The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-18
FREE LAGER IN MASSACHUSETTS.


From che NJ Y. Times.
The Massachusetts Senate has Just ac-
cepted the report of the Committee of Con-
ference, and made change in the Prohbi-
tory law of that State which may be of i'm
portance. The committee had taken the
ground, substantially, that no prohibtory law
can prevent drinking in public places, but
that it may be possible to check the worst
forms of the indulgence. They have accord
ingly recommended that the more Intoxicating
drinks, such as brandy, rum, whisky, and
wine, be forbidden, whiless the use of ale and
lager-beer is permitted. The Senate has ac-
cepted the accommodation, and the House
probably will favor it, so that this will form
another of the innumerabe experiments
made in that State to enforce temperance by
legislation.
The purists will be indignant at it, and will
prove just how many mugs of lager or Bass
pale ale will intoxicate an honest working
mar; they will argue logically that if the use
of alcohol is wrong or njurious to the public
veal in sour claret or weak Rhenish, it must
be as much so in heady Scotch ale or strong
Poughkeepsie beer, and if we forbid the one,
we ought to forbid the other. They will urge
triumphantly that human depravity will be
sure to sell whisky in lager-glasses, or
Jamaica rum in beer-mugs, and the law be
thus evaded.
Still, though we would have included light
wines among the permitted drinks, we think
the Massachusetts, legislators are right, even
in the face of all these objections. We be-
leve a similar concession would have saved
our old liquor law. Legislation is necessa-
rily series of compromises. 1t would, per-
haps, be desirable to forbid all temptations
being presented to weak men; it would be a
good thing for the public if every citizen
were compelled to be virtuous, aud tempe
rate and in6ustrioua ond ralioinuc Rut 90
legislation cannot bring about these results,
it comes as near it as is possible by favoring
the side of virtue in public arrangements,
cutting off the more open and vicious temp
tations, and protecting each person in the
discharge of his moral or religious duties.
AS it cannot enforce absolute abstinence, it
aids temperance by hedging in the sale of
Intoxicating drinks. Yet it has always to
dread the usual reaction against too strict
legislation on personal habits. Not being
able to prevent all intoxicating drinking, it
allows the more mild and less injurious forms
of it, and thus is able to control the more
dangerous.
Theoretically there may be no difference
between lager and whisky drinking. Prac-
tically, in its effects on public morals, and
the offenses against law there is a vast diff
ference and this contrast the practical
legislator must regard. He knows that a
German beer garden, or lager beer concert
room, or an ale house, pure and simple, is
not productive of one-tenth part of the
criminal offenses and disturbances of the
public peace which arise in whisky shops
The authorities may, indeed, be deceived,
and brandy be sold in beer garden; but if
it be sold at tables with people sitting and
families present, there is not fractional part
of the crimes which follow hasty drinking at
bars. The Massachusetts, Legislators have
done, on the whole, wisely in permitting
sEfree laoer "