The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-10-07 00:00:00

" TRTAIBLING_IN THR BALANCES."

To gA Idito.

Sir,—lleing a constant resider of the Teteersai, my
attention was arrested by this heading in last week's
issue "The Poole and South-Western District Licensed
Victuallers' .tssociation " I isiiiwdiatv.ly examined
the report which followed, and could but form this one
opinion on the whole proceedings —" Trembling in the
Balances." Perhaps many of those who have also
seen the report would ask me the question "Why
Trembling In the Balances !" Because many con-
nectssi with the manufacture and sale of this alcohol,
this destroyer of peace, happiness, and c
pirsperity, begin to feel that the well informed public
niind is en educated and enlightened, that it is useless
for any member of any Licensed Victuallers' Associa-
tion to say mock in favour f their traffic. I will, for
the enlightenment of every licensed victualler, in or
.sit of these associations, give the following plain—
although plain they are truthful- -facts, such as not
4.110 of the party who were at Swanage at the third
annual outing"( the Poole and South-Western I)istrict
Licensed Victuallers' Associatian can deny :
" Alcohol/ties not nourish the tissues " "Alcohol is
a needless luxury, never to lie indulged in but at a
certain risk " "It is the idea that alcohol is a nourish-
ment which makes half the drunkards we have,"
" .I,lcoliol can be of no use to man or any animal as •
substance for food."

I could give nia-ny weightior tact than three; but
these will sufficiently show the members of the Poole
and fionthAVestern Distnct !Amused Victuallers'
.Vssociation what boat I
of the balance of public o
surely he placed.
The Liexeseel riesdPi. ho: r says that there are
now &teal fewer (note the went, readers, fewer)
licenod plablichouses in the United Kingdom than
there were eight years ago. Isn't this enough to
cause them to tremble in the balance.. Yes, it is,
and, further, I would say such weak twaddle a". WV,
mentioned in your report, Mr. Editor, is insignificant;
extremely so, when thoughtfully read and compared
with the sayings and doing., of such men as Mr I I
Norton. The world is in need of ouch men—men of
the right stamp—and in due course the world will
have them

AMR time since one of the principal daily papers
represented the drink traffic thus :—"lt would be
inipossible to name anything which stands for so much
1.14 of soul. body, and, estate, for so Hutch discomfort,
and everything that is disagreeable, as the public-
house There is not a Ice, or a disease, or
a di...n:lc, tn• ciaLky of nny kind, vlest
has not its frequent rise in the publichouso
It degrades, ruins, and britalisn. a large fraction of
the British people. But no estimate of the public
houses, and no allowance for it, CAll get over toe fact
that it is generally a great nuisance We have to pay
iestra police in pn,portion to the public houses which
are open. The night broils the robberita,, and worse
incidents, are the fruits late hours It is the
public house, as everyone can see in the course of a
night's ramble in the metripoli., or any large town,
that disables the working man from beginning his
morning's work in health and strength What is
morally wrong. cannot be politically right If the
members of these associations an. ot trembling in the
balances, what need of these tive questions following,
which arereported to be in circulation amongst those
e ngagw i l n the various departments of the liquor
traffic, pledging electors to support those candidates,
irrespective of politico, who will give the most satis-
factory replies t
. -

iluesition No. I.—Will you, if returner, to Parlia-
ment, opprwe every Bill or measure which aims at
transferring the licensing powers from the present
authorities (the justices of the peace) to periodically
elected boards or bodies, municipal, parochial, or the
like!

question 2. —Will you support and advocate the
principle that for any depreciation in the value id
property f licensed victuallers resulting from further
licensing legislation, they should he entitled to fair and
full pecuniary compensation !
question 3.—Will you op's...any measure having for
its object*. the curtailment, or interference with
the present hours of opening and eboing publichouses,
either on Sundays or on other dap of the week !
question 1. —Will you give your stimpirt to any
measure having for its object the placing of all 'O
licenses under the same authority and regulation am
other licenses

question 5. all you asdst legislation, bringing
under legal restrictions and control spurious clubs,
carried on only ss unlicensed publichouses, and
; exempted from license charges, prosecution risks, and
police supervision
One of the speakers at this meeting of the Poole and
South-Western District Licensed Victuallers' Associa-
tion, in the course of his remarks, said "It was not
his intention to enter into the question whether Mr.
Norton was right or wrong." A very good reason for
why, because Mr. Norton is on the right side, the
brieht side, and the winning side, and therefore, Mr.
Editor, I contend he cannot be on the wrong. The
same speaker in alluding to the manufacturers of
intoxicating drinks, said He considered it was very
unjust that the brewers, bemuse they manufactured
the article should be found fault with, because the
article was abused by other ersons "
. . . .

Let mo tell this speaker, that what is morally
wrong" cannot be "politically right " And I must
attribute the whole blame to the producers or manu-
facturers of three intoxicants If there were none of
these producers there would not he any Licensed
Victuallers (e, far as alcoholic liquors are concerned),
and if there were no Ruch commodities as intoxicants
made, sold, or given away in any place, or to any
person. we should then be blessed with • blessing
unspeakable. with a truth we should say "Hard times
come again no more," and to the workinr men of !him
land, ben° would be home, let it be ever so humble;
there would be no licensed entiomuents to rob them
or cause th-in to become si iced to society.
Hoping these producers will finally see the emir of
their Way-. and Clllllll over to the side of truth and
right.—! am. sir, respectfully yours,
A CONSTANT HILMAR