ABSTRACT
THE magnitude of the revenue from drinks renders the history of these taxes of special importance. The yield in 1885 was, in round numbers, 30 millions from alcoholic, and 5 millions from non-alcoholic drinks, as follows :—
This is not, however, the sole claim to attention the subject presents. The history of these taxes is connected with that of the habits, the morals and the health of the people; with smuggling and all the evil consequences to a nation that ensue from the lawlessness, the idleness, the meanness and the ferocity which it engendered; with adulteration of so dire a kind as seriously to affect the health of the subjects ; with our foreign and our domestic policy, as when taxes in the list have, on occasion, proved the cause of serious disputes with foreign powers, have altered the course of trade, or have given rise to serious riots at home-in short, with very much that is interesting from other points of view than a mere fiscal point.
