The Great Fraud.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 23 October 1917, Page 1

The Great Fraud.

Writing on "The Great American Fraud," Page Milburn says some things about the drink traffic in America that arc equally true of its doings in all other countries. He says: "Count every cent of the money received from the liquor business in the way of taxes and tariffs. Then, as an offset, count the expenses the Internal Revenue service of our United States Treasury Department, largely to be charged to the liquor business. To this add the hundreds of millions spent by the American people for intoxicants that should go to food, clothing and culture. Then add the millions spent for a large police force required to measurably thwart the efforts of the saloon to override law and order and to arrest criminals propagated by the saloon. Then add the value of the time spent by the legislators in framing laws to restrict and punish the liquor business. Then add the millions spent for Judges and officers of the criminal courts ,a large proportion of whom are made necessary by the saloon. Then add the millions of dollars spent in building constantly enlarged gaols, penitentiaries, almshouses, houses of correction, inebriate asylums, orphanages, all to a greater or less degree attributable to the saloon. Then add the millions of dollars lost in the decrease of efficiency of our breadwinners, who on account of alcoholic poison never reach their highest efficiency. Then add the millions lost through accidents caused by indulgence in drink. Then add the millions of dollars worth of grain and fruit, wasted in enriching the distiller, brewer, and the saloon-keeper. Then add the 'physical, mental, and moral decadence of each generation bequeathed to its successor. Then add, if you have any standard of valuation the value of the souls debauched and destroyed bydrink; and when you have summed up the total waste of money, lowering of efficiency, wreck of happiness, destruction of life and loss of immortal souls, tell me whether you do not think that the liquor business is the gigantic fraud of the age."