Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-19
Uncle Josh's Sixth Letter on Resub-
mission.
Augusta, Me, Mar. Is, 1901

Augusta, Me, Mar Is. 1901
Dear Nephew:
AS l promised in my last letter pub
iiShed i'll last Saturdays Journal, will
consider HON saloons affect business.
In the first place, Il saloon instead of
increasing the earning capa city of a
community acts only as Il drain for the
earnings of Il community. If the people
OF Augusta are so prosperous that. after
buying. fuel. food. clothing. paying for
homes and laying aside sufficient funds
to safeguard against want and distress
in the sunset of life. they have sufii-
Gent left to burden them. then it would
Indeed be a daba Bile question. at least,
whether the surplus should go into cir
culatiOn through the money tills of the
saloons. business is improved only
when people arc Industrious and able to
buy what is needed in the homes of our
city and enough is left to furnish those
luXuries that are considered, in those
days, to add comfort and ease and The
amount paid out for these things must
contribute largely to the productive
force Of the country.
Compare the report of the county
treasurer for 1909 with that of 1902 and
1901 to illustrate this point:
KENNEBEC COUNTY.
1901. 1oo2 1905
Number committed to Jail
during wear, go Cos 4Jl
Number committed to Jail
for drunkenness. i0j AZ 81
Number committed to Jail
for violation of liquor law, 20 l. AZ
Number committed from
Saradahnc County. 2S III
Number of weeks board OF
prisoners. ,D,l olS9 loli
Average number Of prison
crS, 81 10 -
In the above table it will b. noticed
that on account of violations of the
liquor law and of the liquor business thu
county not only supported twenty more
people throughout the whole year %
1Hh1 but the industry OF those twenty
was also lost. During 1902 the aver
age number of prisoners III the county
jail were - with no commitments from
SaSada hoe county making Il difference
Of SC. Reckoning the loss Of time 1T
$500 per week for each man and that
loss figures. up to Il total of S14.916 for
loss of time alone. The difference in
the expenses of prosecution before the
courts, commitments to jail. board of
prisoners for drunkenness is S5,2l1.
such expenses being S9,2G1 in 1902 and
S4.013 i'm 1903.
The similar expenses for violations Of
the law relative to the sale of liquors
were S.. 7OS in 1902 and Sc, 7S5 in 1909 or
ST.. r ore in 1893 than in l4h..
Nonrnforcement in Kcnncbcc county,
tho,. was directly responsible for,
.ost labor ut IS per week. s1o1i
difference in costs of prosecutions, 5iii
Difference in board, .uNJ
Making a total for these items, s. %
In a.Ilition to this. must ps consider
"a loss OF time bf.>ne commitment ~
aud after discharge from Jail whi>h
must be a considerable sum lost to the
business of the community. Passing
from the consideration Of the question
Financially. we have the degradation of
81 mere arrests for drunkenness in
1902 than in 1908 and who can place a
vallc upon that phase of the question.
The county received in fines and costs
from liquor dealers and drunkenness,
in 1900. st5.5S7 and in 1909, s9,o71 n diff
ference of s2f,516 and to collect this
amount the county raid about $500
if not more. or 20 Der cent.
During 1903 our merchants. milk
dealers ana farmers have received the
results of the industry of these people
who have contributed to business in
stead OF being arrested and sentenced
t, jail. From every ssoo spent in shoes.
clothing. furniture. and other necessi-
ties. sl.. go to labor while from $3.50 ex-
pended in drink only 80 go to labor.
At the low estimate of $500 week.
sl4.o7s in earnings We're lost i'll 1902 that
were contributed to the legitimate
channels of trade in 1903 and this eX-
presses only the actual tine in county
iai1 and does not include any estimate
of loss Of time before municipal courts.
ask YOU and the readers of the
Journal If it is not better to save to