Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-20
USED SOME LIQUOR.
But 1t Was Before the Temperate,
Movement Started.
Interesting Facts for Those Opposed to
Use of Intoxicants.

They used to drink some rum in the
State Of Maine in the old DAVIS. if Ger.
tain statements contained in a Maine
register of many years ago were COR
rect. and there is little question but
what they We're. The register in ques-
ton is that for the year 1881 and it
contains an article which is of much
interest to temperance people. 1t is a
sketch of the temperance movement as
1T had progressed at that time.
1t sets forth that the American Tenn
perance Society was formed in 1926 and
that in 1880 it had grown so that there
we're state organizations in 10 states
and local organizations in each State
as follows: Maine. us; New Hamp-
shire. SO; Vermont, 137; Massachusetts,
225; Rhode Island, q; Connecticut, 1856;
New York, 423; New Jersey, 81; Penn
sylvania, 100; Delaware, 2; Maryland,
IA; District of Columbia, 4; Virginia,
119; North Carolina. 20: South Carolina,
II: Georgia, 5S; Florida, i; Alabama, g.;
Mississippi, .; Louisiana, 8; Tennessee
Il; Kentucky. 10; Ohio, 81: Indiana, 81;
illinois, S; Missouri, I; Michigan, 10, a
total of 1854 local societies, with a COM
bincd membership of more than 10000.
The writer of the article states that in
all probability the list does not cover
more than two-thirds of the total num-
Der Of the societies.
The writer i'll the Register then goes
on to say that an examination of Off
cial records shows that there had been
great decrease in the importations of
| Intoxicating liquors into the country
since the movement began and that it
had resulted in a saving of fully $15.-
| 000, 900 annually to the people of the
| country. He also sets the number of
drunkards who had been reformed by
the movement at 700.
The above statement of the good
| which the American Temperance SocI-
ETY. had done in the country as a whole
| is followed by Il quite long statement of
| facts and figures showing the decline
in the use of intoXicants, from the time
the society began operations in Maine,
| to the year 1881. Below are presented
q few extracts from this section of the
article and i'm reading them it should be
remembered that they refer to the year
| 1880 and prior.
! Previous to the organization of 4
society there, one town of 600 popu-
latiOn in Washington county consumed
31S gallons of liquor at Il cost of $302f
per year. In 1928 society was formed
and in 1880 the consumption of liquor
had Fallen to $50 gallons at a cost of
$40.
| In a Pcnobscot county town with a
population of 2O3O there was consumed
in 1927 the total of 12,779 gallons at a
| hn I'M, Nj M,
had fallen to 1868 gallons at a cost of
$1G96, which the number of licensed
dealers had been reduced from 16 to 4.
| In Cumberland county two towns
! with population of 2030 in 1927 used
6O72 gallons at a cost of $49S6 since that
| time the amount used had fallen to
1854 at an annual cost of $1243. An
| other town i'm the same county used,
previous to the organization of "A sOci-
city. 1852 gallons. This town had a
population Of 1854. After the society
WAS formed the consumption fell to
227O gallons per annum and the number
OF licensed dealers dropped from IA to
five.
| These figures show that there were
some users of liquor in the state at
that time; also it shows that the tenn
pcrance movement took a firm hold up
on the people and that most beneficial
results followed.
| In connection with the statements of
the consumption of Intoxicating liquors
throughout the State the writer's says
| that il is notable fact that the coIn-
try towns were farther advanced in
temperance work than were the large
trading places.
He then goes on to say that three
years previous to the writing the cost
of the spirits consumed in Maine per
year was from three to four times larg-
or than the town. county and State
taxes. The amount consumed in 1880
he figures at about equal to those taxes
and then says: Were its use to cease
entirely it would be equal in money to
a remittance of the full town, county
and State taxes"