The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-11
ENGLAsO'S 0 INK ELL.

In 1899 the gallons of British spirits
consumed i'm England were 35,770.25l.
and OF colonial spirits s.6Ss.7S1, total
OF 44459, 0S2 gallons. or beer the bar
rels consumed were 36.Sil,0T7; of wine,
IL o61 975 gallons, and OF other LIQUORS
100000. The expenditure on spirits
was G46,l96,77S, ON beer G99,4IO9Os. on
wine e14,s95.77s and on other liquors
El,500,0 900. making an aggregate ex-
pendlture Of e162 l63,47i. AS compared
with the expenditures in 1898, this
would give an increase OF GI6o2,54o
burt as the offic al return for beer In
1898 was defective to the extent OF 5eo,-
4O2 barrels. costing G1.5l3,0S5, this
amount should be added 20 the ex-
penditure i'm 1895. raising il from flo4 :
4S0 93i TO f155, ,994 010. The Increased
expenditure in 1899 was therefore 60
1863 455. The total drink expenditure IN
1889 was equal TO f3 l9s. llied. per
head or for each family OF five persons
Gig 19s. 912d.
The expenditure on drink per head
has greatly varied during the queen $
reign but nothing is more certain than
that temperance reform has exerted
powerfully restraining influence upon
the tendency TO increased drinking.
There has been a largely Increased
outlay by all classes on articles OF wear
and consumption,a and but for the move
ment against alcoholics. their use, anu
the consequent expenditure upon them,
would have been augmented In all
probability 100 or even 200 per cent.
says the London Times.
There Is reason to believe that at
least nine Thousand million pounds
sterling have been expended upon in
toxicating liquors by the people or the
United Kingdom in the century from
1870 to 1899 inclusive. an average or
30 millions per annum. How a diff
ferent expenditure might have blessed
and enriched the nation must be left
for each one to consider. A very large
sum must be added TO these nine thou
sand millions, as economic loss in the
support OF drunkards, paupers GRIM
inals. etc.. and i'm the maintenance OK
institutions that would not nave been
required in a sober country.
The consumption OF intoxicating
drinks, and the expenditure upon them.
il not co-equal IN the three countries
composing the United Kingdom. In
1899 the expenditure In England was
fl34. .9S2, 1882 or CA 5s.i iad. per head; in
scotland. G14S1s,626, or co 6s. lid. per
head; in Ireland, G12,S61,s17. or G2 1ss.
oAd. per neau-
AS alcohol Is the Intoxicating ingre-
dent in wine, beer and spirits. 10 is
interesting to note that the liquors
consumed in England contained 7S.7S2,-
063 gallons of alcohol, or PSI per head;
I'm ,cotland, 7.s65.5S5 gallons. or 1.s4: IN
Ireland, 7.257,234 or 1.60 per head.
These make up an aggregate consump
tion OF "a. 904.SS2 gallons OF alcohol in
the United Kingdom, or Pa per head.
In the face OF this enormous and in
creasl Ing consumption OF intoxicating
liquors what Is to be said, and above
all. what is TO be done? II. to parody a
well-known incident IN British history,
any assembly We're asked To affirm that
"the national consumption OF alcoholic
beverages has Increased, is increasing
and ought to be diminished" ths ayes
would have II with almost unanim ty.
The reforms are not TO be secured by
anirmations of their value or need. The
entire drink bill and all that comes out
OF 4, would be swept away II that alb
stinence from Intoxicating liquors prac-
ticed by a large section and recon-
mended by every section to young peo-
pie were adopted. That there is a
riecessity for legislation every parlia Z.
mentary committee has stated. and
this has again been declared by the
majority and minority reports ~ the
Royal commission on the licensing
laws.