Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-09-24

Wn0n CQ0 turner OIL WHICH pTOQlUlU0(
the use of poisons in the manufactur.
of fictitious liquors was before the
house of representatives in 1890, anG
the proofs of this wholesale practice
of liquor authorizations we're furnished
from the BreaUer's Journal, the United
States Brewers Association through
the chairman it's executive commit
tee, VIM. 4. Miles, succeeded in de
feating the passage of the bill on the
ground s'that the brewers wished to
avail themselves of the resources OF
science without hindrance.n
The liquor power in this country in
1883 may be classed as follows: $50, 00C
proprietors, 247 800 employees, $4,000
employees manufacturing, 1000 de-
pendents of the ira ffic, that is, 1897,
500 men whose opinions and votes, so
far as the temperance issue is con-
cerned, are absolutely under the con-
troll of the liquor oligarchy. Now as
the voters of this country in 1888 were
II, zoo, 900, the out and out rum part
controlled II per cent. of the political
power, which made it often most
formidable balance of power in mu-
nicipaI, state and national elections.
You may get some conception of
how they are controlled by this
extract from the report of the New
York City Church Temperance Soci-
ETY.. During the year before the
November election of 1884 there were
held 1902 political meetings in the "a
assembly districts into which the city
was then divided. The connection of
these meetings with the saloons is
shown by these facts, that out of the
1902 primary and other political meet
ings held, there we're 719, or nearly IL
per cent, held in or next door to sa-
looms. At this same time there were
in that state $4,000 saloon keepers,
and it was estimated that each saloon
keeper controlled 10 votes.
A second feature is it's financial
strength. This cannot be stated fully
In Dec. 1890, 50 breweries had a cap
italization of $S1 ZOO, 200, while several
of the greatest breweries, with more
than 1880 others were in active
operation, none of which are included
in this estimate. Besides these there
were 165, 900 establishments devoted,
practically, to the exclusive sale Of
liquor at wholesale or retail, and
based upon tolerably solid trade foun
dations and estimated as representing
invested capital of more than $780,
100000. It is evident that this gigan-
tic evil is possessed of more than
81 600, 100000 of invested capital to
ruin men for monetary gain. But
more important feature of it's financial
strength is it's immense profit for both
maker and vender of intoxicants.
business that can pay enormous gov
ernmental, state and municipal taxa
ton, and yet give it's proprietors
profits multiplying oftimes many fold
the returns of honest, legitimate
trades, SO long as it is sustained by
the worst passions, the most inordi-
nate desires and love of gain, is a
financial factor in human society that
many fold the influence Of
it's invested funds
A third element of power in the
liquor oligarchy is it's thorough organ
ization for self interests. The passage
of the internal revenue law of 1862 led
to compact organization of the liquor
interests of our country. A conflict
with single saloon means a fight
with combination of saloons. Each
year the tremendous sum of more
than a thousand million dollars,
freshly obtained from the people, is
handled by the liqnor dealers of the
United States, while hundreds of mil
ions of accumulated resources are
held by them in reserve to fight tenn
oerance legislation and maintain it's
grasp upon it's victims.
The leaders admit that it is not wise
20 defend the business of making and
selling liquors and that only by
lrtful evasions, elaborate Emisrepre
'entations and corrupt practices, can
najorities for the saloon be command
I'd. The repeal of constitutional pro-
in Rhode Island will illustrate
What l mean. [ will not give you a
view of the outrageous
lct. In confidential letters to William
,. johnson of Lincoln, Nebraska, in
$50, several prominent liquor dealers
If Rhode Island related9the secrets of
he campaign. Thomas Grimes,
Wholesale liquor dealer of Providence,
vrote: ''The way we handled our
;ampaign here was, we got the chair
nan of the democratic state central |