North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1867-05-29

Ana he DrOke the skulls OF men OF Lelth,
just by the way of joity.
o, the latherin' Irishman,
The barbarous, savage Irishman-
The hearts of the maids and the gentlemens head
were bothered I'm sure by this 1rishman.
Prohibitory.
About twelve years ago the state O
Massachusetts, adopted prohibitory liquor
law, but having never been able to entorc,
it, an agitation was started last winter fo1
new and more stringent enactment. A
committee of the legislature took the mat
ter in hand, and are now making a very
thorough investigation of the subject, thu
bulk of the testimony being adverse to thu
law. We copy the following from thu
Boston Advertiser Of the 9th instant:
The hearings on the question of Ii
cense law were continued yesterday fore
noon and evening in the Representatives
Hall. Rev. DIR. Peabody, of Harvard Col
lege, was the first witness at the forenoon
session Of the committee. lie stated thai
one time he had been in favor of prohibi
tory legislation, but that he now believed
it had done little good and much harm; il
had caused perjury, hypocrisy, and a gen
eral adulteration of liquors. He though,
the law had been almost without effect in
reducing the sale of liquors in Cambridge
lie said that in Portsmouth, New Hamp
shire, where he had resided, the prohibi
tory law had entirely disappointed the ex.
pectations of it's friends; also that the Ii
cense law in that state had not restrained
the sale of liquors. The witness said he
expected but little good from legislation
and relied more upon moral influence
particularly that of parents and teachers
of the young. He considered distilled
liquors worse than useless, and would
Danish them from the country; if, howev.
er. light, pure European wines could be
introduced, it would be beneficial to the
cause of temperance. The Legislation
which he would deem most equitable would
be that which imposed all the cost result
ing from pauperism and crime, caused by
intemperance, on the liquor sellers.
Rev. Mr.. Jones, of Pelham. testified
that he was strongly in favor of the Maine
law at the time of its enactment, and had
reluctantly given up his ideas in it's favor
when he was obliged to admit that it had
not fulfilled the expectations of its friends
The witness sustained the evidence that
the law had driven the traffic into secre,
places. He said the people in Pelham
had little to do with the town agency, on
account of the untitness for medical pur.
poses of the liquor there kept. He stated
that the majority of Methodist clergymer
were unreservedly in favor of prohibito
ry law.
Hon. D. Waldo Lincoln, of Worcester
testified that he had been Mayor of thai
city for two years, and also an Alderman
He said that the most energetic efforts haG
been made in that place to enforce the pro
hibitory law, but that intemperance had
not decreased. The witness expressed
himself in favor of engrafting a license
law on the present law.
Rev. DR.. Ide, of Springfield, testified
years. He stated that he had lived in
Philadelphia previous to his residence in
the former pi1s" and that under the Ii.
prevalent than in Springfield when he
came to the latter. In Philadelphia, tenn.
perance people accomplish great deal by
moral means. In Springfield, the people
seemed more intent on enforcing law than
using moral influences. Since his arrival
in Springfield, the witness said he thought
iAtemperance and the sale of liquor had
increased, especially among young men
who had grown up under the prevalence
of the prohibitory law. Every effort had
been made to enforce the present law, but
little effect had been seen.
Rev. DIR. Bacon, of New Haven, Conn.,.
professor of didactic philosophy in Yale
College, testified concerning the operations
of the prohibitory law in New Haven.
lie said that when it was first put into eff
feet a gratifying decrease in crime and
pauperism resulted, though for but short
time. At the present time there was more
intemperance in the place than ever be-
fore, and the interest of temperance men
in the cause seemed to have diminished.
Concerning the basis of education on the
subject, DR.. Bacon thought it should be
the suppression to the utmost possible ex-
tent OF the ordinary use of stimulating
drinks for purposes of conviviality and
excitement. He thought wise legislation
would not meddle with the details of do
nestle life. Concerning the present law
DR.. Bacon said he believed it tended to
popular decentralization. He did not think
the evil of drinking could be entirely sup
pressed, and he deemed the better course
in such cases to be regulation.
Hon. j. c. Blaisdell, of Fall River, tes-
titled that he was Mayor of that city in
the years 1858 and 1859. He considered
the very effort to enforce the prohibitory
law as demoralizing in its effects, on ac-
count of the sympathy which was felt for
parties complained Of for keeping liquor
nuisances, causing good men to perjure
themselves; also, on account of the extra
ordinary means which were necessary to
enforce the law, instead of having its ope-
ration on the judgment and conscience of
the people. Concerning the work of the
state constabulary, the witness said that in
Canal street in Fall River, where there
were two places for the sale of liquor when
the state constabulary arrived, there were
seven at present, although the constables
had reported none at all. The places in
existence were not open, but were easily
accessible to any initiated persons. Mr..
Blaisdell said that there was division be-
tween temperance men on account of the
prohibitory law, as those who do not APP
prove the law were considered rummies by
those who sustained it. On cross-examin-
alton the witness said that when he was
Mayor all open places had been prcsecut-
ed. but intcmperance had not been restrict