Valdez daily prospector., 1916-10-25
A FEW COLD FACTS

 torial In the Daily Leader, Corry, Pa.. April 2f, 1915, presented the follow ing array of facts to prove its con- tention that the adoption Of prohi- bition threatened a financial upheaval and that wherever tried 1t was a so7 cial, moral and financial failure:-
 Recent figures compiled by the Census Department at WashingtoL shows that the tax payers and peop'e of this nation are partners in the H. quor business to the extent of $245,- 100000. In addition to this the same people, by States, take another per- centage of the profits to the extent of $21, 100000. Again the people take a third profit by counties to tho extent of $s.800,0 ,000. Once more the people dip into the profits and take s79, 500. 900 by towns having popu. lation of 2,500 and over This makes total of $352,000,000 in dividends paid to the people of this nation an- nually out of the profits of the liquor business. and 1t Is used for pensions, for salar les, for schools, and for city improvements.
 "To go a step further let us dis sect these figures: =.
 "The population of this country outside of charitable institutions. IS S0,0OO,0OO. Divide the profits paid from If .enses and internal revenue and we have $4 for every man, wom- an and child, or $16 per year for ev- cry family. Let's cut it off and add it to the taxes-and see a revolution.
 "In 1918 the State of Pennsylva- mia received $1, 1,8O0.94O as its portion of the profits. The counties of the State received $423,357 more. while the towns and school districts took the third dividend to the tune O. $8,885.8 total of $6,11O,149.
 "So much for the financial side. Now let us turn to the social side.
 "It Is contended that prohibition produces temperance but the Bureau of Census reports do not suhstanti- ste that contention. For instance out of 67 counties in Alabama. g sell h- quor and the State derives a revenue of $585.645 from licer ses. Georgia has Statewide prohibition and no revenue, yet there is as much liquor drunk in Georgia as in Alabama.
 Again turning to Census Bulletin No. 112 for 1911, at page 77. we find that the average death rate. exclu- sive of suicide. was lower in 29 states where liquor was sold than the death rate of Kansas, for many years pro hibition State. In 3 States 1t WIS higher. Pennsylvania was consider. ably lower.
 "In 38 States investigated the av- craze death rate from suicide was tower in twenty of them where liquor was sold than it was in prohibition Kansas, and in eleven license States the average was little higher.
 Census Bulletin No. 96. on Mar riages and Divorces, page AZ, shows that 27 States where liquor is sold, have a lower divorce rate than Kan sas, and 13 have higher rate. Ok lahoma, another prohibition Statel las a higher rate than Kansas. Penn eylvania was about one-third low er than Kansas or Maine.
 "On page 47 we find that from 1887 to 1906 there were 33,080 divorces granted to wives because of husband s drunkenness. During this same perl cd the State of Kansas granted more divorces on account of drunkenness than 25 States where liquor Is legally sold, ard the State of Maine with 1,756 divorces because of .husband'h drunkenness was nearly three times larger than the Kansas record If $50. ...
 "If prohibition prohibits or causes temperance. where did these men get their 'bocze?'" Adv.