The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-03-28
MILLION ADAYFOR DRINKS
Is New York's Bill, Uncle
Sans Billion a Year.
CRUSADEIN THE SOUTH
Enough Beer Drunk Since 1870 to
Fill a Canal from New York TO
Dcnvcr-Yct only One Quarter OF
the Population Drinks ut ALI
Temperance Gains.


sumption of drinks in the United
States amounts to 81 100000.
If all the beer drunk In the United
States since 1876 were brought to-
gether 1t would fill a canal from New
York to Denver-twenty feet wide,
ten feet deep and 1898 miles long.
says the New York Sun.
The nations drink bill is one-third
more than the public deot, twice an
much as the capital stock In the
banks, little less than the capitali-
zation of the trusts, one-half the
value of our domestic animals.
more than one-half the value of all
our farm products, one-third more
than our total imported merchandise
and one-twelfth more than our total
exports.
If each individual in this country.
regardless of age or sex. had drunk
his share of liquor In 1876 he would
have consumed about eight gallons;
bat now the proportion Is a little
more than twenty gallons. The in
crease is attributed to the influx OF
foreign immigrants who drink much
beer.
1t Is estimated that .three-fourths
Of the population are total abstain
ers, which would make every fourth
person who does drink. consume on
an average $40 worth Of liquor each
year.
The use of wines and spirits is on
the decrease in the United States,
while beer is becoming more popu-
lar. There are fewer retail liquor
dealers now than there were a year
ago, while the number of places
where beer is sold Is increasing
rapidly.
AS many railroad accidents were
in times past accounted for by en-
ploy ees being drunk, 100000 of the
100000 railroad men now on duty
in the United States are under orders
neither to drink nor to enter a place
where liquor is sold. The penalty
is dismissal from service. In Canada
If locomotive engineer or train
conductor is found druhk while on
duty, he is liable to ten years i'm
prisonment.
Southern States are more aggres-
sive at this time than those OF any
other part of the country in attempt
ing to curb drunkenness by law.
Kentucky, whose very name brings
up thoughts of mint juieps. has 119
counties, and Of these ninety-six are
without saloons. In all Kentucky
there are but five counties where
liquor may be sold all over the
county.
In the matter of local option cleo
tions Illinois leads all other States
with a record of 700 communities
which have voted the saloon out.
Mississippi and Texas are more than
three-fourths dry by virtus Of local
option laws. Texas prohibits screens
In drinking places. and Indiana re-
Quires saloons to keep lights burning
all night with window shades open.
Tennessee. another great whiskey
producing State. has had an anti
saloon movement, with the result
that there are but nine towns in the
entire Commonwealth where saloons
are permitted. Every candidate for
a State Office in Tennessee, Demo-
crat or Republican, Is a temperance
reformer, Senator Carmack, Demo-
cratic leader, has pledged himself to
a movement to drive every saloon
from the State
Californians say that great tenn
lpGGnn fanoht nv tho
earthquake. San Francisco con-
sumed much liquor and was known
as wide open town. When the
earthquake occurred, the saloons
were closed and long kept closed
North Carolina has also taken ad-
vantage of the local option law.
Greensboro. with more than 10000
population. is as dry as bone.
Nebraska has a law providing for
the examination of dipsomaniacs,
ineLriates and persons addicted to
the excessive use of morphine, Co
caine or other narcotic drugsi for
the detention. care and treatment of
such persons, and for their parole"
The only home for drunkards
wives ever established in the United
States. and possibly in the world, is
at Des Moines. la. This was made
possible by the will of the late
James Callahan, who left $4,000
for the purpose of building 1t.
In those communities where the
percentage Of foreign born popula-
tion is largest there is the least effort
toward legal restriction of the liquor
traffic, which fact is taken to indicate
that pure blooded Americans have
set their faces against the vice of
drunkenness. The Southern States
received but per cent of the i'm
migrants which came into the coun-
try last year, and they are leading