Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-27

amount OF money which the people of
the country pay for drink. That is. in
figuring the years consumption OF
whiskey. the wholesale. prices are not
considered, but the average price paid
by the consumer VINO Guys his indi-
vidull drink over the bar. II the fig
ures err. they are probably on the side
OF underestimate. yet, as they stand
for last year. they show larger ex-
penditure for stimulants. both alcoholic
and non-alcoholic. both absolutely and
relatively OF the population. than In any
other year for which the figures are ac-
cessible.
The total estimated retail cost OF
lstimulants for 1903-iS04 Is placed at
81, ass. G22. sI5 or a little more than twice
the total expenditures Of the Fedora,
Government for that year. This was
$lS.33 for every man. woman. and child
In the country. Tea. coffee. and cocoa
are represented by $40 Of this. the re.
SA"''c SItTt IOF
alcoholic stimulants. Each OF thes,
items had Increased in the year by 3
cents per capita. II the comparison be
made by gallons. to be sure, the use of
non alcoholic beverages il found to ex--
coed considerably that of the alcoholic.
As a people. we drink 2Oc, 600 600 more
lgallons Of coffee than we do Of beer,
and three times as many gallons Of tea
as OF wines and spirits combined. Yet
fact that in year when the British
chancellor OF the ExcneGuer explained n
deficiency in his predicted excise reve-
nues on the ground that his country
men were becoming less addicted to in
toxicants, the average American spent
more money on liqIors than ever be-
FORE
| For half century or more the stu
dent OF American drink problem was
encouraged by the constant tendency of
the American people to consume milder
beverages in place Of the spirituous
liquors. in which an earlier generation
INDUCED SO generally and SO freely. In
the half century. from l'4O to 1890. the
per capita consumption of whiskey in
this country decreased one-hah, while
in the same time the per capita con-
sumption Of mild wines increased one
half: and the per capita consumption OF
beer in the same tina increased min
times as much. That is. the per-capita
consumption of distilled spirits had
fallen from 2.52 gallons tc 1.4O, while
that Of wines rose in fifty years from %
of a gallon to .46. and that of NAL.
liquors from !. 36 gallons to no less thar
1856.
But the assertion that mild beverages
are displacing strong ear no lOnge.
fairly be made regarding present con-
ditiOns. For the last eight years, as q
matter Of fact. we have been consum-
ing every year not oniy absolutely. bu:
relatively. more spirits than the year
before. From 1.Ol gallons per capita
the lowest figure i'm our statistical his
tory. which was reached in 1896, tn,
consumption has steadily mounted till
1t is now Las gallons. making an in.
lcrease of 461a per cent. Beer. in the
same time has gained only IS As pei
lcent.. while wines nave shown ar
irregular movement. due probably tr
the quantities withdrawn year by yea:
for storage. with a net increase from q
gallons in 1896 to .53 gallons in 1904. Tn
discussing these figures the New York
Post says:
That there has actually been any con-
siderable increase Of intemperance dur.
Ing this period. however. there Is nc
reason to believe. These same eight
Years have seen tOral abstinence re-
garded more and more 4 business asset
RAILROAD companies and commercial
houses in increasing numbers require it
while. in spite of the Direction OF New
Hampshire and Vermont. it is quite
probable. that the area In which the
public sale OF liquor is prohibited l.
larger than ever before. Statistics are
frequently published showing decreases
In arrests for drunkenness in various
cities. While. In a long period Of pros
perity. the average outlay on alcoholic
beverages. as on other Items, IL NOR,
lavish than it was tea years ago. COM
mon observation alone shows that u
has not gone to make topers. W.
fancy that a very important element In
bringing about the increa sed use OF
spirits has been the sudden and wide
popularity of the "high-hlll'' and Other
forms In which spirits are taken highly
diluted. The man who. with only raw
whiskey and lemonade as the alter.
natives. would choose the lemonade
may make a compromise now on mix.
ture Of one-tenth whiskcy and nine.
tenths carbonated water. That a turr
In popular tastes may have tremendou:
commercial consequences We know
from the amazing movements OF tho
market for LINES during the meteori,
rise and fall OF the gin r,ckey" a fen
years ago. The American Grocer. 1t
self. appears to take A rather pessimis
tic view Of the figures It has compiled
Were the tax on whiskey removed ant