The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24
DECREASE IN TIPPING.
Americans Drinking Less Liquor
Than in Former Years.

From the Philadelphia Press)
Alcoholic beverages always increase II
consumption during periods OF prosperity
and decrease when times are hard, but it i:
remarkable proof of the steady decrease
in the general consumption Of spirits in
this country that during the present Sea-
son of prosperity the per capita consump-
ton of spirits is far below that in like
seasons in the past.
In 1884 the highest point OF annual con-
sumption reached during period OF pros
perity was Las gallons per person. After
the panic a decrease followed to LII gar
Ions per capita in 1887. Consumption IN
creased again to Isl in 1892. IL fell under
President Cleveiands Administration and
reached the lowest level on record Of a
yearly consumption of spirits in 1896, oil
only enc gallon per capita. From THIS
point ii increased and In 1899 1t was LA
gallons per person. or barely three-fourths
the yearly per capita consumption IN 1857
This decrease in the consumption OF al
eoholic liquors has been in progress LOT
two generations and the average annuai
amount of spirits consumed per capfta IN
this country is now only two-fifths OF what
it was sixty years ago, according to the
census of 1S40, when the per capita con-
sumption was 252 gallons. In 1860 it was
still higher, or 2.s6. so that from 1860 to
1897 the per capita consumption had fallen
almost one-third.
II is remarkable also that the cons imp
tion of wine varies in much the same way.
II rose little over one-half ga Ion p r
head in 1880, Sc of d gal on; decreastd
steadily through the dep. essioa OF 1855;
rose again in 1883 to 81 OF gallon, and
then continued to decrease, relchirg It's
lowest point in 1885, when it was only 10
of gallon per person. From this point It
IF n l.
lon. The consumption OF wine does not
follow as closely the general condition OF
prosperity as the consumption OF spirits,
but it bears close relation to the general
state Of trade.
Malt liquors, on the other hand, have In
creased steadily in annual consumption
with great regularity and through all
years. In 1875, a quarter OF a century ago,
the yearl: average per capita consumption
in this country was GIL gallons Al IN
crease has gone on with great steadiness
in good years and bad alike until in 1897
90 the consumption reached the highest
point which it had ever had-16 0S ga Ions.
Then for the first time since malt liquors
were introduced in this country by the
German emigration in 1S4S there began
slight decrease in the per capita consul p
ton of beer It has fallen slightly year by
year. rising in 1888, as compared with 1897,
but falling again in 1899, when 1t was IA "a
gallons per capita. The additional taxes
levied for war purposes of 81 per barrel may
have had its effect of decreasing the cen
sumption by slightly increasing the Price,
but as the price of beer per glass has In
general remained the same, it is difficult
to see how this can have affected retail
consumption.
What has really taken place is that this
country is growing more sober. 1t does
not use one-half the spirits for beverages
which it did sixty years ago, and it uses
only about two-thirds as much as it did
thirty years ago. In spite Of the enor-
nous increase in the product of domestic
wines, which has very greatly increased in
the last twenty-five years, the consumption
per capita is less than 1t was, so that pop
ulation has grown very much faster than
the product, and the per capita consump-
ton of beer has reached It's maximum and
begun to decrease. Every mans personal
observation will bear out this fact. Less
drinking is seen in public places and at
public dinners. The accounts OF many
clubs for long series of years show de-
crease in the amount expended In liquors
in proportion to the size of the member
ship. The number of men who do not
drink at all is steadily increasing.