The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-09-02
Wine DRINKING
MORE POPULAR
IN beer STATE
"ROIl Out the Barrel" Not
Heard So Often in
Wisconsin
BY WILLARD r. SMITH
GAuM nwa

BY WILLARD X. SMITH
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
Wisconsin leads the nation in pei
capita consumption Of beer, but
even In this state where they "rol
out the barrel so freely there is 9
temperance trend apparent to Off
cials.
That trend Is observed In the In
creased sale of wine.
The state beverage tax division
reported as per cent increase II
the amount of wine tax collected In
the first six months Of 1899, com.
pared to the corresponding period
of 1898.
During this same period of 1899
liquor tax revenue increased less
than per cent compared to the
corresponding six months Of 1888
and beer tax revenue declined less
than per cent.
Translated into gallons, these
figures indicated that an estimated
22l 900 more gallons of wine were
consumed in Wisconsin the first halt
Of this year than last, while liquor
consumption in the state increased
approximately 1888 gallons and
beer drinkers dropped $4,000 gallons
below their previous mark.
Drink Charged Wine
John Roach, director of the bev-
erage tax division, said he had OBJ
served among his own acquain-
tances and in places subject to in
spection by his agents a switch
from liquor and beer drinking to
the drinking of wines in charged
water. He said he had no other eX-
PLANTATION for the trend reflected
In figures compiled by his depart
ment.
A huge map of Wisconsin hangs
In his office. Red areas reveal
where sale OF liquor Is allowed
Dark blue patches point to spots
where prohibition Is in force. The
dry points are spreading slowly into
the wet areas, according to Roach.
At tax OF IS cents gallon on
all wines, which produced 72,l35
IN 1894, was reduced TO 5 cents a
gallon on wines Of IA per cent or
less alcoholic content and 10 cents
q gallon on wines between IA and
q per cent alcoholic content during
the latter half OF 1885 and yielded
$68,773 for the year. In 1896 the
reduced tax returned $79,l26, In
creasing to $95,90l In 1887, and
$s4,307 in 1898.
Liquor Beer Curve Same
The liquor tax Of 81 a gallon re-
turned $3,659,75l In 1896, swelled
to $3,947,2i3 In 1887, and dropped
down to $3,270,258 in 1898. For the
first seven months Of 1899 1t shows
only $i03,493 increase over the
corresponding 1893 period. Beer tax
eS Of 81 barrel follow the same
curve, yielding $2,l95,446 In 1895
rising to S2,295,980 in 1887, and
falling back to $2,l42480 in 1899
An increase of only $l7,iol over
corresponding 1898 figures was
shown for beer taxes from January
through July, 1899.
Brewery Age credits Wisconsin
with 22.6 gallons per capita con.
sumption Of beer In 1898, highest ir
the nation, q figure borne out BY
the tax return. The liquor consump-
ton the same year was estimated
az slightly over one gallon per
capita on the basis OF tax returns.
Without considering the great
quantities OF home made wine pro-
duced in the state, Wisconsin's con-
sumption Of tax-paid wine ran Ia
at least two quarts a person last
year and shows As per cent In
crease this year, while there Is less
than / per cent change In figures
for beer and liquor.