The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-01

DECREASE OF SEVEN AND 4
HALF BILLION DRINKS IN
TWO YEARS.
National Chairman Jones, of PrOhi-
hilton Party, Complies Statistics
Concerning the Use OF Whiskey--
Answers Texas Brewers.
Chicago Record-Herald.

Drinkers In the United states, from
the chronic "souse" to those who oc-
casionally and lightly daily with the
foaming stein or the sparkling wine
glass. have gone shy" seven and a
half billion drinks In the last two
years. according to statistics issued
yesterday from prohibition national
headquarters. In the same period
f.40s.0ss men who were wont to take
an average OF four portions Of grog
each day have become total abstain
ers.
II the seven and half billion
drinke that were missed had gone
across the bar for consumption they
would have cost s464.449,ss7.15 at
the regular grogshop prices, while II
they had been poured into tank os
sufficient capacity would hate fioated
a feet of battleships.
The statistics were compiled by Ma
tional Chairman Charles r. Jones
from an advance report of the United
States internal revenue bureau for
the fiscal year 1909, and they were
put forth as counter to the asser-
tion OF the Texas Brewers Associa-
ton that prohibition never prohibits
and that more liquor is sold in "dry'
than In wet territory.
The assertions are contaire ed i'm O.
statement which in part reads as fol-
lows:
ION the basis of the official records
issued by the internal revenue de-
partmen' f,r the four fiscal years
June so. 1906. to June 80, 1909. the
astonishing fact develops that the
liquor traffic during that time has
come short OF Its expected sales to an
estimated aggregate total of sSs.-
0s7.s33.s7 gallons of spirits and fer
mented liquors.
The liquor traffic has been in
creasing its output by leaps ana
bounds for the years up to 1907.
"On a basis OF growth. conserva-
lively estimated at figures only equal
to the increase during the year 1906
ana 1906, there would have been a
total expansion of liquor production
during the two years from 1907 to
1909 OF 900. .oso. .702.ss gallons of liq-
utr. Did II happen? Well. hardly
90 you would notice It, AS an actual
fact, during those two years. instead
Of the gain above mentioned. which
might naturally have been expected,
there was an actual decrease of s0,-
oos,ss1.s1 sallona
"0f this enormous shrinkage from
expected figures OF increase of liquor
production. the whiskey total is a.
sss.s0T gallons. while the beer pro-
duction In the same time shows net
shrinkage OF not less than S51.204,-
1851 gallons from expected devel-
opments.
This thirty-seven odd million gal.
Ions of whiskey means q total OF
1.ss4.130.s5o drinks of fire-water
reckoning fifty to the gallon. con.
servative estimate. and 5.61s.267.631
drinks OF beer, reckonf @ every
schooner at half a pint. The cost OF
these seven and a half billion drinks
OF booze reckoned at the current
market value. would have been not
less than si64,449.ss715.
This is the sum the liquor traffic
two years ago might have expected
would pass through their tills i'm the
twenty-four months which closed
June SO. 1909, but of which. sad CD
TO relate. they have never seen q
penny.
isn't II about time for the brew
ers press agent and the whiskey
scribe to take vacation till further
orders.
Putting aside for the moment the
startling totals of expected increase
In liquor production. which did not
nnaterialize In the last two years. we
md an actual drop In liquor produc-
tion OF 1908 and 1909 from the fla
ures OF 1907. of 1s.657.32s gallons OF
whiskey and 2.142.614 barrels OF
beer. That Is. there was an aggre-
gate drop I'm liquor production for
these two years Of 2,045,9S7.65s
drinks OF distilled and fermented liq-
uors from the total for 1907.
Reckoning that the average mod
crate drinker buys four drinks a day
the figures show that the equivalent
of 1.40S,09S men no longer patronize
the saloons as they did In the year