Adolph Keitel

“ By those methods alone have they been able to exist in the past. By those methods alone can they hope to save themselves.
In New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the mere suggestion to keepers of saloons, hotels and other places where liquor is sold that the "dry" wave may soon put them out of business usually brings forth the reply: "Our state will never go 'dry.' The brewers have too much money. They can buy all the votes required, as well as public officials, to kill any legislation hostile to them." ”

“ I have also many times urged the brewers to break away from their national organization, the United States Brewers' Association--also known as the Brewers Trust--because I felt convinced that they would sooner or later lay themselves open to exposure and criminal prosecution, and that it would further increase the hostility toward their industry if they should persist in their attempts to defeat the prohibition movement by the expenditure of money in corrupting elections, legislation and public officials. ”

“ It is not the beer traffic alone, but the social and political crimes of the brewers, which is leading to rapid prohibitory laws all over the country.
People resent government by the brewers. People resent the election of legislators and other public officials, city, state and national, to serve ends hostile to social decency, to rule by the people, to the very life of the nation. ”

“ Where the great danger lies is that the widely heralded reduction of the alcoholic content and the claim of the brewers that beer is now to be classed as a true temperance drink will tend to greatly deceive the public and thus largely increase its consumption, in most cases to cause "the same intoxicating effect as before." ”

“ Distillers rarely sell direct to saloons as the brewers do.
Distillers do not own or back saloons.
Distillers are therefore not responsible for the lawless conditions of which the public complains--nor were they ever accused of stuffing the ballot box.
Whiskey leaves the distillery in an unadulterated condition, while beer is drugged at the brewery.
The average beer drinker consumes more alcohol than the average whiskey drinker.
The National Advocate (New York) maintains that "beer is a greater peril to manhood, home and society than whiskey ever has been or can be." ”

“ Because brewers control the saloons, it is also within their power to suppress "treating," stop the operation of disorderly hotels and private drinking rooms in conjunction with saloons, stop bookmaking and other forms of gambling, in short, remove any and all of the undesirable features connected with the saloon which are objected to by the public--but any serious disturbance with existing conditions would decrease the sale of beer. ”

“ Total abstinence for a while invariably cures the habit. I have been told by a number of former strong adherents to the cause of the brewers, residing in territory now "dry", that even they are wondering why they ever saturated their systems with beer. Physicians condemn its use and claim that the widespread idea that alcohol is a stimulant is wrong. Beer is fast becoming an outcast. ”

“ What more can inflame the mind of the public against the brewers than these vulgar and liquor flowing twentieth century dives, especially when the fact is considered that many of these gilded hells are owned and operated by brewers themselves? ”

“ A bulletin issued by the Department of Health of the City of New York in relation to the question of alcohol as food states that ten cents worth of beer provides 240 calories of food energy, while ten cents worth of oatmeal will provide 3,720 calories.
There is no question that the indulgence in beer is merely an acquired habit. To those who have not cultivated it, its taste is generally repugnant. ”

“ There are some among them who are clean and honest men who, bitterly resent the lawless methods of their colleagues.
Upon the request of the respectable element I have frequently warned the brewers of the country that nothing could save their industry unless they made up their minds to become law abiding citizens and stop fooling the people. ”

“ The most valuable men advocating the "wet" cause fight shy of beer. They know what it is made of. Many saloonkeepers never touch it, nor will they employ bartenders unless they are total abstainers.
"If the saloons and other public drinking places were ousted, but the breweries permitted to operate, drunkenness, crime and vice would invade the home"
CHAPTER VII.
BEER IS NOT A TEMPERANCE
DRINK
It can not be denied that people drink beer for its alcoholic effect--and that most of the intoxication is caused by beer. ”

“ What can cause greater hostility toward the brewers than the fact that midnight closing and Sunday laws are openly violated with their knowledge and connivance and that political influence and the liberal use of money will gain them immunity from prosecution? ”

“ When even the jail could not silence me, a diabolical attempt was made to bury me alive in an institution for the insane, but when it was found impossible to discover the slightest trace of insanity, or drive me insane during a sojourn of a month among maniacs, I was released.
I verily believe that the honesty of the alienists in charge of the institution alone saved me from a living death.
THE AUTHOR
"The very nature of the business of the brewer makes it imperative that they retain a strong hold on the ballot box. By those methods alone have they been able to exist in the past. ”

“ The brewers know that the saloons are the meeting places of lawbreakers and disreputables, that they enter the side doors leading to private rooms where burglaries, holdups and other crimes are planned and the booty is divided--yet, brewers will make no real effort to improve these conditions. ”

“ Corn stalks are also fed to cattle, but they have very little food value without a considerable addition of whole grain. Brewers' grains, as a milk producer, are a very poor substitute for the grain from which beer is brewed. ”

“ The managers of a number of large hotels which have built up a reputation for respectability and exclusiveness have long ago seen the handwriting on the wall and therefore wisely placed a ban upon this evil. Ladies refuse to stop at hotels that attract an undesirable element by the operation of cabarets and present-day dances. ”

“ Their glitter has led astray, caused the disappearance of and has driven to suicide innumerable young women, particularly from among those who have come from rural districts to seek employment in large cities. They have made criminals of many young men because their salaries would not permit them to lead the fast life of their newly made friends. ”

“ Fines aggregating $50,000 were imposed upon thirty-three of these brewing companies. The United States Brewers' Association was fined $10,000--the maximum amount possible under the Federal law.
Federal authorities have hinted at a nation-wide traffic in election corruption. Intimations have come from the same source that similar indictments may be handed down against brewers in all parts of the country. ”

“ In spite of these methods, 148,802 signatures were obtained, 42,302 more than the 106,500 names required under the law.
Attempts made by politicians to defer the election for a year on the plea of "economy" were also unsuccessful. In many quarters same was branded as another ruse on the part of the brewers to prevent a "dry" vote.
"The beer traffic does not recognize the sanctity of the home"
CHAPTER XIX.
BREWERS FEAR
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Women know that the abolition of the beer traffic will prevent their children from becoming drunkards and criminals. ”