The Increasing Death Toll from Drink
Eugene W. Chafin, prohibition candidate for president of the United States in the campaign of 1912, in a recent address states that 700,000 people die annually from the effects of strong drink. Figures of this sort are not given out from guess, but are based upon the best available statistics. Thirty years ago our temperance speakers and writers were telling us that 60,000 people went into their graves annually from drunkenness. From 60,000 a year to 700,000 a year is an immense and startling increase in the death-rate from drunkenness. Part of this increase is no doubt shown by the improved and more accurate method of keeping statistics. But we ought to expect an awful increase in the death toll from drinking when we consider that the amount of strong drink per capita in this country thirty years ago was 13.21 gallons, while to-day it is 22.79 gallons, an increase of over nine gallons to the person. It is more than probable that the temperance agitation and education of the past fifty years gives us more actual total abstainers to-day than we had then; and therefore among those who do drink, there must be a large number who are drinking incredible amounts of the stuff. The figures giving the amount of intoxicants used are based upon government reports, and therefore do not exaggerate the facts.