The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-06-20
THE ECONOMIC BASIS
OF PROHIBITION

in this country are MASTERS. As national
wealth is simply the combined individ-
ual wealth. consider the effect upon
national wealth OF transferring ten
millions oi families from producers OF
wealth into MASTERS OF wealth. On the
other hand consider how, by remov-
| ing the liquor traffic, these ten million
families can again become producers,
live better. work better, and thus be
| better citizens Of weather. nation,
That is what prohibition proposes and
that is why it conforms to true
economic doctrine.
Not only do the drinkers OF intoxi-
| cants consume more than they pro-
duce. but the money which thew spend
| falls into selfish hands Saloon men
are not charitable beings. They sell
dom give To- any noble cause. They
make beggars, orphans and widows,
and then desert them. leaving the
churches. lodges. charitable nstitu-
tons and the State To support them.
| When a saloon keeper has amassed
comfortable fortune. he leaves the
town. and in nearly every case moves
To a large city The capital is drained
from small communities. whose needs
are greatest, and boarded in large
cities.
BY absorbing the workingman's
wages the liquor traffic prevents Dis
! tribut'un.' making il not only less IN
quantity, but much narrower, reach
ing comparatively few oi the people.
Distribution is one OF the most i'm
| portant agencies Tor prosperity known
| ,...t.t...,1 al the
| saloon destroys this distribution Il is
an economic loss to society.
This business is also economically
Improbable because II does not pro-
ducc its equitable share OF the worlds
wealth All consumption Is unproduc-
tive which does not result IN reproduc-
ton Even It it rcproduces, but, the
product is oi diminished value. there
is waste. only that is a healthy eco
nnmic condition. when the goods con.
stunned rcappear III new productive
processes. ipr cXamplc:-Flour makes
bread, the bread Is eaten. IL Is not
destroyed. Tor ii makes bodily strength
and the body is itself reproductive
agent There is no waste IN this. 10
illustrate wealth. let lis use no econo-
mic circle Take the barley or the
hops used by the brewer The labor
j, reproductive mp 10 the point where
il leaves the brewery rs beer. Here
the chain Is broken Beer IS not re-
productive II gives un strength To-
me or To- my ucighbor II restores no
wasted tissue: il bring, no means TO
buy clothing or food; It is blank
waste aud worse 1t causes detcrinra-
ton 81 body skill intelligence and
character Beer break, the economic
circle The farmer. IN the other hand.
completes the circle. as he Sows the
iced. rcapS the harvest. sells 20 a
iluur mill he mill changes the form.
The product IS sold to the merchant.
The thrifty lahorcr buy, the nourish-
'ns product The rourishcd laborcr
produces articles which the farmer IS
cid - puruha,c with the money re-
-ciycd iur his grain Md the lahnrcr
likewise buys the farmers butter,
cheese, apples, potatoes aud sr on.
The economic circle 8 complete,
Labor is reproductive But no one
cain, when the farmer sells his crops
90 the ds,ilcr and allows nourl,hng
g-aiu 20 become destructive spirits,
That which was wealth /, now waste.
nd society is the loser
The country suffers from the liquor
trai'ic in It's individual production, N
the wcll-bcin al lis producers. IN the
aggregate ~ it, wealth, IN il imports
aud export, More than high tariff ~
luw tariff or no tariff a, all !; dcprc
ci1tcs American industry intericrc'
with American commerce and dis
counts the fruit ui american labor
Every industry should produce il,
hare 1T the State, wealth II should
10 turn do its share ~ distribution
and should bear with others the States
burden, NJ the uruduc:, ~ labor
should be inr The ultimate benefit and
wrll-hci0g - MI persons whose want,
they supply BY the exchange OF
! these products no man should be made
, poorer IN person Dr IN purse The
liquor traffic does not. It never did
? nor cau II ever produce H., cquiahl,
. share IT The world, wealth Car
. sound hu,irr,, longer Endorse the 81,
'.'g parasite Hu-,uc>, men know
] that the source ~ their dead accounts
the drinking mani debts Nor,
! than uur.hnli nj DIR State, have ll
b. ready cNrlcd ,hl, business destroyed
. irnm their borders, and already IN,
{ ! volume 81 testimony from these Tree,
. State, nj cities 3, becoming over
u wins imu"lr convincing What in many
] ease, wa- doubtful experiment, i
e. now with them 4 principle placed he
t t.ul li' doubt Merchant, account
e are prump,lv settled. home, are beau
. t'irci, labor J.. reliable. city ifca>uric
II lu not suffer long bank deposits grow