Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-28
OUR LIQUOR BUSINESS.

The census Office has made an In
quiry into the alcoholic business OF the
United States and found, according
TO the reports published. that the con-
sumption IN the country for the census
year, amounted TO the enormous total
Of 132j35S,O9i gallons, or ll.3 gallons
per capita Of the population OF this
enormous quantity Of liquor i,i9S6O2l04
gallons were malt liquors, lO3,35042S
were distilled liquors and 2S,425,56l
wines.
The figures further show that the
production Of malt liquors has in
creased greatly during the last half
century The establishments increased
during that period from 49, to 1903;
the invested capital from A,012,3SO to
Sl5 i6S, and the value Of the pro-
duct from s5,72S, $685. to S23I2697i3, It
seems that much Of this increase Is
supposed TO be due TO the influx Of im-'
migrants Of Teutonic origin. Up to 1850,
we are told, malt liquors were generally
manufactured In the homes Of the peo-
pie, il was not until the influx OF
German immigrants that brewerles
were established and the tastes Of the
people were cultivated 10 mild bey-
erages' Deductlng the amount Of beer
exported the total consumption In the
United States during the year 1900 was
1876, 40S,542 gallons, or 1871 gallons for
every man, woman and child in the
country
It IL almost incredible but It seems
to be fact that a clergyman in Bal
tlmore, Maine, in Sunday sermon
recently took the position that the
progress OF civilization is largely due
to drinking lie is quoted as having
said
1T Is a fact and a strange one, that !
the nations which are In the lead in |
and intelligence are wine !
and beer drinkers. Such persons 1.-THE |
total abstalnersl are apt TO think that |
social impurity Is In direct ratio to the |
amount Of liquor drunk In a country
and that II you could abolish the use Of |
alcohol all the inhabitants would be |
come as chaste as Diana. They for !
get that one nation on the earth has |
had strict and total prohibition for over
d thousand years. That nation Is Tur- |
key. No more need be said on the sub
Iect Of prohibition in the state of Maine
after that"
II Is undoubtedly true that the lead.
ing nations, such as the United States,
Great Britain, Germany and others are
great consumers Of intoxlcants, but 1t
3 evident that their progress is In
iplte OF their drinking, not because OF
t. Experience has proved that but
or the check that has been placed on
he consumption Of stimulants, through
egislation and private effort, these ma.
ions would have been far advanced on
he road 10 ruin instead Of power and
influence. Even the German emperor,
Who keeps well posted on the questions
# the day has expressed himself to
he effect that his countrymen consume
more beer than is good for the ma
ion.
All that can be logically deducted
rom the position Of the various ma
ions relative 10 one another, Is
hat the northern nations notwth-
landing their lntemperance are forg-
ng ahead Of southern nations, although
hese generally are temperate 1t may,
urther, be said safely, that were
outhern nations to drink the Quanti-
les Of beer and whisky that are con-
umed IN temperate and cold climates.
hey would in all probability fnaIy
ecome annihilated, It Is as true Of
ations as Of individuals, that some
an stand to some extent what would
e death to others, All depends on
D. vafoo1 condition ond eurroundfnoe |