The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-27
LIQUOR BUSINESS
hUMAM|TY'S LEECH
1Ts POWER, DECLARES MINISTER,
TURNED TO PAUPERIzING
THE WORLD.
ONLY ONE SURE REMEDY
THE OUNCE OF PREVENTION Is
WORTH POUND OF CURE, AND
VIRGINIA SHOULD TAKE
THE STEP.
ONLY ONE SURE REMEDY

yesterday morning an appropriate
sermon by Rev. j. r. Johnson was
delivered in commemoration OF the
beginning OF the sixth year OF his
pastorate. and OF the growth Of the
Church during that period. Last
night Mr.. johnson spoke on the sub
ject of THE Waste of the Liquor
Busin ess.''
In setting forth the work accom-
plished by his congregation during the
five years OF his pastorate Mr.. John
son brought out the fact that the
membership of the church had grown
from 515 In 1909 to 927 In 1s14. The
annual appropriation for missions has
grown from $500 during this period
to $500. Total collections in 1909
were a little over $4,000. In 1914
these amounted TO $4,000.
During the five years Of the pastor
ate of Mr. johnson $4,000 has been
spent on improvements. and a new
addition to the church will greatly
! increase It's capacity.
Mr.. Johnson, IN his arraignment of
! the liquor traffic, spoke in part as
follows:
Waste of Liquor Business.
There is no greater deception than
that which has pulled the wool over
| the eyes of some people about the
financial side, the material value Of
the liquor business. Instead of MAX
ing q real contribution to the worlds
wealth, its power is turned to pauper-
tzing humanity. This is true In every
avenue of life in which 1t enters. The
product of the business makes no con-
tribution to the physical, moral, men
tai or spiritual life in equipping 1t
for greater usefulness. This is not
true of the other great industries of
our nation. And II is for this reason
the economic and sociological point
OF view, that the present permanent
wave Of temperance Is sweeping over
! the nations Of the earth. This move
ment is confined to no one country.
The anti-alcohol movement of Eu-
/ hope is one of the wonders Of the
/ age. Statesmen, philosophers, physi-
cians financiers, teachers, and others
are joining in the crusade againsts
| alcohol because of its waste in human
| LIFE There are but two classes bene-
! fitted by the business. beyond what
/ they might receive in other enter
! prises. They are the manufacturer
and salesman. the distiller and sa-
1 ioonist. The reason they grow fat Is
/ because they give so little for what
/ they get. It Is 10 their financial In
/ terest to continue In the business,
/ though the money be blood money.
But the business must go. and future
generations will wonder at the license
Of our age. One has well said. the
history of humanity Is that OF a stand
ing battle between ideas and interest.
For the moment the interests always
4 win, but In the long run the ideas
We are coming to that time. The
business IL d waste.
waste of Food.
Think of the waste OF food. The
last census shows there were pro-
duced in 1909, 4,445.576.5SS bushels
of corn. wheat. barley. rye and oats,
That IS about 4s bushels per capita
1t is estimated that 33,36z.26a bushels
were used IN the liquor business, or
tina amount belonging to 2,77S,48o peo-
pie. This was wasted. for in no way
did 1t fill It's real purpose. What
I might II have meant to the poor
Converted into meat 1t would likely
equal 2.667 345.820 pounds. That would
I'LL many a hungry mouth. stlll we
j cry high prices? But how would that
affect the farmer 1t would be to his
interest. used to notice that the rem
ter sold his corn, while the more IA
| vored farmer fed his to cattle and hogs
that IL might bring him the more
money. Besides the grain used In the
| liauor business lis only about three
per cent OF the production. How
would It affect the employe in this
business II Il were shut down? The
waste would more than take care OF
the entire number, but the money in
vested In other enterprises would pay
him much larger per cent OF In
enc.
Waste of Wealth.
'It is a waste OF wealth. The an
nual drink bill in the United States Is
about 81, 500, 900. 900. Suppose this was
spent for bread and clothing2 II
would give employment to nearly eight
times as many workers as are en-
pioyed in the liquor business, and with
nearly FIVE and O half times as much
wages. The liquor business pays poor
| wage. The ratio OF wages to the cap
ital invested is &c per cent. and the
ratio TO the value of products is T.3s
4 per cent. while in the textile indus
tries they are 23.9 per cent in the first
and 1873 per cent In the latter. Again
had you thought of what this great
army of employees might be worth to
the country in business that contri-
butes to the country's wealth Place