Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-25

tend with public sentiment. 1t is self
denial for a young man to contend with
the scorn and derision sometimes hurled
at him in society. While the religious
nress of the country were advocating
and drifting in the right current OH tenn
perance issues, there were but small
number of the secular press advocating
temperance. In this position we believe
facts will demonstrate that Mr.. Austin /
is greatly mistaken. -EDIToRl. The /
newspaper has to contend also with pub
lie sentiment. He spoke in earnest |
terms of the temptations that were
oftentimes placed by the protested
friends of temperance before the young
men who had taken the pledge and re-
formed from evil ways, in the form Of
offering them and urging upon them
lighter drinks and when they once
Weld to this temptation, it oftentimes
proves their ruin and advocated total
abstinence.
Rev. Mr.. Conant then read the follow
ing paper, prepared by Judge Pitman'
of New Bedford, Mass.
JUDGE PITMAN's PAPER.
In considering the problem of the
lepal prohibition of the common traffic
in liquors, various questions arise; some
of them ethical and political, and such
questions are rarely susceptible OF an
swers absolutely demonstrated. We may
think the weight of argument heavily,
upon our side; but still, able and Ingenl-
Gus men may continue to offer plausible
| suggestions on the other. But mere are
certain practical questions, to which eZ-
nerience can give positive and Indisput-
able answers. Happily these are to the
sof mankind the most important. The
ethical and political objections oprOhibi-
ton. however subtelly and even eloquent
" presented by such witness az John
Stuart Mill are satisfactorily laid aside
nv the common sense of the plain people
And. indeed, the legislation of England
and America on the liquor traffic for
centuries past has tacitly assumed the
{ right of the State to prohibit the liquor
, traffic, so far as the public good re-
uuired. Every license rests upon the
logical basis of antecedent prohibition
! and derives its only pecuniary value
Z therefrOm.
/ The open question before the Ameri-
can masses is. then. will prohibition
diminish the conceded evils Of intemper-
anCe.
To the record the prohibitiOnist fear
Iessly appeals. Yet, because the expert
ment of enforced prohibition has been
o tried in comparatively few localities,
and for comparatively short periods,
much remains to be done to bring the
demonstrated results to the general at
a tention of the public.
Some times a single experiment, care
fully performed and critically watched,
does more to effectively impress scien-
e tific truth than wider but less minute
k observations.
V tits possible therefore, that valuable
impressions. may be gained from con
sideratiOn of my own city Of New Bed
ford.
n Before the establishment of the STATE
a c0nstabularv the state of things was
q probably not materially different from
4 that which existed in other cities Of It's
size in Massachusetts,. Our population
has not varied very greatly for the last
seven years and has probably averaged
s about % 900.
t. In 1865. it was stated in the report o.
! Mr.. Parker in favor Of license fSeEat'
. Doc. No. POO Liquor is sold openly II
New Bedford, but not in front shops
=. the bars are generally in the back rooms
From an actual canvass appear II be l3'
N places" After the establishment an0
-, successful operation OF tn" State con
stabuarv. IL was testified by the city
II marshal before tine license hearing. l.
1867. thai there '.weTe no places thar.
$. where liquor is sold in public. bat @rea
, many places where it Is sold privately.
i In December. 1889, after n three year
}" STRUGGLE. the citizens Of New Bedford
elected Mayor upon the issue Of
IF thorough and impartial enforcement o
IF the law. This administration be-al
~ with January. 1870 The following eE
-, tract from his inaugural address. apo
III his third reelection. gives succinct.y Tn
as results of the new policy.
n THE ..boys" refeeei to. i'm the table
IT under TIE head of Aims House. are thos
.,. sent TO the truant school. established j
=. connection herewith.
49, TABLES.
3" POLICE COGET.
he Number of cases in ls-a, o.
}" is7I. g
lie showing decrease of
re AIMS HOUSE.
M The number OF commitments Of boys,
Nv DauOers and criminals, from
Of March. 1853, to March 1870, !
wv showing a relative decrease Of
TT HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
-, Number of commitments in l-'e, J.
'' showing decrease OF
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