Liquor Quote by Charles River Editors
““the same time, gangsters seized on what they saw as the perfect sales opportunity. “The business of manufacturing alcohol, liquor and beer will go out of the hands of law-abiding members of the community, and will be transferred to the…criminal class,” warned Yale professor William Taft, the former president who soon would be appointed as Chief of the Supreme Court.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Rise of Organized Crime, 2020
A professor warned that legal alcohol production would be taken over by criminals, highlighting how prohibition can empower illegal markets.
In simple terms: Prohibition can push legal businesses into criminal hands.
Key Takeaway
Consider the unintended consequences of bans.
Themes
law
crime
policy
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- legislation
- alcohol industry
- public policy
- enforcement agencies
Key Concepts
prohibition
market dynamics
government regulation
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives could prevent criminal takeover?
- How do societies balance regulation and freedom?
A Different Perspective
Legal markets may still thrive despite bans.
![“In 1830, a historic level of 7.5 gallons of absolute alcohol per adult was reached, nearly three times the current average consumption. In 1860, there were 1,140 distilleries in the United States, producing more than 88 million gallons of liquor for 15 million American adults[ii]—an average of 5.8…” quote by Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ab/charles-river-editors-1165_history_in-1830-a-historic-level-of-7-5-gallons_1234638.jpg)
![“Salvador [Dali] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in Ohio, a region steeped in the tradition of Coxey's Army, the Anti-Saloon League, and William Howard Taft.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f6b/james-thurber-1534_army_salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a_39625.jpg)
![“We shall have to begin all over again. [Taft hoped that] the Senators might change their minds, or that the people might change the Senate; instead of which they changed me.” quote by William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/383/william-howard-taft-3006_change_we-shall-have-to-begin-all-over-again-ta_2198739.jpg)
![“Indeed, only one Supreme Court justice in history, one Horace Lurton, nominated by President [John] Taft, had more federal appeals court experience [than Samuel Alito].” quote by Jon Kyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e0c/jon-kyl-19265_appeals_indeed-only-one-supreme-court-justice-in_1919757.jpg)
![“The truth is, the whole administration under Roosevelt was demoralized by the system of dealing directly with subordinates. It wasobviated in the State Department and the War Department under [Secretary of State Elihu] Root and me [Taft was the Secretary of War], because we simply ignored the…” quote by William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/723/william-howard-taft-3006_administration_the-truth-is-the-whole-administration-un_1662531.jpg)
![“In 1970 or '71, early in the magazine, Michael O'Donoghue did maybe eight pages of a 1958 yearbook, from Ezra Taft Benson High School. But by the time the [book-length] high-school yearbook came around, he didn't want to be involved.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c07/p-j-o-rourke-184_book_in-1970-or-71-early-in-the-magazine-mich_2560004.jpg)
