New-York daily tribune., 1856-04-29
FAIII RES.

FAILURES.
Fer many gen rerstiOns, the governments OF most
civilized countries have tried, with more or less
energy and fidelity, to limit the evil effects OF In
toxicstpg Liquors by licensing and regulating the
sale of such Liquors. That experiment, we be-
lieye all will admit has been crowned with avery
limited and dubious success. Men have drank aud
quit drinking: communities have become dlssi-
pated and reformed but no one will seriously con-
tend that the Excise Laws from time to time exist
ing in this country or in that have manly caused
either the dissipation or the reform.
During the last four or five years different
course has in some localities been tried-that OF
entire and consistent Prohibition. Instead Of
licensing a certain (or uncertan) number of per-
sons of "good moral character - to sell lntOxca-
ting Liquors at certain hours, in certain places,
under certain regulations, these new laws forbid
selling at all except for other uses than that ot
beverage. Instead of requiring good moral
character" o. qualification for dealing out lntoxl-
CATH Liquors, these laws presume that c9Wmon
sellers are of an opposite character, and dearwith
them accordingly We leave Others to Judge which
of these conflicting assumptions coheres ottener
with the fact
Tie License laws had one serious defect-they
were never enforced. Unless the State Licensed
about every one who applied, aud thus TRANSFORMED
the excise into mere revenue act, those 30 whom
licenses were refused, or who did not choose to
pay the fee demanded, sold without license evad-
rg or defyiDg the law. In practice, therefore, the
Excise amounted to but very little more than tax
ON progshops and a shadow Of restraint on the riot
and excess to which their yotares are addicted.
We regret 10 say that ProhibitOry Laws appear
in majority of cases to have proved scarcely more
successful Through the laxity of executive Of
fcers and the extraordinary completely of judges,
the Rum Power has in majority of instances been
enabled to trample on aud defy the laws enacted for
its subyerson. In some places, through indlsposl-
tion TO arouse the ire brave the vengeance OF the
votares of liquor; in others, through inattentlon
in others, through secresy and stealth, Liquor has
def, ated Law If we may believe the reports
which reach us from every side, the legal establish
ment of Prohibition affords but transient check to
Liauor.selng and drinking. At first, in localities
where Public Opinion is decidedly opposed to tip
ping, or not thoroughly debauched by it, bars are
cl,sed and selling almost entirely suspended. The
VIGILANCE of Prohibitionsts being thus relaxed, the
grocer the inn-keeper, perhaps the country mer-
chant, brings in demjohn at first, for the deecta-
ton of choice circle of his customers; and this
proves so popular and is dealt out so quietly, with
out objection or scandal that be is tempted to try
again. But each day the circle of customers en-
larges, as the glad tidings of the good creatures
accessibility is whispered from the deyotee who
has tasted to another who would like to, until, en-
boldened by mpunity, the dealer orders by barrels
and pupcheons, and all but the fmsiest prete1t Of
concealment is gradually worn away.
Such. We are told, is the usual course, even in
States whose higher Judiciary has not lent itself
10 the uses of the rumsellers We believe it ls to
be taken with very considerable deductions. The
townships in which the law is obeyed and the
Liauor Traffic extirpated attract no observation;
while those wherein law-bresking is the rule are
very naturally objects of earnest regard Yet 1t Is
undoubtedly true that violations Of Laws OF Pro-
bibition are quite general n all the States which
have such laws.
What then Prohibtory Laws, still in their IN
fancy, have not suppressed intemPerate drlnhIng'
We admit it, No more have Excise Laws, now
centuries old, suppressed that vice. Neither has
gambling. nor lewdness nor vice of any kind, been
suppressed by the laws leyeled against it. Shall
We. then. abolish those laws and give full impunlty
10 vice. We do not here indicate course, We
simply inquire. Let us, at all events base our
action on firm ground If principle. If 1t is right
TO license grosshops, why not gaming houses And
il these why not still more questionable resorts
The principle once established OF letting men 10
for money, acts that would be culpable without
such payment, lei US see whittier it Will carry MS.
II II il sound one we should not fear to follow
wherever it may lead But let US pause and con-
slider well before We return 70 that path. At
present. we have rumseng enough in our State,
but on no other authority than that Of the Appeal
Judges The People have not licensed 1t. 1hey
are not responsible for it Shall they hasten 10
ASSUME such responsibility