SOME STARTLING STATISTICS.
From the wonderful victories reported for prohibition effort in various parts of the United States, one would naturally expect to find a decrease in the quantity of alcoholic beverages manufactured and consumed. But carefully-compiled statistics show the contrary to be true. The American Grocer, with excellent facilities for collating facts on this subject, gives extensive statistics, from which we take the following: The usual annual estimate of the cost to consumers in the United States of stimulating beverages as made by the American Grocer, mounts higher and higher every year. Since 1901 the cost has risen from $1,273,212,386 to $1,548,708,307 in 1905, a gain of $275,495,921, or 21.6 per cent. The population for the same period advanced from 77,647,000 to 83,143,000, an addition of 5,496,000, or 6½ per cent. The statements presented show an increase in the use of malt liquor and such milder stimulants as tea and coffee, and a slight decrease in the use of spirituous liquors as compared with 1904, their use during the past three years showing a gain of 2½ per cent.; that of beer 6 per cent. The per capita expenditure for all kinds of stimulating beverages for the year ending June 30, 1905, as estimated by the American Grocer, was $18.63, or $93.15 for each family of five persons. The per capita cost of tea, coffee, and cocoa was $2.68, against $15.95 for alcoholic stimulants. In 1904 the cost was $2.70 for non-alcoholic drinks, against $15.63 for alcoholic beverages. The total drink bill is one-fourth of the total estimated production of the cotton, wheat, corn, hay, tobacco crops, and every other product of farms, orchards, cattle ranches, dairies, and every other agricultural industry. It amounts to one-eighth of the nation's total expenditure for food. During the past twenty years the per capita use of spirits shows little variation. It is no larger now than in 1883–84. Since then it has risen to 1.52 gallons, fallen as low as 1.01 gallons, and shows an average of 1.30 gallons annually for twenty years. On the other hand, the use of beer has risen from 10.62 gallons per capita to 18.50 gallons, the statement showing a steady increase in its popularity as a beverage. Bringing together into one statement the cost to consumers of all beverages, as solely estimated by the American Grocer, we find that the United States consumed in 1905 alcoholic and non-alcoholic stimulants to the value of $1,548,708,307, as follows: | Item |
Amount |
|---|
| Alcoholic drinks |
$1,325,439,074 |
| Non-alcoholic stimulants— |
|
| Coffee |
$162,570,589 |
| Tea |
52,698,644 |
| Cocoa |
8,000,000 |
| Total non-alcoholic stimulants |
223,269,233 |
| Total, 1905 |
$1,548,708,307 |
| Total, 1904 |
1,498,622,715 |
| Total, 1903 |
1,451,633,379 |
| Total, 1902 |
1,369,098,276 |
| Total, 1901 |
1,273,212,386 |
| Total drink bill five years, 1901–1905 |
7,141,275,063 |
| Average annual drink bill, 1901–1905 |
1,428,255,013 |
The above represents a per capita expenditure for beverages in 1905 of $18.63 for the 83,143,000 inhabitants of the United States, or $93.15 for each family of five. The quantities of the four leading beverages consumed in 1905, as estimated by the American Grocer, were as follows: | Beverage |
Gallons |
|---|
| Coffee |
1,625,705,874 |
| Beer |
1,538,150,770 |
| Tea |
600,000,000 |
| Spirits and wines |
135,247,784 |
It is true that there was a slight decrease in the use of spirits in 1905, but there was an increased amount manufactured. However, there was an increase in the consumption of beer, as shown in the Grocer's statement. Here is its statement concerning shows it to be second as a beverage in favor with consumers. The consumption in 1905 was the highest on record, or 18.50 gallons per capita, a gain over 1904 of 0.22 gallons. The consumption from 1882 to 1885 averaged 10.41 gallons annually, arising to 12.52 gallons per capita from 1886 to 1890, inclusive. It then leaped, from 1892 to 1898, to 15.96 gallons, increasing to 16.20 gallons in 1901, and rapidly rising during the past three years to 18.50 gallons per capita, which probably means that beer-drinkers use from 75 to 100 gallons per capita every year. The relative average retail cost per gallon of beer is 50 cents; coffee, 10 cents; tea, about 9 cents. The tax on beer returned a revenue in 1905 of $50,360,553. The following table shows the annual consumption for the last ten years: | Year |
Per capita, gallons |
Gallons |
|---|
| 1896 |
15.38 |
1,080,626,165 |
| 1897 |
14.94 |
1,069,310,262 |
| 1898 |
15.96 |
1,164,226,462 |
| 1899 |
15.28 |
1,135,520,629 |
| 1900 |
16.01 |
1,221,500,160 |
| 1901 |
16.20 |
1,258,249,391 |
| 1902 |
17.49 |
1,381,875,437 |
| 1903 |
18.04 |
1,449,852,934 |
| 1904 |
18.25 |
1,499,054,034 |
| 1905 |
18.50 |
1,538,150,770 |
On the basis of 50 cents per gallon for domestic beer (of which 1,532,949,602 gallons were consumed), and $1.00 for imported (of which 5,201,168 gallons were entered), consumers paid for beer in 1905 a total of $771,675,969. It should not be forgotten that statistical figures can not include the enormous quantities of alcoholic liquors manufactured clandestinely by “illicit” distillers, and concocted by underhand means of various kinds. These do not get into the reports. Nor does the estimate include the millions of gallons of “patent medicines,” most of which are in the most deceptive form of alcohol mixture. As we note these startling facts in face of the persistent and effective work of temperance advocates in various lines of effort, we are led to wonder what would be the condition without such effort. Apparently, were it not for the strenuous missionary temperance education in vogue on every hand, the world would be well-nigh saturated with strong drink. Therefore let the faithful Christian Temperance advocates be not weary in well-doing; for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not.