STARTLING FACTS | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 17, 1876

STARTLING FACTS.

There are, by the last census, 33,991,142 native born citizens in this country, and 5,567,229 foreigners. Of these, 3,004,674 are Irish and Germans; and although only constituting about one-eleventh of the population, yet more than one-half of the entire liquor business of the country is in their hands. Of the 61,265 wine and liquor dealers in this country, 32,055 are Irish and Germans, the other 29,210 (1,423 less than one-half) are in the hands of Americans and foreigners of other nationalities. Careful observers will have noted the fact that it is the very lowest and most ignorant and depraved of these foreigners that are engaged in this nefarious business. There are noble men and women that come to us from Germany and Ireland, who are not in the liquor business, and are as much opposed to it as any American. But still the fact remains that a majority of liquor dealers are from those two countries.

It seems strange that such a small number of foreigners, joining with a still smaller number of our own people, can govern a country like ours with a rod of iron. But we must remember that many of them are lawless, and secure power by foul and underhand means. Not a few have served in our county jails and States' prisons, and others break the laws every day of their lives.

The Reform Club of Philadelphia have gathered some curious and startling facts in this connection. They give the nationality of those engaged in the liquor traffic in that city:—

Chinamen, 2; Jews, 2; Italians, 18; Spaniards, 140; Welsh, 160; Americans, 205; Africans, 265; French, 285; Scotch, 497; English, 568; Germans, 2,179; Irish, 3,041; nationality not known, 672; making a total of 8,034.

Of this number 3,696 are females: Americans, 1; Africans, 3; Spanish, 3; Welsh, 4; English, 10; Scotch, 10; French, 13; Germans, 1,104; Irish, 2,548.

Of the 8,034 places where liquor is sold, 3,782 are houses of ill fame, 2,460 of these being kept by females, and 1,322 by men.

Of the 8,034 liquor sellers, 2,004 have been in different State's prisons for longer or shorter terms; 1,646 in the county prisons; 1,769 in different station houses, making a total of 6,418; leaving a balance only of 1,616 who have been exempt from arrest.

If these statements are exact, as we believe they are, it is a dark picture; and yet these are the men who control politics, and dictate to statesmen and divide the spoils of office.

For every liquor dealer in this country on an average there is a death from rum; 61,265 dealers, 61,265 victims every year go down to drunkards' graves; so that the man who has been in the business ten years may be supposed to be guilty of ten murders.

And yet the Finance Board and United States Centennial Commission concede to them the right to carry on their nefarious traffic on the grounds of the great Exposition.—Sel.