National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-03-05
A Model Village.

Arecent report of Mr.. Curtis, con
stable and Overseer of the poor of
Vineland, in Southern New Jersey,
presents an encouraging picture of
what NAV be done by the establish
ment and strict fulfilment of wise
and liberal regulations. 1t comes
nearer to the realization of Utopia
than anything we have heard of.
Here is the paper:
GAS Constable and Overseer of
the Poor there are some things in
my department which show so con
clusively the favorable working of
the system upon which Vineland is
founded, that | will give the infOr-
nation to the public, that the facts
may be known and the example of
this system followed.
The two principles in Vineland
which we recognise as uppermost
are, Ist, That land shall not be sold
to spectators; I'd, By the decision
of the people that there shall be no
grog shops, liquor saloons, licensed
taverns, or lager beer shops.
What is the practical working of
these principless | will state a few
facts which ere probably uneyam
pied, III the United States, at least
Though we have population often
thousand people, for the period
of six months 10 settler or citizen
of Nineland has required rellefat my
hands as OvcrSeer of the Poor.
Within seventy days there has only
been one case among what we call
the floating population, at the eX-
pense of four dollars.
During the entire year there has
only been one Indictment, and that
for Il tritling case of assault and bat
terry among our colored population.
So few are the fires III Nmeland
that we have no need of a fire de
partment. There has only been one
house burned down in year, and
two Slight fires, which were soon put
out.
We practically have no debt, and
our taxes are only one per cent. or
d. the valuation.
l The police expenses OF Nlnelan0
| amount to SO per year, the sun
paid to me, and our poor expenses
mere tritie.
ascribe this remark able state OF
things, 50 nearly approaching the
z golden age, to the industry oi on
B. people, and the absence of King AL
l cohol.
!. Let me give you in contrast t.
$ this the state of things in the towl
i from which came in New England
! The population of the town was nine
# thousand five hundred, little less
! than NIneland. 1t maintained forty
/, liquor shops. These kept busy I
Il police Judge, city marshal, asslstan
= marshal, four night watchmen, an'
y six policemen. Fires were almoS
:, continual That small place main
- tanned u paid fire department y
{ four companies, of forty men each
+ at an expense of three thousand dol
It lars per annum. | belonged to TIN
c department for six years, and th
s. tires averaged about one every NV
Il weeks, aud mostly incendlary. lh
s. support of the poor cost 5000 pc
:. annum. The debt OF the townSl
!" was one nundred and twenty thou
j and dollars. The condition {
things in this New England tow
20 is as favorable in tha. country a
1r many other places where liquor
to sold.'
ar The New England village whic
os Mr.. Curtis usrs by way OF contra'
if. is hardly Il fair sample; but the COZ
to dition of Vincland needs no contra
IS. to make it striking. There ar
,t however, some other circumstance
= besides the expulsion of grog shop
to which make the Nneland people
.cr model community. They nave !
he fences around their farms th'
In, culture small farms thoroughly, /
th. stead of scratching over hundrc'
he of acres they have an uncoihm'
pss abundance of feXcellent schools y
nm. this helps them. =,
pn We recommend the report OF VI
nd Curtis to the Temperance Socic'i'
IFS but with this caution: In \lncla'l
AS. by general vote of the poop
of g,og shops and the selling OF i'qn
wn are forbidden but any citizen mi
her keep, in his own house, whatever
tbc ouor, wine, ale or ci''cr he pleas
II q for his tanily's consumption. II
,ta not. therefore. a maine law" o
$ is general prohibition winch mas ma
hat the Nincandcrs happy, hut al
hat prohibiting har.roomS, dram'sho
wei ale houses and groggerlcs OF
kinds.-Er,
New SoNGs.-" The Sa 10
D. Sncczc,n by ,hc author ot "Ihe ;
lure III, MIS- ,.Samucls EuyploI