Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-04-22
pJRE LtGUORS.


other State. In other States, where prohihi-
ton has not proved failure. it seems TO he
for the most part. regarded still ms an expert
ment. Here it is the settled policy of the
cessary to the continuance and increased
success Of the system, md to one OF these,
altogether too little attention is given by
those most concerned which is that pure
liquors b, supplied to and dispensed from
the authorized agencies,
As long as ardent spirits are SO constantly
prescribed by physicians and used for mo-
chanical purposes, the system Of town agcn-
cies for their legal sale will be likely to be
continued and it is Of the first Importance
tina. they shall be what they profess to be.
agencies for the sale Of liquors and not Of
poisons.
Adulterated liquors, mixtures Of bad spir-
its with all manner of vile drugs and dye
stnffs. are now, we suppose, tie rule, and
pure liquors the exception. throughout this
country certainly. if not throughout Chris
tendon, ami the terrible effects of this
counterfeit traffic increase with the reckless
ness and universalty with which it is carried
on. We copied from Philadelphia paper
day or two since, a forcihle paragraph,
showing, truly, no doubt, connection be-
tween the general use of these poisonous
compounds aud the rapid increase of horr-
BILE crimes and of general vice and several
cases have heretofore been mentioned in our
columns, whore death followed the dram
about as speedily as if it had been dose OF
arsenic. But we are no. about t. dilate on
the evils Of dragged liquors. What we
were going to say is that, with some notable
exceptions, of which our own agency has al
ways been one), we believe the great mass of
the legal agencies in the State arc little more
to be relied on to supply the pure article than
any tavern bar or underground GROCERY
The town agents cannot do worse in this res
pect than the illegal rumselers. In alto
gether too many cases, whether aware Of it
or not, they do no better. Now this state
Of things ought not and ned not, TO be. The
business of running the weakened stomachs
Of invaids, of dwarfng children, OF exciting
Shattered nerves to madness, of extinguish-
ing pickering lives which n suitable stimu-
liant might revive. with hoirid concoctions OF
drugs and acids, having the names but next
to none Of the elements of the wines and
brandies they counterfeit, should be left to
the violators of our benefcent law. The
agents of the law should if possible have
noting to do with it,
That the evil can be effectively reached by
an addition to the law, or what if any, we
do not undertake TO say. But we are conf
dent that by the employment Of sundry pre-
cautions, too much neglected now, n great
improvement may be made. And first the
County Commissioners should give more at
tention to the quality of the liquors sold by
the agents They may properly (as some,
doubtless, do) inquire into the character Of
the liquors sold, as well as INTO the charac-
ter ofthe man who sells them. They should
consult among themselves, should require
frequent analyses Of he liquors at the agen-
cies, should satisfy themselves where liquors
may b procured in market, with some APP
proach to Gel tainty that they are are what
they profess to be, should use their inAu-
ence with the Town Agents to purchase OF
proper parties should lett be known in the
communities when agents disregard their ad
vice, and should remove such as continue to
buy and sell the bad, when they know where
to get the good.
They will meet the opposition Of the
liquor-mxers and their tools, in such
course; but the people will stand by them,
for al, friends anG foes of the law alike, are
interested that there should be place in
town where suitable liquors can be pro-
cured for medicinal purposes.
The Selectmen OF the towns, who prescribe
the pay Of the Agents, and to whose inspcc-
ton the books Of each agency should be open,
may also properly work with the Commits
sioner and render him important aid in the
matter.
Secondly, the practice. now 50 common
with Town Agents, Of purchasing their sup
plies of iunners or travelling agents of city
liquor houses, should be discontinued. These
agents are frequent visitors at the Town
Agencies, and bring an amount Of pressure
to bear on them in the interest Of their va
rious employers, which 1t requires man of
some frmness to withstand. They over
whelm all objections with a food of assU-
RANGES and guarantees of the perfect purity |
Of the liquors they SELL offer samples which |
will bear inspection and perhaps analysis,
and use all the arts of which they are mas
tiers, to secure an order. With many Town |
agents an argument like this is used, "Give
our folks an order" says the runner, "they
will bill you the goods at such price, So
that you will have the invoice to show your
selectmen and customers and can sell nc
cordingly; but we will make You discount
of such a per cent from the invoice prices,
which you can put in your pocket and say
nothing about it," Of course the runner
does not call this svindlng, but only an
"inducemem 10 purchase and it is, doubt
less, sometimes successful. The Brattleb)ro
Phanir recently published the fact that the
travelling agent Of Il city House, offered to
the agent of that town, present Of a cons
derabe sum of money if he would give him
an order for single gallon of brandy. The
runner wished to be able to say to other
Town Agents, that the Brattleboro Agency
(Which has the reputation OF being very
well managed), was supplied by his house,
and to have an order with which to back
tho sta tampnt