The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-10
BEER DRINKING INCREASES
Thats what Brings Up the American Aver
ase OF Liquor Consumption.
From nc Chiccno Yribnns.

Interesting details concerning Some NJ
the small vices of AmcIicans-,ir constlmp-
uoh OIL spirits or tobacco is vice--are given in
the statistical Abstract of the United States
LOT IVoE, winch has just been published by
the Bureau OF Statistics Of the Treasury De-
partmcnt. The book Ia entirely composed
OF rows and columns of figures with the
proper explanatory titles, and ia wbo,v
without ordinary reading matter. But tho
stories which tho figures tell are many and
7 varied.
II s learned for instance, that whereas n
half century ngo in 1850 TO be precise. when
the first report was compilCdthe American
OF the times was satisfied to get through tho
year on an average per capita consumption
of 4.Os gallons OF wines and liquors his suc-
oessor OF to-day requires l9.4s gallons. Tnis
comparison, however. would not be COM
plete without the further information that
in 1850 the American citizen consumed. taxa
him all around. pa gallons OF distilled
spirits hiskey and branGy-as against onlv
lac gallons 10y the American Of 1902 IL isin
malt liquors. beer, that the American nown-
days has so far outdistanced the American
of 1850, raising the average from an in-SnN-
cant .jS gallons to lia9 gallons.
In the matter of wine the citizen Of tho
United States has never been a large con.
sumner. In 1850 the per CAPITA average was
but u paltry ~ Of n gallon and in 1909 il
had risen to only 49, Parentheticallv it 10
noted. that during, the last ten years there
has been a considerable falling of in the
quantity of wine imported from other coun-
tries. In 1895 the imports amounted III value
to $40 205,s 53. while lust year the value was
only ss,O2l 1888.
Ii is, perhaps not uninteresting to know
that to illinois belongs the distinction of beias
the greatest whisl;ey mUking State in TIC
Union. This is no new honor which has
tp Illinois ar ahp has al lar
Lead from rs far back as the records 20. and
well in advance OF that great whiskev state,
Kentucky. Last year Illinois produced
80. 742, SO gallons Of distilled spirits and
Kentucky. which ranked second G.olN, l0a
gallons But then. the Statistical Abstract
takes no account OF whisky which Is made
by moonlight, 50. after all, Kentucky may
have been first
New Workers. NAV derive whatever pride
there mav seem 10 be in the distinction from
the information that their state. though onlv
n brewer of beer. Beer, may have made
Milwaukee famous, but the State in which
the latter city is produced only ,70j Oi0 barrels
Us. last ys a as sgiHfT I2it5o barrels oy
the list with n record Of 5,567 oiS barrels
just how much tobacco the present day
American smokes az compared with the
American of the past is not 50 easily deter
mined from the figures given. Duties and
taxes are paid on the quantity Of the weed
Imported and grown each year, but, OF course.
considerable quantities remain In stock ut
all times
In imported tobaccos and cigars there has
been no appreciablc increase In 1893 tho
value Of MI importations was sl76ls5i8; last
mestic growth, however, the increase was,
apparently at least, marked. DeduCting the
value Of the tobacco exported from the value
of the crop grown, there remained IN this
country in 1902 tobacco to the value Of $751;.
sol ,26l in 1893 the value of the crop retained
amounted to s26.s82,J 3s.