p. 29 | WHISKY AND TOBACCO

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 13, 1887

WHISKY AND TOBACCO.

THE increase in the amount of whisky distilled and drunk during the year now ended, was 1,600,000 gallons over the amount for 1885, the total consumption of this liquor being 7,700,000 gallons.

Estimating the population of the country at 60,000,000, this gives about one gallon and a pint for each one of us, including women and school-children and infants.

The consumption of beer amounts up to some 264,000,000 gallons, an increase of more than 1,500,000 from the preceding year, which admits of an allowance of eleven gallons to each inhabitant, or counting out the children and one-half of the adult population as total abstainers, the rest are to be credited with the imbibition of one-half pint daily.

The use of tobacco is constantly increasing, except in the form of snuff, the falling off in the consumption of that article reaching nearly two hundred thousand pounds.

In the comparatively novel practice of cigarette smoking, which has, in fact, come into vogue within less than fifteen years, there has been an increase of 25 per cent., the total number burned being 1,310,000,000, or about twenty-two apiece all around.

Of manufactured tobacco for smoking and chewing, there were 191,000,000 pounds used, averaging about three and one-fourth pounds each, and of cigars, 3,500,000,000, an increase of 152,000,000 from last year, or about fifty-nine for every inhabitant.

If, now, a calculation is made of what these large aggregates have cost the consumers, supposing them to have made their purchases at retail, we may reach an approximate imagination of the tax which our minor vices lay upon the collective purse of the average man. Taking the lowest prices as four cents for a cigar and ten cents for a gill of whisky, the total will be found to amount to more than $1,200,000,000—not so very much less than our national debt—or $20 each from all who live in our prosperous land.—Boston Advertiser.