New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
iNTEMPERATE TAKERS
Mr.. Bryan, Billy Sunday and Cap
tain Hobson.
-hn Editnl. nf The Trihune

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorial. "Nr. Wilson's Secre
tary Of State" Is one Of the best editorials
that has ever been written, and it is a re-
lief to have a newspaper tell the truth. The
criticisms appearing in your paper against
the editorial were such as would be expected
from Prohibitionists, but those who place
their countrys Welfare as Of the first i'm.
portance could not critcise the editorial.
Intemperarce does not necessarily apply tc
drink. There can De intemperance in state
ments, and there are perhaps no more in
temperate people in the world as regards
statements and ideas than the Prohbitionists
To prove the utter disregard of temperate
fer 20 the following:
Captain Hobson in his speech before Con
gress stated that it had been found Jy exact
scientific investigation that drink causes 2,00C
premature deaths every day in the year, or
10000 annually. Consult the mortality re-
ports Of the United States Bureau OF the Cen
sus and we will see how the people are being
msed by these fanatics. Within the regis.
tration area. containing about two-thirds OF
the entire population. the deaths in 1912 mum
bered S38,25l Analyzing this, we find III ,692
were seventy years of age or over: 1900
past the ninetieth year; 204,639 died under
the age of five, and 40 between the ages
Of nine and fourteen years. There remain
4232l0 deaths of those who could be mag-
ined to have prematurely died through alco-
hol. Outside Of the registration area We can
assume the same relative proportivns pre-
vail. The result indicates a total OF 572,9l8
deaths between the ages Of fourteen and
sixty nine. Yet Captain Hobson states that
b. scientific investigation there were 100000
who drank themselves to death. Think OF It!
There must be but one cause of death, and
isn't it astounding TO learn that alcohol killed
more people than really died? IL his state
ments are true, Why legislste to prevent
10000 deaths from accidents, and Why do We
fear diseases supposed to be fatal?
Captain Hobson enlightens US still more.
but in his desire to mislead the citizen who
does nOt attempt to check up his statements
he actually acknowledges that local option
and prohibition are total failures. He claims
30 per cent Of the population of the United
States lives in dry" territory. II this is true
u
surd, ard. furthermore, it follows that all
deaths in dry" territories are due 20 alcohol
Captain Hobson, relying on hysteria 20 carry
his arguments through, CONT es hi intcm-
perate statements. OF his own knowledge, he
claims there are 100000 habitual drunkards.
100000 heavy drinkers, 2OOOO,OOO regular
drinkers and "unestimated millions" of oc-
easlonaI drinkers. Using his ratio from ha-
bitual TO regular drinkers the "une 5timated
millions o. occasional drinkers must be ap-
proxlmately l25,000,00O. The total population
IN 1914 is placed at 80 900, 900.
Captain Hobson stated in mis- speech in De-
cember, 1913, that he had written 800 900
letters on this subject in eight months and
sent out 100000 copies OF mis- speech These
untruths printed by the governments print
ing press and sent broadcast by.the govern
mca"s franks must have cost no less than
$4,000, or at the rate Of $4,000 year.
The Rev. Billy Sunday, William Jennings
Bryan and Captain Hobson are pe..aps the
most Incorporate speakers in the world to-
day. and If intemperance can be stopped. the
papers should first undertake 20 check their
particular kind OF ntemperance.
W. -. COUCH.
New York, Iarch 10. 1915.