Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/900

 d per week:

Articles Quantity

Pounds. Cost.

Bacon 2 $ .48

Bread 30 " -QO

Butter I .24

Cheese i -14

Coffee % -06

Currants i .06

Meat, frozen 6 .60

Milk 10 .40

Potatoes 14 -24

Rice or equivalent 3 .12

Sugar 5 -20

Tea i^ .12

Vegetables 5 -lo

Total $3-66

ECONOMICS, MORALS AND POLITICS.

For fully one-half the population of all American cities, the three subjects of economics, morals and politics is materially influenced by the habits and tastes of the people in the matters of amusements and patronage of alcoholic beverage dispensing saloons. The right to regulate these drinking places has been main- tained by every community for at least a hundred years ; and total prohibition of the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits has been enforced locally in a great many towns and counties, and in some of the states, and in about one-third of the state of Oregon. The retail liquor business in the city of Portland so far as trade statistics show it, stands as follows for the year 1910:

Number of Business licenses

issued.

Breweries 4

Wholesale liquor dealers 20

Wholesale liquor dealers and rectifiers 10

Saloons, dram drinking places 419

Groceries — liquor 10

Restaurants selling liquor 35

Theaters, first-class 8

Nickelodeons, 8

Nickelodeons 24

And as showing the size and influence of the liquor traffic in Portland and its close relations with the city government, the following statistics are quoted :

"Liquor licenses last year in Portland made up $360,800 of the general fund of $630,299.47, or $101,300.53 more than all other licenses, fees and moneys which go to make up the city's general fund.

"Liquor licenses have borne about the same ratio to the general fund in pre- vious years as last year and the present year. In 1901, liquor licenses made up $169,730.96 of the $234,422.40 in the general fund; in 1902, $193,084.06 of the $225,655.89 in the general fund; in 1903, $140,683.35 of the $294,280.98 in the general fund; in 1904, $163,799.75 of the $330,957.20; in 1905, $208,891.95 of the $383,464.75 in the general fund; in 1906, $218,166.60 of the $392,114.02 in the general fund; in 1907, $330,241.46 of the $504,065.25 in the general fund; in 1908, $367,425 of the $577,655.82 in the general fund; in 1909, $390,800 of the $630,299.47 in the general fund; in 1910, $364,939.95 of the $672,088 in the gener