EFFECT OF PROHIBITION.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1109, 13 July 1911, Page 23

EFFECT OF PROHIBITION.

INCREASES! CRIME AND DEATH. The United States census bureau has tabulated the number of deaths attributed to drunkenness in the various states. The following figures tell the number of such deaths for each 100,000 of population for 1900 (the last census): PROHIBITION STATES. Maine 2.16 New Hampshire 2.18 Vermont 3.20 LICENSE STATES. Alabama 1.10 Indiana 2.22 Kentucky L6B Missouri 1.70 Nebraska 1-50 North Caroline 1.64 Oregon 1.21 Texas T3l Tennessee 1.93 West Virginia 1.67 The average of deaths in the prohibition states is 2.41 and in the license states it is 1.63. Reference to the records of the United States Commissioner of Internal Revenue, will show the number of retail liquor licensees in the various states in the following proportion to population in 1905: PROHIBITION STATES. Karlas —llicense for every 428 ofl population. .'Maine —1 license for every 661 of population. North Dakota —1 license for every 142 of population. LICENSE STATES. Arkansas 1 for every 921 Alabama 1 for every 833 Delaware 1 for every 421 Florida 1 for every 566 Georgia 1 for every 1271 Kentucky 1 for every 494 Massachusetts 1 for every 588 Mississippi 1 for every 2913 Missouri .. 1 for every 305 Nebraska 1 for every 411 New Hampshire ...1 for every 385 North Carolina ....1 for every 2200 Oklahoma 1 for every 350 South Dakota 1 for every 302 Texas 1 for every 927 Virginia 1 for every 794 Vermont 1 for every 970 West Virginia ....1 for every 433 "‘FATAL INEBRIETY INCREASED.” In the three prohibition states named the average is one liquor dealer for every 428 of population, and in the nineteen license states named the average is one liquor dealer for every 611 of population. According to these figures, if Kentucky should become a prohibition state there would be a liquor dealer for every 346 of population instead of one for every 494 of population as under the license system. The same law of proportion would increase the death rate (from alcoholism) from 1.68 to 2.48 for every 100,000 of population if prohibition should be adopted in Kentucky. The government’s census reports show that in the license states of Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia the death rate from alcoholism decreased 34 per cent, in the twenty years prior to 1900. The same reports show that in the same period of time the death rate from alcoholism in the prohibition states increased 53 per cent. In summing up we find that prohibition increases the number of liquor dealers; that it increases the number of deaths from drunkenness; that it increases the amount of crime; that it stagnates the state and prevents prosperity and normal growth in population; that it brings the lav/ into contempt and corrupts public servants; that it deprives the state of large revenue without con'’erring any benefit to offset the loss.