The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-17
ssN - Says Rev. Charles Sickle, Advocate of
l\O, Prohibition, Who Maintains That
Turning Into Other Channels the 81 ,800,O00OO0
Which We Now Spend Annually for Drink Would
Bring Greater Prosperity.

Much has been said about the enormous sum
invested in the liquor business. What Is the
ratio Of wages PAL the workers to the amour,
OF capital invested in this business a. com.
pared with each OF the industries noted above'
Here the figures;
Liquor. Sc per cent? textiles. 239 per cent;
iron, 116 per cent; lumber, 2I1 per cent
leather, 23.5 per cent. and paper. AIS per CEN.
A quick glance at these ngures shows how
little. comparatively. the labOring man gets out
OF the large investments In the liquor business.
II is almost impossible 20 state accurately
how much is annually spent in the United
States for intoxicating liquor. As stated,
conservative figure IL 81 500 100000. As nearly
az can be estimated IL Is probably true thai
we also spend 81 500. 900 for bread and
clothing What would happen II the liquor In
dustry should be destroyed. and the money now
spent for liquor should be spent for bread ana
clothing?
Following Is a table prepared from figures
obtained from the Statistical Abstract OF ne
United States for 1913. giving statistics Tor the
year 1909 for both groups Of industries;
Number Cost Of Raw
Of Wages Wages Material
Industry Farmers Paid. Used
Bread and other
bakery prod ....
ucts -. PIG s59.S51.OOO s2ss.o34ooe
Clothing ..
tmen's) 49,. 1886 lO6,2tf.OOO 2s''elo'OOo
C CWomen's) 1878 7s.5ssOOo 2Os.7ssoOo
4sas55 y2441ss.OOO S744.3s7,OOO
Liquor industry G2.s2O 45.252.oOO lSs'lss'ooo
Difference .4sO.7s5 u9s.si4.OOO ,eO5lss.OOO
II is at once apparent that II the 81 500. 900, 900
now spcnt for liquor we're to be spent for bread
and cething IT WOULD GIVE EMPLOY ~ 70 T,I
TO NEARLY EIGHT TINES lsS, A AS,-,ivHTY
WORKERS. WHO WOULD CoLLkCIINE ELL
RECEIVE FIVE AND ONE-HALF TIMES 40
MUCH WAGES. -,-. .,.-
But this is not all II would REQUIRE oyeI
$500. 900 worth OF additional raw mhuer '
than the liquor industry now uses thht ~
more than 1--WE times as much raw mateI "a.
And II this we're to take place. is II not ia.l
10 say that the iron and copper workers placH
smiths bricklayers. cement workers, chpeu'
ters roofers. pipe settlers. engine puheeLs'
coopers. wagon workers, automooue mAh1hi
box and case makers. tag printers, ADe'
makers photographers, sign makers eherA'Sss'
and all the other workers mentioned ny mr.
Debar would also fnd jobs7 For Il would os
absurd TO say that only the liquor business mas
need Tor men engaged in these crafts:
But what about the bartender Wnst con
stitutes successful bartender? II Is DIS aoli
fty as a salesman. lie Is a good mixer no.
a-1, ~ strong drinks but among men, and the
less beer and whiskey he drinks the De''et ual-
tender he becomes the hoss arrays
,,oints out to him. man who ~ good par
tender will make a good clerk or salesman . 20
practically any other kind OF business. fut'n-i
more Il requires many more people 70 sen
S1 500 600 900 worth OF bread and clothlhs snah
!, 49, 40 sell liouor OF the same value. THIS
same argument applies to the salarieu en
49,. tbs travelling statesmen the book
Eeepers. the clerks and others In TINS EToup
There stiil remain the bona-hde brewers ana
,,sltsters the distillers and recuhers, whose
nc,,nstions are peculiar 10 their industries. but
81 Whom. according TO the census returns
there are fewer than $4,000 In the united
states II Is undoubtedly true that TINS HaS
ton OF the workers would DO compehed 10 al
iust themselves 70 the changed economic con
ditions But this does not necessarily mean
that they will either go adrit or cause labor
panic"