cdss ~
France. Prior to The Franco lrus-idn war
the average consumption ~ wine in France
tWOnty-iirO gallons year and OF beer II We gal
Ions. chiefly in Asace aud Lorraine. Outside
Of these. ekcert In the north OF France on or
near lhe Belgian Frontier, there WAS practi-
callv no coz sumption OF lager Deer la France
and substantially no consumption Of spirits
etther. Following the changes wrought by the
Franco lTussi1n war, and the practical break
down OF the French vino crou from the phyl-
loXera, there was 4 very enlarged demand for
pNer. Tho annual consumption OF wine Il
now 20 gallons per inhabltant. OF q. e-ffth less
tIan II was twenty iivo wears ago aud the con-
Sumption ~ beer ter lnhabilir ia RbuIt / gal
Ions, or 20 yer crp' moro Meanwhile. how
ever, the sale OF spirltE has tri3isd. AMI in
stead NJ heing half d gH.ipG IN tn" n crIG- per
inhaUlant year, II II now ! a gallons u cir
cums,Huce which Lisproves very forribly, 10
would seem. tho ASSERTION made familiar by
the brewers that witch an enlarged use Of beer
there 10 CORRESPONDING reduction In the
amount OF spirits demanded.