“A Frenchman drinks his native wine, a German drinks his beer…” (toast)

A popular drinking poem appeared in Prosit: A Book of Toasts (1904):
 
“A Frenchman drinks his native wine,
A German drinks his beer;
An Englishman his ‘alf and ‘alf,
Because it brings good cheer;
The Scotchman drinks his whisky straight,
Because it brings on dizziness;
An American has no choice at all,—
He drinks the whole damned business.”
 
The words have varied slightly, with “Scotchman” sometimes replaced by “Irishman.” Prohibitionist John B. Finch said in 1882, “The German drinks his beer, the Frenchman his wine, the Irishman his whisky, the Englishman his gin and the Yankee all kinds of drinks, for the drunk there is in it.” It is not known if FInch’s statement is related to the drinking poem.
   
   
18 February 1882, Rockford (IL) Daily Register, pg. 3, col. 3:
The German drinks his beer, the Frenchman his wine, the Irishman his whisky, the Englishman his gin and the Yankee all kinds of drinks, for the drunk there is in it. Take away the alcohol and they will have none of it.
 
Google Books
The People Versus the Liquor Traffic.
The great speeches of John B. Finch
by John B Finch; Samuel Dexter Hastings; Oliver P Mason; Albert H Horton
Chicago, IL: Literature com. R.W.G. lodge, I.O. of G.T.
1883
Pg. 254:
ADDRESS OF HON. JOHN B. FINCH AT DECATUR, ILLINOIS, MARCH 30, 1882.
Pg. 264:
Again, I asked a gentleman recently why he drank beer. he replied, “I drink beer because it is good as food.” Now this is a common delusion, yet I wish to assure you, my friends, that the German drinks his beer, the Frenchman drinks his wine, the Irishman (Pg. 265—ed.) drinks his whisky, the Englishman drinks his ale and gin, and the Yankee all kinds of drinks, for the drunk there is in them. They all drink for the intoxicating principle there is in the drinks.
   
Google Books
Prosit:
A book of toasts
Compiled by Clotho
San Francisco, CA: Paul Elder and Company
1904
Pg. 4:
“A Frenchman drinks his native wine,
A German drinks his beer;
An Englishman his ‘alf and ‘alf,
Because it brings good cheer;
The Scotchman drinks his whisky straight,
Because it brings on dizziness;
An American has no choice at all,—
He drinks the whole damned business.”
 
horntip
Toasts and Ballads
Reliable for all occasions
Toronto: McLeod & Allen
1910
Pg. 41:
The Frenchman loves his native wine,
The German drinks his beer, The Englishman takes his half and half
Because it brings good cheer; The Yankee drinks his whisky straight,
Because it gives him dizziness, But the Canadian has no choice at all,
And drinks the whole d———- business.
   
Google Books
15 June 1916, The Mixer and Server, pg. 48, col. 2:
AN IMPARTIAL THIRST.
The Frenchman drinks his native wine,
The German loves his beer;
The Englishman loves his ‘alf and ‘alf,
Because it brings good cheer.
The Irishman loves his “shisky straight”
Because it gives him dizziness;
The American has no choice at all,
So he drinks the whole durned business.
—Exchange.
 
14 February 1959, Simpson’s Leader-Times (Kittanning, PA), “Try and Stop me” by Bennett Cerf, pg. 6, col. 4:
IMBIBING POETRY from an Oklahoma (dry state!) rumpus room:
“A Frenchman drinks his native wine,
A German drinks his beer.
An Englishman quaffs ‘alf and ‘alf
Because it brings good cheer.
The Scotchman drinks his whiskey straight
Because it brings on dizziness,
But we dry schmos can’t choose at all—
So we drink the whole darn business!”
 
Google Books
Bottled wisdom:
Over 1,000 spirited quotations & anecdotes
By Mark Pollman
St. Louis, MO: Wildstone Media
1998
Pg. 70:
A Frenchman drinks his native wine,
A German drinks his beer;
An Englishman his ‘alf and ‘alf,
Because it brings good cheer.
The Scotchman drinks his whisky straight
Because it brings on dizziness;
An American has no choice at all—
he drinks the whole damn business.
Anon