The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-30
THE LIQUOR QUESTION
IN TWO MORE PHASES


ing Of the financial scale it would be
found that there is really saving in
taxes. The liquor traffic both secures an
income and occasions an expense
Which is the greater of the two? This
will determine whether it is burden
or help. Conditions are such that this
question cannot be answered off-hand.
The reply must be wrought out by spe-
clallsts. However, one can without'
much trouble indicate the sources of in
come and those of expense. The income
is two-fold. 1t comes from license fees,
and also from fines imposed for crimes
never have been committed. The ex-
pense is manifold. Among those worthy
of mention are (D The cost of prose-
cutting criminals, made such by the in
fiuence of the liquor traffic; (2) The
cost of additional buildings and in
creased expense for support made neces-
sary by this increased number of crimi-
nails. 1t takes money to support our
police regime and all the other agencies,
both for the detection and for the pun
ishment of crime; 90 The cost of erect
ing and supporting our pauper institu-
lions in so far as necessitated through
the influence of drink; az The cost of
buildings and support for hospital SER
vice as far as occasioned by diseases
having their origin directly or indi- !
rectly in drink; (5) The cost of build |
ing and supporting homes for the feeble
minded to the extent that this condition !
is produced directly or Indirectly !
through drink. A few Of the institu- |
tons referred to may be supported by |
private charity. But this is no less a
tax on the community
How large percentage of crime (and /
therefore, of cost entailed by it) grows
out of the liquor traffic? A study of
the situation in Massachusetts has re-
vealed that out of 26,677 criminals SO
per cent. were drinkers and 80 per cent.
were drunk when they committed their
crimes. Gov. Chamberlain of Oregon
has spoken for his state saying that %
per cent. of the crime is due to the
liquor traffic. The report ON this point
from the census of 1900 is not yet made
up. However, it can hardly differ much
from that of 1890 Then nearly 80 per
cent. of all the crimes in the country on
which data was obtained were commit
ted by persons addicted TO drink. The
speaking of times prior to the earth
quake and fire, and as quoted in the
of May 31st, say that so per
cent and more of the energy and time
IF the police department has been spent
IN dealing with "drunks -; and that a
arge percentage of the other misde-
neanors and crimes is traceable to the
~of Intoxicating drink. 1t Is
,he same story everywhere. Judge
Noah Davis of New York, after more
han twenty-five years on the judicial I
bench, believes that three-fourths of the
rhine and seven-eighths of the poverty !
md distress in our country are the ]
iirect or indirect results of the traffic s
n intoxicants. Magistrate Barlow IN !
he same city says, ''Ninety per cent. {
# the minor crimes that come before
magistrate have their inception in
rink Superintendent Thomas Byrnes
# the New York Police Department /
avs, "Hunt vice aud crime back to {
heir lairs and we viii be pretty sure {
o find them in the gin-mill. - The 5
anne story comes from Great Britain S
lord Chief Justice Coleridge says that E
f they could make England sober nine c