The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-02
THE TEMPERANCE PROPAGANDA
CONCERTED ATTACK ON DRINK
WINNING ALL ALONG LINE.
The Nations Drink Bill-It Repre-
sents at Its Best an Annual
Waste and Loss Of 5000, 900 900

An Object Lesson or Two.
William Hargreaves, NJ. D., Of
Philadelphia, author Of Worse than
Wasted, estimated the drink bill of
the United States for 1900 at ST.
465, 900 900. He explains his meth
cd of computation; says he has made
these estimates for twenty years, and
that they have never been questioned;
that he has laid them before gaugers
of the revenue department, before
ex-saloonkeepers. and other persons
capable of judging, and they agree
that his estimates are as nearly cor
rect as it is possible to make them.
He insists that his figures are con-
sentative, below rather than above
the actual cost. We will take only
$1,000, 900, 900 here, for purposes Of
comparison. This is probably on the
safe side.
We will now place an object or two
in the foreground h a we may better
judge Of distance and size. The pub
lie school system Of Jul land, that
best exponent of democracy and
greatest factor In our national ASST
milation-for every dollar that the
American citizen pays in taxes for
public education ($2O0, 000,000), he
pays not less than six for liquor.
Again, the United States of America,
a country vast in extent, first in re-
sources, great in achievement, liberal
in expenditure, a world power-the
total expenditure of this great nation
for one year 1888, 900, 900 for the
year ending June 80, 1902. cover
ing the legislative, executive and
judicial branches; including the
army, the navy, Indians, pensions,
p%ostofice, interest on public debt and
every other last item and ource Of
expense; these liberal expenditures
Of a liberal government, which the
citizens do not always contribute
without grumbling, amount to just
about one-half of what the same
people pay out, in a like period, for
strong drink. S~ubtracting, now, the
100000 900 which the liquor trade
pays back to the people. and we have
an absolute waste, or loss of $780,
100000 and upwards; one billion
dollars, approximately.
Let it not be forgotten that this
vast sum represents, at its best, an
annual waste and loss. That the
money Is not sunk into the ocean,
but is all kept in the country, does
loss. The expenditure has brought
no returns. 1t Is as II this country
should engage half a million skilled
workmen, set them at making pi-
amos and fine furniture, having them
furnish their own materials, and pay
them an average of two thousand dol
lars a year for every man; then give
orders that each night the entire
finished product of that days work
shall be burned up. The money paid
for this work all stays in the coun-
try, but 1t brings no return. 1t rep
resents destroyed wealth.
The United States could better af-
ford to support a standing army of a
million men, gathering up all the
unemployed and relieving every
overcrowded business and profession,
and pay each man an average of a
thousand dollars a year. having him
out of this sum furnish his own
board, clothes and ammunition
could better afford to support this
body of men. and keep them shooting
at targets, than it can afford to pay
a similar sum to a nearly similar
number who now spend their time
and labor at making and selling liq-
uor. Each eats up the same amount
of wealth Of others toll; neither
gives anything in return; 1t would at
least leave its supporters sober, prob
ably very sober. This country could
better afford to support in absolute
idleness, as lords and gentlemen, the
100000 men who run retail liquor
establishments in u land, paying
them $4,000 a year each, the salary
of a United States Senator, than 1t
can afford to pay the same sum to
these same men, as it now does. for
selling strong drink. Out Of the
money now spent for liquor, u gov
eminent could buy out, every twelve
month, the entire wine, spirit and
malt liquor industry Of the country,
using land and buildings for the bene-
fit Of the people, and have a number
of millions left besides.
NEn,A T.L,,r.o, Traro,oo