The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-22
WHY PROHIBTTIONs
The Use Of Becr and Light wines Com.
mended by Our MIsest atatcsmen.


To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-sr:
Thomas Jefferson (see his works by Tay-
lor & Maury. Vol. Ill. page b05) wrote
December 10. 1918, to NJ. dc Melville, re-
joiclng as moralist at the prospect OF q
reduction of the duties on wine. mo ma
tion," he said. us drunken where wine Ia
cheap. and none sober where the dearness
Of wine substitutes ardent spirits as the
common beverage"
Alexander Hamilton In his report Of
January II. 1920. advocating an increase
OF specific duties on wires. spirltuous
liquors, tea and coffee, wrote: Should
the Increase OF duties tend to q decrease
OF consumption of these articles, the ef-
feet would be In every way desirable as
far as this decrease might be applicable
to distilled spirits; II would encourage
the substitution OF cider and malt liquors,
benefit agriculture, and open a new and
productive source OF revenue"
Dr. Benjamin Rush OF Philadelphia, the
real father Of the temperance movement,
in his Account OF the Manners Of the
German Inhabitants OF Pennsylvania
dwelt with particular emphasis upon the
probity frugality, economy, love OF lib
erty and country OF these people. and as II
70 furnish key to all these traits, he said !:
Very few OF them ever use distilled
spirits In their families. their common
drink being beer, wine and cider" He
made this fact one OF the principal argu-
ments In favor OF his famous temperance
movement. But II did not progress very
much, because In those days beer and
wine were expensive, and whiskey very
cheap. Among the mass OF Americans
the prediction for spirits was made uni
versal by the general practice OF rural
distilling in all grain producing States.
and especially In States In which the
trade with the West Indies made molasses
a common article OF barter.
In Georgia. as early as 1888, Governor
Oglethorpe realized that In order to ban
ish strong drink you must give the people
"A substitute. To make his Act to pre-
vent the importation and use OF rum and
brandies In the province OF Georgia, and
any kind OF spirits or strong water what
soever." effective (see his letter TO the
trustees dated Frederick. october 7. 1881
he urgently requested that fifty or sixty
tuns OF beer from the brewery OF Hicks
at Southwark be sent him. He said
cheap beer Is the only means to keep
rum out"
II those who advocate national pro-
hibition have their way, all the progress
toward temperance In drinking will be
checked. and we shall again approach
the times OF former rural dlstillation.
The brewer, whom Andrew d. White
autobiography Vol. J.. page SID classes
with the wine growers as "the best tenn
perance worker among U.S." will disappear.
No one has as yet been able to run a
moonshine brewery. But moonshne stills.
which even now are being operated at
great risks In order to save the revenue
tax. will flourish In greater number when
the big legal distilleries must close down.
For then the incentive to operate the
stills will be much greater. as they will
be the only agencies TO supply the de-
mand for alcoholic drinks Then will
many OF the millions deprived OF their
mild fermented beverage return 10 the use
OF distilled spirits Instead OF banish!ng
distilled liquor. national prohibition would
give II the monopoly OF supplying the de-
mand for alcoholic drink.
NEW YORK. May 81. NJ II. WALKER.