Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-01-24
The reaching Of Experience.

A-AAA - 49, $50 e-AS Va
Alcoholic Beverages nearly twenty
years ago-her first ProhibitOry Act
having been passed in January, 1852.
1t vas repealed two or three years
afterward, but re-enacted the next
year, and has ever since held its place
on the statute-book, though our Civil
War induced great laxity in its ex-
ecution and a very general audacity
in its violation. About three thous-
and places at length existed where
Liquor was more or less openly sold
despite its inhibitiOns, which are sub
Etantially these:
81. The sale of all intoxicating liquor,
distilled or fermented, is prohibited.
save by single sworn agents for medi-
cinal purposes. 2. Where liquors are
found they are seized and cOnfiscated
and wherever they are suspected to be
kept officers may procure a warrant and
search the premises. g.. Keeping intox-
ieating liquors with intent to sell, is vio-
lation of the law. 4.For proof of hav-
ing sold one glass, the fine is $50, and a
bond of 81 900 not to offend again. ).
For a second offense the penalty is in
creased to fine and Imprisonment, 60
days or more. 6. The seller is held re-
sponsible for all damages, losses, ex-
pense of sickness. injuries, g., caused
by his liquor. Agd, 4. Property-owners,
who knowingly rent any building for
this illegal traffic, are held liable"
The War being ended, the Legis-
lature oOn proceeded March l, 1867
to enforce Prohibition by creating a
State ConstabulaTy expressly to sup
press Liquor-selling. Here is the gist
of the instructions given by the chief
constable to his district deputies:
"Immediateiy after receiving your
commission, proceed to learn who are
engaged in the unlawful sale of intoxi-
eating liquors within your jurisdiction.
Call upon them personally, and kindly
ask them to abandon the liquor traffic at
once. Make a record Of each PERSONS
name, his place of business, and his an
swer TO your request, reporting the
same TO me.
"After notice has been given to a vio-
lator of the law, and the same is not
needed, then visit the offender with the
whole strength of the law, in every
form possible ; for much of your success
viii depend upon the energy with which
this is DONE"
This procedure caused two-thirds
Of the three thousand liquor sellers to
abandon the business, The rest have
been under discipline ever since.
Still, liquor-selling is not wholly sup
pressed, any more than Gambling or
OF Adultery is by the legal prohibit
ton of those vices under the laws of
this and other States. Gov. Cham
berlain, in his Message for 1870, says /:
"The laws against Intoxicating
Liquors are as weHexecuted and obeyed
as the laws against profanity, theft, IN
chastity; or murder"
To the same effect, Gov. Perham,
in his Message last January, says:
after years of discussion, Maine
adopted the policy Of Prohibition, and
the present law, where it is enforced, is,
so far as l can judge, as effective in the
suppression of the traffic as are other
criminal laws against the crimes they
are intended to prevent. In majority
u counties, the law appears 10 be
well executed, with very favorable re-
suits -
In Maine the total collections of
Federal internal revenue from distiIl-
ed and fermented liquors is S27. S65 per
lnnum, In New Jersey, it is 1898 ,O25.
Like contrasts between States which
prohibit and those which do not are
general.
Rev. Ovid Miner, who has been
the State as an observer,
md from whose report we condense
he above, says:
Notwithstanding the present increase
n narfafn Nnuvna nf1lla0ol gal1fnn-Fha Z
principle of prohibition is practically
thoroughly maintained in the rural
and small villages, embracing
hree-fourths Of the whole population OF
he State. Scores of gentlemen assured
that this is u~ndeniable. And al
hough first-class hotels and fashionable
Thinking houses are seldom arraigned,
till there is not a week, nor scarcely a
in the cities where liquor is sup
,osed to run freest, that violators of the
NV are not arrested and fined. This is
notorious.
'The Sheriff of Cumberland county
informed me las substantially did other
.hcials) that the enforcement of the
Law had undoubtedly reformed
saved many. That during and since
be war liquor had run more freely, and
hat young men of the cities were falling
MO worse haOlts OF uppIlng. but, ne
dded, it is not so in the country
here is not the least doubt but the law
5 OF great value to the whole State /; nor
hat prohibition is the settled policy of
be people. There VIII be a waking up,
DO, ere long, to its thorough enforce
nent. r.r
''The Portland City Marshal informed
ne that 'three-fourths and more Of the
~IQuor-selling was in low Irish tene-l
lents and cellars, and that nearly all
rrests by the police were foreigners.'-
Although houses patronized by the rich
nd fashionable undoubtedly sell liquors
more or less concealed ways, and are
out of sight, yet violations of the
wv were being constantly reported and
unished.' The law is admirable to
.press, and I do not know how we
Ould live here without il. Formerly
were public disturbances and
Cuttings nearly every Sabbath. Now.
aDbaths in Portland are quietas aeoun-
y village. Is is evident that suppress
the liquor trafic greatly diminishes
1d drives out Of sight the social evil
here IS not one open, kRolrH house Of ILL
me IN hecity.s'
These facts are surely deserving
{ general and dispassiouate consid-
r1rer