Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-09-30
liquors except by government, and that
means with us State control.

means with us State control.
We are very much surprised at our
correspondents low estimate of the
profits derived from the sale of liquor.
As the Register understands it, these
profits frequently equal 80 and 100 per
cent or more. The instance mentioned
few weeks ago in the Register of the
revoked, who sold out his stock at half
the regular price instead of returning it
to the wholesale dealers at the wholesale
price as he had the privilege of doing, is
was shown by bank deposits that the
sales of liquor in seven months by this
one dealer amounted to $3.50 and
therefore his profits to at least ST 800,
less the small amount paid for license.
The Register has learned of another
well authenticated case where the sales
of one dealer amounted to $1,000 n
week for a number of months.
In many cases undoubtedly the exces-
sive profits come from the purchase and
sale of cheap liquors. 1t is perfectly
evident that where private gain enters
into the problem, not only the sales
will be abnormally large, but the liquor
very poor.
Under the present law, as is well
known, dealers sell one quality of liquors
to many of their customers, and to
others more favored a much better
quality at the same price. Thus a gen
tleman in our town recently gave his
experience with the new license system
to the,editor of the Register as follows:
He said that since the new law had gone
into effect he had entered licensed
saloon but twice. That the last time he
was asked by prominent citizen to take
a drink. Asserting, he entered the
saloon; which he said was filled witt
customers, and started to stop at the
counter, where others were being served
but was beckoned by his friend t
follow, who led him to the end of anC
partly. behind the counter where they
We're, served with a very pure article Of
liquor, his friend remarking upon its flint
quality.
A,.principal reason for adopting gov
, eminent control by the Russian empire
! was. that the liquors sold under the ole
j system, which permitted private gain
L were of such bad quality,
The following is the letter of the
I Russian Minister of Finance on thi
subject:
"Your Imperial Majesty is aware that
, in changing the method Of collecting
! the duty on alcohol, it was not sough
, directly to increase the fiscal revenues
Y If the Minister of Finance felt it nece-
= sary to ask that the retail sale of spirit
y uous liquors should be taken from ind
j viduals and monopolized by the State
6 it was above all that he might bring t
# an end the abuses inherent in the OLE
o organization. With us the average O
o consumption is relatively small, thong
=, there are great variations. The spiritu
n Gus liquors offered for sale by the reta
h dealers contain ingredients which al
harmful, if not dangerous to the health
s The very conditions of the trade
l. strong drink, very lucrative trade fC
ii people who are not over scrupulou'
J. favored the perpetuation of manifol
It abuses which were running the lowe
l. classes. 1t was impossible to end thes
" deplorable evils except by placing Il
re trade in the hands of the State. I'll
a trial that has just been made short {
has been its. duration, has proved tn;
lie the monopoly attains this end"
Is 1t thus appears that the sale of liquo
under government control is most desi
ct able for the following reasons:
n 1t eliminates private gain, thereto
te decreasing very largely the sale of liquor
is 1t insures a pure quality of liquor for :
e. purchasers. the poor as well as the ric
as And it divides equally among all Il
1e people for the reduction of taxes t
~ very large profits, instead of giving the
or to few individuals.
Of These profits in Vermont would prob
Of bly, amount to at least 100000 yea
he and, divided among the towns, shou
IN pay about One-third of all take
it perhaps more Under the present sy
re tenn these profits are undoubtedly me
than 81 100000. But we assume that t
to sale of liquors under State control won
of be decreased One-half.