Smyrna times., 1938-02-03
REPEAL HITS
BOOTLEGGER
Illicit Seller of Liquor in Della
ware Has Business Recess
sion, Reports P. S. DUPONT
LEGAL SALES SHOW GAIN

The bootlegger in Delaware is
having his business recession. This
is indicated by State Liquor Com
missioner Pierre S. DUPONT in an
analysis of liquor consumption
since repeal. Mr.. DUPONT found
that the sale Of liquor through leg
al channels has increased almost
three fold since repeal, but there is
no positive Indication of the actual
increase in the quantity of alcohol
consumed Arrests for drunken
driving in the state decreased 30.7
per cent in the repeal period as
compared with the 1928-1931 per
iod. Reckless driving arrests in
Wilmington decreased 44.6 per cent
since repeal, compared with 1928
1881. The per capita consumption
Of alcoholic liquors in 1886 was ap-
proximately 1887 gallons. The per
capita consumption from 1911 to
1914 was 1879 gallons
During the years following the
licensing of sale of alcoholic liqu-
ors, 1934-37 inclusive, Mr.. DUPONT
reports, 1--WE have record of 1853
persons who were arrested for
drunkenness by the Wilmington
city police. Of these, 1858 (51.8
per cent? have not been arrested
for this offense more than twice
since 1913. The remaining 2,295,
about two per cent of the popula-
tion of Wilmington, have been ar
rested more than twice in this 25
year period"
For two years, over 96 of the
retail licensees have had no COM
plant lodged against them and
only IL licenses have been revoked.
The premises of the licensees have
been maintained in good condition
and prompt attention has been Civ
en- to requests for betterment." The
report of Mr.. DUPONT is in accord
ance with provisions of the state
liquor act, requiring him to sum-
Marie the liquor traffic situation
each year to the Governor. Gov.
Richard c. McMullen received his
report last week.
"The administration of liquor
control in Delaware for the year
1936-37 has again contributed to an
increase in the revenues of the
state" Mr.. DUPONT states, "due al
most entirely to sales of alcoholic
liquors through legaliZed channels.
Compared with the year 1933-34,
the first full year of legalized sale:
The quantity of beer sold in 1887
increased by about three-fourths;
The quantity of wine sold in 1887
has more than doubled; The guam
tity of spirits sold in 1887 has more
than trebled; The net collections of
tax and license fees together have
doubled. This continued increase in
sales of alcoholic liquors calls for
an investigation" Mr.. DUPONT stat
ed in his report"
"Has the change been due to
gradual elimination of the illegal
traffic (that of the 'bootlegger' and
'moonshiner') or has it been due to
actual increase in the amount of
alcoholic liquor consumed 2" If the
latter condition has prevailed. Mr..
DUPONT indicated, it should be APP
parent in several ways. He sought
the solution in statistics of drunk
en- driving arrests, drunkenness
charges, arrests more or less due
to use of liquor, complaints lodged
against retail liquor stores, and the
per capita consumption in pre-pro-
hibition days compared with con-
sumption during repeal His an
swer showed no rise in the con-
sumption of liquor, though there
has been a rise in the legal sales.
Statistics he CLEANED from police
blotters showed an increase of is
per cent in arrests by the Whining