The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-18

moderation; that these need to be slim
ulated and that they should become eff
fective' allies of the moral agencies
which are attacking the evils of the
liquor habit The body of the volume
is occupied with eight chapters touch
ing upon the various phases of the in
quiry, and is followed by an appendix
Of valuable tables which must, have
been compiled at a tremendous cost of
expert effort, time and money.
The first chapter is occupied with the
history of the investigation. This COM
pretended the relation of the liquor
problem to poverty, pauperism, destitu-
ton, crime, the Negroes and the In
dams, and a study of the social aspect
of the saloon in large cities. The pains
. taking nature of the investigation is
clearly evidenced in this history. 1t
proceeded cOnservatively and cautious
ly, with an evident intent not to mini
mize the enormities of the saloon in
EQUITY, and on the other hand not to
magnify unduly any feature.
Chapter second relates to poverty
This subject is investigated from the
standpoint of color and sex. 1t is dis
covered that the percentage of white
applicants for relief, who owe their
poverty to the use of liquor, is more
than twice as large as the percentage
of colored people; also the percentage
of males is vastly greater than of fe-
males; that only 20 per cent. of all the
applicants for assistance are native
born or have full native parents. VAL
liable summaries are given to Indicate
the relative number of natural BORN
naturalized and unnaturalized people
who become paupers through drink.
The highest percentage of poverty due
to drink is given in PaWtucket, Rhcde
Island-57 and 61-100 per cent. New
Brunswick, N. j., 54.43 per cent Bay
onne, n. j., with 50 and 97100 per cent.
Investigation by cities presents many
unaccountable peculiarities.
The next chapter relates to pauper-
ism direct. The statistical material
was obtained for this work by trained
agents. A total of S,42O inmates of so
institutions in 10 states is accounted for
in the returns. This is considered on
the basis of race, sex, age, occupation,
nativity and political condition. Most
interesting among these tables is that
which takes the ten occupations and
shows the percentage of drinkers
among them: Saloon keepers, 81 per
cent: sailors, IS per cent; butchers, %
per cent; printers, So per cent; iron and
steel workers, So per cent; Transfers
SO per cent; cooks and walters, on per
cent; machinists, so per cent and
painters, 46 per cent 1t is hard TO
account for these percentages IL all
cases.
Chapter four deals with the destltu-
tion of children. This is a subject
which has never before been submitted
to systematic study. The inquirers pro-
coed to ascertain to what extent neglect
and restitution is due to the iutem-
perate habits of their parents, guard
ians or others. The cases of 5,l36 child
rem were considered and tabulateu. the
ENQUIRIES really covered the facts rela-
tive to 1000 people. The genera! per-
centage of restitution due to the liquor
habit was found to be a and 92.lOa per
cent. Adding the intemperance OF
guardians increases it to 40 ana o3iOO
per cent. Statistics gathered from the
most depraved classes presents an aN-
erage of Ga and 2S.10O per cent. as que
to intemperance.
Chapter five deals with the liquor
problem in relation to crime as due to
intemperance The extreme dithculty
of the inquiry is presented. So many
motives enter into the acts of crlm1-
nal that it is hard to determine just
to what extent crime in many instances
is attributed to strong drink. 1t IS ad-
rnitted at once by the committee that
0OlDITul cases were I ulGh Jul eAiANA NAAe"N
their conclusions were based only on
unduestionable facts. This will ac-
count for the comparatively low per-
centage presented by this committee
as compared with the percentages CIV
en- us by the Judges and eminent mem
bers of the bar. The relative number
of criminals in the various natlonah-
ties receives especial attention; also
the various kinds of crime and the Ella
ha1if them
study of races, nativity and factS as
presented in various penal institutions
was made the basis of the conclusions
reached. Statistics relative to 13,4O2
convicts were obtained from II persons
in y states. 1t appears from this IN
vestigation that in 80 per cent of these
cases intemperance figured as one OF
the causes of crime. 1t was first cause
in 81 per cent.
Chapter six deals with the relation
of the negroes to the liquor problem.
The inquiry in this direction was very
extensive and exhaustive. 1t is dis
covered that intemperance among col
ored people is not nearly so general as
their ignorance and degradation in
other particulars would lead us to eX-
pect Explanations are presented-the
poverty of the colored man, influence of
religion and the lack Of the appetite.
Investigation leads to certain cOnclu-
sions which are probably reliable, that
comparatively few negroes are habitual
drunkards that intemperance is re-
sponsible for only a small part of the
negroes backward condition, and that
only in exceptional cases is inebriety
a barrier to the steady employment of
the colored people. There is very little
intemperance among the older colored
people.
Chapter seven deals with the North
American Indian in relation to the liq-
uor problem. It inquiries into the re-
sponsibilities of the Indian agent and
deals not q little with the intense craV-
ing for liquor apparently universal
among Indians. 1t is given as the par
ticular cause of the difficulties of civil
izing the Indians. They drink solely
for the effect produced, and are utterly
unable to Withstand their appetites
No people are so quickly demoralized
by LIQUOR as the Indians, says DR.. Dor
chester The study of the committee
undertakes to make comparisons be-
tween the tribes. but the similarity is
very striking among all Indian tribes.
The most strenuous laws have been
unavailine. How to deal with the
Droblem is an important question, but
restrictions of the seVerest nature
ought to be enforced.
The final chapter deals with the So
ciaI asneCts Of the saloon. This is dis
cussed extensively. The saloon is re-
garded as the poor mans club. 1t is
considered in its various phases and