Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-01-20
HOW GERMANS DRINK
STARTLING FIGURES GIVEN OUT BY
EMPEROR WILLIAMS COMMISSION.

His Subjects Spend One-eighth OF
Their Income For Liquor Total
Loss Would Pay All His Greet
Military Expenses.
The commission appointed by the
German kaiser TO investigate the drink
ing habits of his subjects has finished
its labors and reports as follows
Value of alcoholic liquids consumed
by the German people in the course of
twelve months. S75O,OOO.OOO.
Portion of income spent by Germans
for drink on the average, one-eighth Of
all they earn.
Tax on drinks collected by the state,
IS per cent of the total of all other
taxes
Among alcoholic drinks consumed
beer, the national tipple. holds first
place. The breweries tax Germany
$500, 100000 annually.
For wines the Germans spend $780,
100000 year and for spirituous lq-
uOrs, schnapps cognac and Liquors
$150,OO0,0O0.
This showing is bad enough; but,
worse still, the kaiser's commissioners
report that drinking is steadily on the
increase. Despite hard times or per-
haps on account of them the annual in
crease In the consumption Of alcoholic
drinks amounted to $685. 900 in the last
ten years.
AT the beginning of the nineties alco-
hOl taxed German national wealth
50,000,000 marks annually. In 1898
the figures had grown to 2,2O0,OOO.OOO
marks.
The kaiser is in the habit of figuring
in dollars, since he is so much interest
ed in dollar land. IAN increase Of $780,
100000 in five years." he cried, reading
the report. "Why, the Yankees them
selves could not stand It,"
The average income of grownup
German family man or bachelor is 500
year. OF this amount 81 goes for
liquor, and meal, sugar and other neces-
saries are % per cent higher In Ger
many than in the United States.
Taxes are high. too, but not rs high /
as the drink tax The German govern
ment spends SJ00,000,000 per annum I
for its tremendous army and navy. its |
host OF officials and for thousand and |
one other expenses. On account Of this |
load of taxes the average citizen is |
grooming loudly-he never dreams that
himself and compatriots spend more
in drink than the kaiser does for the
government.
The kaiser's commissioners have fig
ured out that at generous estimate
S1OO,OOO,OOO for drink money would
be amply sufficient for his majesty's
loyal subjects and that If they could be
induced to curb their thirst according
" the veXed question of taxation might
be easily solved. All Germans would
have to do would be to turn over to
The state the savings of their private
llcOholic budget. then the imperial and
oval tax collector would never bother
hem again.
Producing the peoples annual drink
allowance TO 0 marks $1.S0 per head
will never do" said the kaiser's advis-
RS. 1T would incite revolution"
'But the tremendous amount OF
Thinking must be stopped somehow
ried his majesty.
General Field Marshal Count Wal
crscc. teetOtalcr. then proposed to
ppcal TO the German peoples pride of
he army.
Your majesty's subjects drink up
We times the amount of the army
udget annually" said the general. at
oes not do them any good, while re-
uction in the use of alcoholic bevcr-
ges will greatly benefit the country.
propose that the average liquor mon
Y be cut down to 43 marks per year
nd that the II marks saved be turned
yer to the state in the shape Of vol
ntary tax. Then we can have double |
10 army if necessary"
To supply the gin mills agriculture
serves an area exceeding that of the
uchies of Brunswick and Anhalt com |
med and the space of four or five
the minor municipalities is needed =
} supply sufficient hops and barley {
n the demands of Gambrinus. The G
res set aside for the production Of Z
Nv stuffs for schnapps alone would I
ED siXty-hve pounds of bread per T
,ad of population annually If turned {
its legitimate uses, and we con-
antly read of the specter of famine
nong the i'll paid working classes. =,
All told, the people Of the "civilized" y
orld consume annually $2.00000O,- r
% worth of beer, $750,000.0O0 worth :,
wine and $1,750,000,000 worth Of =,
Risky. representing one-tenth Of the -
nual income Of all civilized persons. >,