What It Costs by Central Baptist

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 30, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 50.

What It Costs.

By Central Baptist

THERE is much said in these days about hard times. It is true that many people are unable to handle as much money now as in former days, but there is one fact to be considered calmly and seriously.

If it were possible to add $1,800,000,000 to the channels of legitimate business, there would be no further talk of hard times. Yet this is the amount of money which, directly and indirectly, was spent in the liquor traffic last year. This sum, according to the Homiletic Review, would pay the nation's debt in one year, or give every voter in the United States $15 a month, or every family in the United States a good home worth $1,000 in five years. These figures are startling, and yet there are men who call themselves Christians, and who claim to be sensible and decent, who are willing to put their names to petitions to keep the dram-shops in existence.