Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-05-01
Temperance Legislation.

temperance ItSlSihilOu'
Whether alcohol is ever a food or always a
poison whether it is to be moderately used or
totally abslained from, whether its sale should
be prohibited or only regulated, these are
questions on which Christian men may hon
estly differ But they cannot aud do not diff
fer in regarding the unchecked use Of alco-
holic liquors as full of danger, both to the
individual and the nation. No one prelends
to believe in free-trsde liquor How to limit
/ it is a problem as important TO the Statesman
as TO the philauthropist. And 1t Is ono Of
the hopeful sigus Of the present temperance
agitation that temperance men are no longer
expuudlng their energies ia discussing thco-
res about alcohol. They are considering IA
more practical question What kind OF legis-
latiou will be most effective to check the
evils which result FROM its excessive use? 1t
may help our readers to a sound judgment on
this subject il we state the four principal
methods now under discussion
|. The old-hshioncd license system. To
guard against the dangers with which alco-
noIic liquors threaten the commonwealth, the
license system forbds their sale except by
dealers who have obtained permit, aud who
possess, among other qualifications, good
character The difficulty in this system j,
that it lends respectablity to the traffic with
out restraining it, If liquor is not a dan
rcrous article, IL should be free for all traders.
II 1t is dangerous the license system wholly
I fails 70 regulate il. We do the bar-teudcrs
40 injustice in saying that that system does
not secure as liquor dealers men Of good
moral character" ltrarely operates even to
check the sale Of the very worst specimens
Of liquor to the very worst specimens Of
humanity. The oId.lashoned license system
has been thoroughly tried in the balances,
aud found wanting.
IL The second system is the prohbitory
law. 1t does not attempt to regulate the
liquor traffic; but iorbids it. This system
hoes not assume that the State may regulate
the dress, food, drink Of the citizens, 1t is
not Puritan legislation nor sumpiuary law.
But il assumes that prevention is better than
cure that the State possesses the right Of
sei-delence; that a trade which produces
more suffering than pestiience, famine, or
war, cannot be innocent that 1t it is right to
punish crime, it is right TO prohibit trade
which iusligates crime. A difficulty about
prohibitory legislation is that it is imperative
where IL /. most needed. Where the com.
,nunity is comparatiyelv temperate il is prac.
dc,ble Where the ignorant. the criminal.
and the sensual classes abound, it is imprac-
ucahle. For laws do not enforce themselves
and in Republican government, law has 20
greater force that that which it derives from
he public opinion which is behind it.
iii The same difficulty exists in respect
10 what is known as the" permissiye bill
This allows the people Of each township aud
ward to license aud prohibit the traffic as
they please. The temperance men of Eng-
land are agitatinr for such law. 4 similar
,ill is proposed in New York aud 10 New
Jersey. 1t is very GOOD as far as it goes.
But i does not 20 iar enough. helps most
sac localities which need help least--and il
ioe. not fully protect them. The Fifteenth
/ Ward in New York city will not be safe So
long as the rrog.shops aud dens Of the Fourth
Ward are left undsiurbed.
". The fourth plan is the one adopted iu
Ohio, and more recently in Illinois and now
proposed in Missouri. 1t holds the liquor
leaiers responsible in damages for the inju-
/ ries their business occasions. The party III
iured by the drunken man recoyers Of the
nan who made him drunk. The wife of the
inebriate may sue the dealer who Is destroy
ng her husband The traffic is not pro-
nbited. But it is compelled TO bear its own
burdens or at least part Of them.
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