Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-04-05

~ -AASSANENchAlS A-ASlUA LAW LlkAhlNG.
The hearing before the committee of the
Massachusetts Legislature, on the subject OF
license or prohibition continues, and it is
quite within bounds to say that the list of
eminent and respected men who are placing
on record their testimony in favor OF prohi-
bitiou, suffers not at all by comparison with
those who have testified in favor Of q license
law. We select little from the mass Of
testimony offered last week
Rev. DR.. Hopkins, President of Williams Col
lege, said the prohihiiory lsw had been prscti-
eally enforced IN WilliAmsiosn, and the effect
had been decidedly good. The traffic was with
out difficulty driven INTO obscurity, and almost
wholly suppressed. The sale Of LIQUORS in the
hotels had been nearly entirely checked. The
workings Of the law had been of incalculable
benefit to the town there was no open bar. and
he would consider that the opening Of bar in
Williamstown would be public calamity.
The law had no more 10 do with morals
than that against stealing; it had to do
with the rights Of men. The object Of
the law was to guard the rights and
property Of the public incidentally it would
afFect the morals The basis Of legislation was
the protection Of men in their rights, and the
Law should not compel the public TO pay taxes to
support the vicious and the poor who were made
so by any business whatever lie had no faith
in the ethesey OF license law to restrain the
sale Of liquor
Rev Gilbert Haven, editor OF Zioa's Herald,
said that IN England and Germany, where beer
Is drank 10 great extent, the people seem TO
be brutslized, and are depressed both morally
nj 6papciallv
II. G. Cary, Of Maiden, said that he had been
IN Switzerland and witnessed great deal OF
drunkenness, dead drunkenness, fighting drunk
enness. and foolish drunkenness, and 1t was
caused BY white vine
Rev. William I. warren, OF Niloraham. sad
that he had been IN Europe and observed drunk
enness there from the use oil peer ana VINE AT
the universities he thought the students were
more addicted TO drunkenness than the same
class OF students IN TINS country. On the cross
examination be said that one-third OF them seem
70 get trunk as often as once week
Rev. George J. carleton, Chaplain OF the
state Prlson at CharlestoWn, SAID ne had con-
versed with l4uO different men VINO had Deen
confined in the State Prison, and more than
hfteen-sixteenths OF them ssid inst hquor mad
been Instrumental IN MAKING tnem commit
crimes Many came 10 MN when ABOUT 70
sad they almost feared 10 90 out INTO ihe cities
Ehere tne sale oi hquor was open ana temPA-
tion Wouid oe placer IN their pain
non. fSioras Ian, OF Upton, sad the SEN
unleht oi 'he people oI worcester county was
no" deciuedIy 10 iSNor OF the present pronioi-
Tory law Inc enect oi the IA" IN promoting
the cause ol temperance "as good- 1nere mad
oeen STEADY increase IN the numoer OF sdVo-
Gates % Of the present Jaw Ior several years
lheFe "as bo' more 'nAn he-nI'eeb'h OF 'he
amount oi drunkenness al the present ume
that tnere was ten years ago
heV. Ut. uannet oi boston said ne thougnta
Incense law wrong IN principie and pohcy
wrong N prlneipie, because II threw the sane
ton OF the commonwealth over rafhc which
produced an incalcuisoie amount OF evii and
wrong IN pohcy' because ne never nsd learned
that q incense "a" had ever oeen enforced 20 as
70 prevent great amount OF ihteniperance IN
the CommohNeai'n-