New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-01
MAINE LAW IN CONNECT TCUT

Corr.spopdsncs Of The ~ Y. Tribune.
NEw.HAyEs, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1854
Upon few stubborn facts, ] ask the readers Of
THE TRIBUNE TO Judge for themselves whether our
Liquor Law ia a curse or blessing to Connecticut.
This law is more stringent than the original Maine
Law; il went into operation the first OF August AT
that time more than million Of dollars was In
vested in the wholesale and ret ii, liquor tratc IN THIS
city; and the retail sales amounted to more than stn
| hundred th0nsand dollars annually.
Previous 10 August first census taken TO ascertain
the number of grog. shops showed the number to oe
tro hundred and ninety, besides some that the COM
mtee could not ascertain, though suspected OF sell
ing but thought il three hundDed-a low estimate.
The amount of money received, or number Of regu-
lar customers at each grogshop, could not DO cor
rectly ascertained; but at very low estimate, we
will suppose each shop had only ire customers that
will give one thousand fee hundred regular customers
of the dram-shOp, in a population OF 10000 Or
these fifteen hundred At least twelve hundred were
spending money for liquor, which really needed
by their families for the common necessares OF life
money that ought TO have been spent for bread Tor
hungry, halfstarved children. About six hundred OF
this number annually found their way to the Aims
Hou,e or the County Jail, helping TO swell taxes
already burdensome and leaving helpless families to
be supported by charitable and benevolent persons or
societies.
OF the $500 900 spent here for Intoxicating drinks
lest year st least s400 900 spent by the poorest
Glasses who could i'll afford TO spend farbng for such
useless stimulus OF the three hundred liquor shops,
Just two hundred and twenty were kept and frequent
ed by the lowest class in commany, showing that the
poorest yeoDle the principal supporters OF the
liquor traffic.
On the first day Of August last, every dram-shop
was closed and there was not place in New. Haven
where glass Of liquor could be bought for any Prtee
Wholesale and retail liquor-dealeS voluntarily
stopped the traffic, knowing n would be useless 10
sist The law. The question may be asked, How the
fifteen hundred customers Of the New-Haven grog-
shops got their liquor The wealthier class Of dram
drinkers got their supplies from York, by sort
Of liquor eBpress but the poor fellows, money,
sans credit could not drink because they could not get
Il. What blessing 10 themselves and families
Qleat change was visible soon after this law went
into operation in New-Haven. The noisy gangs OF
rosdies disappeared, and their midnight bSswls
ceased; and our streets were quiet night and day;
ana the most violent opponents OF the law sad, " IL
such the effects of the law, we will oppose II no
"loDgeT." few persons got intoxicated upon
liquor from New-York, and were promptly arrested
and fined ego and costs which they paid or went 70
jail. The following list Of commitments TO the s'cn-
House show conelusivey that there lees drunken
ness than formerly, and these statistics contain VI"
snswersble Arguments:
Commitments In July ls5.............'''''''',S
Commitment. In August 1854 ..'.'''''''''''''''
Balance IN favor Of prohibition. ......''''''''''~
The commitment. 10 the County Jail for the month
before and the month after the law wen. in'o
ton show the same cheering results. oonh,.ea -
Jail for cranke nness ana oi'''' '
thereby: q.
T,fv ''''''s''''''
In &ssas, iSS4......'.''''''''''''''''''
7, favor Of prohibition .........................'H
III. Jsil. and Aims Houses 10 various parts Of the
S,a,a III Connecticut are getting empty. Tbs WIND
ham County J all at Brooklyn, has only SOLITARY oc-
c1nant. ard there il much speculation about the use
Of keeping up jail there any longer; me good Peo-
pie Of that town talk Of converting II INTO noesi or
some kind OF school, q female seminary
a large umber Of our most desperate villains VINO
formerly kept grog shops and gambling houses hsve
emgraied, finding business 80 bad I'm New-Hayen.
Several that kept gambling and houses o. III
fame ip defiance OF Law, have declared that neither
ope nor the other can be supported without liquor
ami have moved TO SevYoTk; where, they .ay, thsy
can enjoy their liberty, TO get drunk and mAkeoshsn
- and where they can continue their infamous
ness ard &c 8, much respected ~ anybody. v T.