The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-07
WHOLESALE LIQUOR DEALERS
Annual Meeting of Association
 at Chicago This Week

Following is the address delivered by the general counsel of the Asso- citation, Levi Cooke of Washington: The industry represented by thlS association stood not lower than fifth in the industries of the United States in the census of 1904 and the Gov ernment statisticians estimate that the census of 1910 will strengthen the DO sition of the industry among the five greatest in the country. It means little that the capital invested in the industry seven years ago amounted to s650,000,000, and is now nearer to ar even billion dollars. It is telilng commentary on the industry. however that liquors rank with the food stuffs textiles, iron and steel, among tie foremost products of the United States.
 It is of the highest importance, in fixing the rank of the industry, that the census of the United States should show that, next to flour and gr1st mill products, liquors are the most important of the group of vegetable products.
 The trade occupies the position of being the largest single source of na- tional revenue. Its Federal taxes alone support the army, build the ships of the navy. and defray the 1n- terest on the national debt.
 Money is a measure of value, ana the liquor industry of the United States. measured not by the wea lth which it has accumulated, but by the river of gold which it annually turns by means of it's invested capital into the treasury of the United States, may point to it's place in the finan- ces of this country, and Justlfy US function and it's existence.
 The Supreme Court has stated and restated that liquors are lawful ar ticle of commerce, and that the traf- fic, in itself is not unlawful, yet no single subject has been more prolific of Iegislation. national, state and To- cal The Federal system now exerts it's authority through more than one hundred and fifty sections of statute upon every gallon of distilled spirits lawfully marketed in the United States. The trade in distilled spirits bears the unique distinction of being the subject of more special laws than all other industries combined.
 The liquor industry does not exist for the benefit of those whose capi- tai and ability are engaged in it's pro- motion. Except for the insistent de- mand for it's product asserted by the people of the United States the trade would languish and die. The demand grows annually in proportion with the increase of population, wealth and civilization of the country.
 Consumption of liquors has increas- ed with increa sing rigor of regula- tian Only the commercially fit have survived to meet the growing de- mands of the people under the reign of regulation. Commercial fitness has consisted of business intelligence and standing in the community will lingness to accept the responsibility of an irksome trade. and a funda- mental respect for the laws as they are written.
 Regulation of the liquor traffic must always exist if for no other req son than that the hundreds Of mill lions of tax. annually gathered from the liquor industry, presuppose some kind of control. What is demanded throughout the nation is that control shall conform with at least three tests:
 It shall restrict the people to the least possible extent in accordaae9 with a just and worthy purpose.
 It shall have it's burdens so distrib- uted as to operate with even-handad justice among those upon whom it's burdens fall.
 It shall be so we'll considered in method as to appeal to the conscience good judgment and enthusiasm of the people.
 These conditions are ideal, and the content of the people depends on the nearness with which actual conditions approach the ideal. No law will ev CT be tolerated which declares ille gal the use of liquors. The people demand liquors, and this is true even