The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-27
MORE prohibition, M0REB00zE
TILLMAN GETS STARTLING FIG.
URES FROM MODEL LICENSE
LEAGUE PRESIDENT,
ASKS Osborne About it and Conmis-
siOner of Internal Revenue Tells the
Senator Figures are Correct.


washington, Jan. Ex-senator Cill-
man has been having some corre-
spondence recently on the subject Of
prohibition, which has brought to light
some statistics which startled him.
Assertions made by President T. M
Gilmore, of the National Model Lii
cense League, that the official figures
showed a larger per capita consump-
ton of liquor in this country today
than twenty years ago so strained the
South Carolina senator's credulity that
ne wrote to Commissioner of Internal
Revenue w. H. Osborn, who before
taking his present office was in charge
of the Kelley Institute at Green's
boro, N. c. Commissioner Osborn ad-
mitted that the Gilmore statement was
correct.
The letters given out by Senator
Tillman are as follows.
Hon. Benjamin r. Tillman, M. c.,
National Model License League,
Louisville, KY.
Washington, D. c.:
Dear Senator Tillman-I thank you
very much for your letter of the 4th.
1t is great compliment for one Of
your age and diatinction to write me
at such length. and I appreciate it.
The National Model License League
never tries to avoid a fact nor a logi-
cal conclusion. There is a startling
fact, however, that seems to me to
overshadow this whole so-cailed pro-
hibition movement.
1t is this: That our per capita con-
sumption, according to the records of
the Internal Revenue Department, of
whiskey and beer twenty years ago,
when only two States-Kansas and
Maine--were under prohibition. was
Is gallons per annum, while today,
with over half Of the country under
prohibition, the Per capita consump-
ton Of whiskey and beer is over 20
gallons per annum.
We were using in those days a bill
lion gallons Of beer, and today over
two billion gallons per annum; we
were using in those days eighty odd
million gallons of whiskey: today we
are using over, one hundred and forty
million gallons Of whiskey per an
mum.
II prohibition does not prohibit the
use of liquor, then we have no pro-
hibition. If prohibition ENCOURAGES the
excessive use of liquor. then g. al vs.
should not be encouraged. Coincident
with the progress Of PROHIBITION We
see a steady increase in the per capita
| consumption Of liquor.
The so-called prohibition States per-
NIT the shipment of liquor from other
States. for personal use, and there
can be no question that under such
laws the consumption is increased.
Georgia today, with her limitation
law. is receiving a much larger per
capita of whiskey than the per capita
consumption Of the country in gen.
eral.
do not believe in vested rights.
but I do believe that where men are
encouraged by a government, and by
custom. and by the general patronage
Of the people, to engage in an enter
prise. that they should be compensat-
ed for losses sustained if later on the
people decide to destroy such an en-
terprise.
If the people of the country should
decide. influepced by agitation. to pro-
hibit the manufacture and sale of to-
bacco. think the men in that buss-
ness should be compensated.
You speak of our retiring from the
business. We cannot retire, because We
cannot dispose of oyr properties while
this so-called prohibition movement is
rampant.
I own Bonfort's Circular in New
York. I have been connected with it
for over thirty years. have given my
life to its development. Four years
ago it was valued at $40O, 900. 1t would
be impossible for me today to find
buyer for it for $4,000.
If the Hobson resolution is adopted
by congress. Bonfort's Circular will
be destroyed and I will be ruined
financially. But if the Hobson resolu-
ton Is adopted by congress and then
ratified by the States it will not put
stop to the manufacture. nor the use,
Of alcoholic beverages, and it is not
so intended.
Thanking you again for your letter,
I beg to remain.
Very truly yours,
T.. M. Gilmore,
President National Model License