The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-05-26
SEE WHAT DRINK DOES
Who Makes Paupers? If the
Saloon Il Not Guilty
Who Ii?


Dss known a. infirmaries, furnish
zniversal evidence that liquor Is re-
saonsibls for more than half Of
poverty.
Statistical tabulations showing the
effect OF the license and no-license
systems In individual counties Of
Michigan are of little value as evid-
anee. Many inmates of infirmaries
ara permanent occupants. whose entry
ar exit bears no direct relation to
social conditions. A lapse of years,
Ycssably OF whole generation; would
- necessary TO produce any radical
Shange in pauperism as a class follow.
fng The abolition OF saloons.
Two facts stand out: One Is that
ahe authorities and citizens in dry
noznties are unanimous in their
22inkon that from the standpoint Of
she county poor the dry regime is far
surertor. The other fact Is that many
counties report officially that about
ehree.fourths OF the poverty which re-
guires county aid to individual or
sarnily, us due to the use Of alcoholic
beverages.
06tcial statements written by SUI
serintendents of the poor include the
1nIIowing:
This county Ia in the dry column,
and We find that while the cost of
everything Is much higher, the sup,r-
wilson's are not called upon to furnish
rs more money now than they did
while the county was wet."-C. c..
Rslienbeck, Eaton County.
We are pleased to inform you that
e9asre are SO few cases In this county
watch are receiving relief that have
been caused by alcoholic beverages,
We have clear slate, are now dry
snd expect TO remain 500. o.
EfAcl, Oscoda County.
Midland County has been dry eight
Fears and people like 1t. Two old
cirsers Is all we have left in the
sounty home whose condition is due
20 drink. - X. Mckay, Midland
County.
Confidential statements to the same
affect, are as follows: Drink is the
almost universal cause Of poverty
While for temporary assistance it is
probably the main factor In at least
one half the cases. In my best judg-
nent about so per cent Of poverty in
this county can be attributed to the
1sse of drink If not more. In fact,
nearly all the crime we have can be
laid to the same cause.
I am quite sure that three. fourths
ae Least are caused by the liquor
traffic
Following are a few more definite
statements:
Alger County: about Is per cent"
Genessee County: About 70 per
rent from liquor directly or indirect
M"
Huron County: Most of the In.
mates of the county farm here have
nome to the institution because of in.
temperance and the use OF liquor"
Mason County: "35 per cent di.
rectly and 20 per cent indirectly, or
IS per cent of all poverty in our coun.
~ is caused by alcoholic drink"
Iron County: Ten years as poor
commissioner leads me to say that
fAriy IS per cent of male inmates at
our county farm have come here
ssther directly or indirectly because
nj liquor"
Kent County: "Of 500 families
Aelped during the year ending March
4. 1916, liquor was the direct cause
at poverty in twenty five families and
M indirect cause in fifty-three fami.
Hes. OF 1913 persons In Kent County
Detention Hospital last year, at least
Sxe half were caused by imtemper-
ance. In Kent County Home were
EsE: persons, Of whom IS per cent can
easily be traced to intemperance as a
hrect cause."-L. De Payter.
To the best Of my judgment, l
vouif say that so per cent OF the
poverty is caused by alcoholism. 1t
would be number of years after it's
passage before we could get the full
Senefit Of state wide prohibition. The
sEsects Of the past years would stay
with us until the rising generation
took it's place".-V. II. Billings.
Montmorency County: -Four OF
gie six men in our poor house were
scrced to come here on account of
d. NIX"
Oakland County: "70 per cent or
D0re Of the cases here are due to
drink. We are going through the
second dry time and we find it helps
rery much hope for state wide
prohibition"