The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1928-05-01


10, and some variation to 1927 where the
consumption is about 38 gallons. The
consumption of spirits has declined from
the end of 1875, when it reached the high
peak of approximately 1913 gallons per
capita, to the next high peak in 1899 and
1900 when it stood at about Ill gallons,
with a rapid decrease in 1915 when it
stood at approximately rs gallons, with
sudden drop during the war to the low
point in 1918 of approximately 81 gallons.
In 1919 and 90 it reached the level of APP
proximately 48 gallons per capita and has
gradually declined to approximately %
gallons per capita in 1927. There were
manifest reasons for a sharp decline in
England in the consumption of all liquors
from 1914 on. Beer especially from its
high peak of 1874 and rs fell and rose
again to a lower peak in 1899 and 1900 and
then fell off very rapidly to the beginning
of the World War at which time the con-
sumption fell off from 81 standard gallons
per capita to 10 gallons in 1913. Consump-
ton more than doubled between 1918 and
1920, jumping from 10 to 201a gallons. The
1927 consumption was approximately II
gallons. The figures above given for wine
are based upon wine gallons that of spir-
its upon proof gallons. incidentally this
means that with the dilution of these spir-
its to their commercial strength the guam
tity of spirits purchased and drunk was
much larger The beer measure is the
standard gallon.
Compare the per capita consumption Of
wine, spirits and beer in the United States
for any period prior to national prolaibi-
ton
Now, in the face Of these facts what be-
comes of Mr.. du Points claim that En-
gland has reduced to one-haf its con-
the World War? The fluctuation previous
to 1914 varies according to the material
prosperity and the purchasing power of
the drinking public. The high peak years
1874-'75, 1899-1900, and 1918 were years Of
industrial prosperity, but each succeeding
high peak period was lower than for the
preceding high peak period. Mr.. du Pont
must be perfectly we'll aware of the fact
that England has been passing through a
severely abnormal industrial ard economic
period since the war This had it's imme-
date effect upon the consumption of hq-
uors throughout Great Britain.
THE REVENUE LURE
Mr. du Pont is attracted by the revenue
producing features of the English revenue
system. This is natural viewpoint for
Mr.. du Pont to take. He reckons that
with population of ~ million this
means 100000 pounds Cor $16,000000)
each year from one million inhabitants"
In other words $1,000 per capita. Now,
what would this mean for the United
States? It means that if we were paying
revenue at the same rate on intoxicating
beverages under an internal revenue sys-
TEN, our 118 millions of people would have
paid in liquor tax alone $1888 100000 Mr..
du Pont, evidently basing his figures upon
a smaller population. says that the return
would be 81 $50 100000 year. From whom
would this come? 1t would come from the
drinkers. It would come from the families
represented in 1926 in the 46, 1852 ,240 saw
ings depositors of this country. 1t would
mean that thousands of families would
have gone without their flivvers. 1t would
mean, aside from the evil effects of the
drink itself promiscuously distributed and
consumed the decrease of manpower,
which would put us back on level with
the drinking countries of Europe. Mr.. du
Pont ought not to forget that fact. Lloyd
George and other British statesmen have
sounded the warning to their fellow coun-
trymen that England drunk cannot COM
pete with America sober" We cannot
have our pie and eat it. We cannot have
our prosperity in the forms of multiplied
comfortable homes for the common peo-
pie, automobiles radios and telephones for
everybody, building and loan and savings
bank deposits beyond parallel in the his