The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1910-05-13
W. c 7. u.
Is There More Liquor Drank Now
Than Before Prohibition.
sILENA NJ. HOLMAN

sILENA NJ. HOLMAN.
The claim is often made that more Ii
quor is drank when State is under a
Prohibitory law than under the open sa-
loon. The eabsurdity OF this claim ought
to be seen at a glance. People get all
they want under the open saloon. II
they drink more under Prohibition, then
they evidently drink more than they
want when there is no open saloon,
which claim is absurd on the face Of it.
1t is within the last three or four
years that Prohibition has been making
such rapid strides over the nation. And
internal revenue reports, figures that
cannot be disputed, show very great
decrease in the consumption of all kinds
of liquor within that period The in
ternal revenue report shows that there
were 4, 249, ,378 gallons of distilled spir-
its less withdrawn for consumption in
1909 than in 1908; and Is, 954 400 less
than in 1907, a falling Of more than 13
per cent. The consumption OF beer in
1909 showed that there was consumed |
76,09S, ,022 gallons, or nearly 1000, 900
barrels less than in 1908. Or as some /
one figures it, counting so drinks to
gallon of distilled spirits and 12 drinks
per gallon for beer, there were 1,159,-
1868 less drinks of liquor taken in
1909 than in 1908. Putting this at
cents per drink, which is what it
amounts to over the saloon bar, you
will see that there was saved to the
drinking men Of the United States last
year nearly $5S, 900, 600, or that much
loss out of the pockets of the liquor
trade. Is it any wonder they are fight
ing Prohibition The wonder is that
they have the nerve to talk to the peo-
pie about how much more liquor is
drunk than under Prohibition than
when they had the open saloon. II
anyone doubts these figures he may
easily verify them by getting the inter-
nal revenue reports for 1907-1908-1909, {
and looking at the figures for himself, I
But it is different in Tennessee,
says one who has been told so often that
there is more liquor drank in Tennessee
under Prohibition than when we Lad
The open saloon that he has almost come ?
10 believe it. We have not yet had a :
year of Prohibition in Tennessee, but
it by months we find that !
he beer stamp collections by the Fed !.
sral Government at its Nashville office
Turing February 1910, were less by 81
Der cent than those of February, 1909, :
before Prohibition had gone into effect.
The figures were $15, $50 for February, =
900, and $11 ,622 for February, 1910. : :,
The spirit stamps revenue fell of AZ per
ent. In 1909 the collections were =
III, 1861. In 1910 they were $79,- = :,
100. u u
This, when it is well known that =,
here was almost no effort made in h.
Nashville, Chattanooga or Memphis to II
nforce the laws, because the officials ~
lected and sworn to enforce them re- 81
used to do So II Tennessee had a !,
Governor who believed in the law and ~
'anted it enforced as Joseph Folk, of -,
Iissouri, wanted the laws in that State od
there would be much better b;
lowing made than the above. Given da
i addition to this, city officials who ia
ould make even small effort to en-
,rce the law and we would have Prohi- i
ition indeed And some day we are wi
Ding to have our laws enforced all 50
long the line. That is the big issue oi
efore the people of Tennessee to-day. III
re our voters going to be equal to it? all
believe they will. CT