The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-04
BEER AS A SOURCE OF REVENUE.

The Journal published day or two ago
some statistics furnished by the Internal
Revenue Bureau at Washington regarding
the production of whisky and beer in the
United States during the fiscal year ended
last June 30. They showed that during the
year there were produced ia. 420. All gallons
of whisky and 46,650, 100 barrels of beer, an
go gallons of whisky and 2.171,S9S barrels
of beer. These figures will be regarded
with very different feelings by revenue off,
GERS and temperance people. The former
will see in them mainly the largest single
item of revenue, while the latter will see
evidence of the increasing vice of intemper-
ance. The two items named produced DUR
ing the year a revenue of nearly 500 OO0, 900.
a very large contribution, 1t must be ad-
mitted, to the annual revenues of the gov
eminent. 1t does not certainly follow,
however. that the increased production Of
whisky and beer argues an increase of in
temperance. Experts in statistics say it
does not. They maintain that the increas-
ing demand for whisky is mainly due to
its use in arts and manufactures. which is
very extensive and constantly increasing.
and that the Substitution of beer as a bev-
erage instead Of whisky is really gain for
temperance. The advocates of total absti-
nence will scout this idea. but a majority
Of people are not total abstainers, and as
between whisky and beer 1t cannot be de-
MED that the latter is a much lighter drink
and therefore its substitution for whisky
as a national beverage is in some sense q
gain for temperance. But, irrespective Of
theories. the brewing business In this coun-
try has grown to large proportions. The
census of 1900 showed las mailing establish
ments, with $50 2sS. l02 capital, 1880 wage
earners. $14.sl6,7H for cost Of materials and
products valued at sls.s7s COO. These figures
relate to the manufacture of malt. OF
breweries for the manufacture of beer
there were 1.5O9 establishments with $i15,-
2s4, 4ss capital. employing 1852 wage earn
ers, using $Sl, .92S worth Of materials and
turning out products valued at S237, 26s, 7lS.
The manufacture of beer in this country
began about 1910. and in 1850 there were 4sl
breweries as against 1.5os now. Its use,"
says the census report. extended with the
general increase of population, the influx
OF German immigrants and the cultivation
of the tastes Of the people for milder bev-
erages." The statistics show that the mis-
cellaneous expenses of the business
throughout the country increased from s4s,-
z76,29O in 1890 to $lO9,s2s,23l in 1900. The
principal item OF this increase was the in
ternal revenue tax, which was 92h cents
per barrel in 1880 and $1.s5 per barrel in
1900. This increase was due to the Spanish
war tax. The amount of revenue tax paid
by beer in 1900 exceeded that of 1890 by
about $47 100000. The report shows that i'm
1900 there were forty-two breweries in In
diana, of which ten were owned by incorpo-
rations. The amount of capital invested in
the business In this State. including land.
buildings. machinery. ETC.. was ss.s47. 997.
and the value OF products S5,777,O47. The
trade in beer is largely local. Transports
ton OF the finished product involving
greater expense than that of the materials
used. Nearly every State manufactures
beer for local consumption. even Califor-
MIA. the greatest wine-growing State. hav-
Ing ninety-nine breweries with an invest