Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-05-12
Is There More Liquor Drank
Now Than Before We
Had Prohibition?

The claim is often made that more
liquor is drank when state is under
a prohibitory law than under the open
saloon. The absurdity of this claim
ought to be seen at glance. People
get all they want under the open sal
Don. If they drink more under prohi
bition, then evidently they 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 max
ing such rapid strides over the ma
ton. And internal revenue reports,
figures that cannot be disputed, show
very great decrease in the copsump-
ton of all kinds of liquor within that
period. The internal revenue report
shows that there were 4, 249, 376 gal
Ions of distilled spirits less withdrawn
for consumption in 1909 than in 1908;
and 1S, 954, 400 less than in 1907, a fall
ing of more than 10 per cent. The
consumption of beer in 1909 showed
that there was consumed rs, O9S, O22
gallons, or nearly two million barrels
less than in 1908. Or, as some one fig
ures it, counting so drinks to gallon
of distilled spirits, and 10 drinks per
gallon for beer, there were 1,159, 1876,
S76 less drinks of liquor taken in 1909
than in 1908. Putting this at 5 cents
ii. 10 xx1hot ~ oVnnrnto
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, 900, or that much loss
out of the pockets of the liquor trade.
Is it any wonder they are fighting pro-
hibition3 The wonder is that they
have the nerve" to talk to the people |
about how much more liquor is drunk |
under prohibition, than when they had
open saloon. If anyone doubts these |
figures, he may easily verify them by |
getting the internal revenue reports
for 1907, 1908, 1909, and looking at
the figures for himself.
"But it is different in Tennessee,
says one who as been told so often that
there is more liquor drank in Tennes-
see under prohibition than when we
had the open saloon, that he has al
most come to believe it We have not
yet had year of prohibition in Ten
nessee. But comparing it by months
we find that the beer stamp collections
by the federal government at its Nash
Vile Office during February, 1910,
were less by 81 per cent. than those of
February, 1909, before statewide pro-
addition had gone into effect. The fig
Tres we're $15. 270 for February, 1909,
and $11. 699 for February, 1910 The
'pirit stamps revenue fell off AZ per
cent. In 1909 the collections were
SIT, 1885, 81. In 1910 they were $40, 900.
This, when it is we'll known that
here was almost no effort made in :
Nashville, Chattanooga or Memphis to
nforce the laws, because the officials
lected and sworn to enforce them re- Q
used to do 80. If Tennessee had a
Governor who believed in the law and q
wanted it enforced as Joseph Folk, of
wanted the laws in that q
tate enforced, there would be much
etter showing made than the above.
iiven in addition to this, city officials
Tho would make even a small effort to
nforce the law, and we would have N
rohibition, indeed. And some day
re are going to have our laws enforc- >
q, all along the line. That is the big
sue before the people of Tennessee 7
'day. Are our voters going to be
lual to it2 believe they will. .
SILENA M. HOLMAN.