The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-06
EGABJrarAL DRUNKARDH.
Report OF COmnnissiOmer Stern-s-En-
efficiency OF the Present statute.

RerOr, OF COmnaiSsiOmer Stern-s-En-
efficiency OF the Present statute.
The Commissioners of Charities and Cor
rcction Of the city of New York adopted
at their last meeting the subjoined report
OF Commissioner Stern, which reveals a
condition of general and increasing intern
perancc which is worth noting:
To tie Commissioners IF CHARITIES aad Car
1ectioa
GENTLEMEN: The large number of per-
sons committed for intoxication, and which
is constantly on the increase, calls for seri-
Gus investigation by this Board, and recon-
mcndaiions for speedy legislation on the
subject especially as the oyer whelming
portion of those committed TO our care for
that offence are females. The intention OF
the law making drunkenness punishable
offence, was, beyond a doubt to effect
reform in the habits of persons inclined to
intcmperance. That it sigtally failed how
ever, to accomplish that purpose Is best
proven by the official statement furnished
from the records of the Workhousc, ac-
cording to which from January 1, 1870, to
January /, 1874 $50 males were commit
ted for habitual drunkenness from six to
100 times for the REPETITION of the same Of
fence, and 9,00G females for the same
cause. | have not embodied in this state
ment the number of males and females
that were inmates of the WOrkhOusc, COM
mitted for the same cause for less than six
| times. The figures in themselves $50 male
habitual drunkards to 9,00G confirmed fe-
male drunkards, are appalling to contem-
| plate The degradation and contempt a.
tendant upon a commitment to the Work
house brushes every spark of self-respect
that may still exist in a woman who had
| yielded to the temptation of intemperance,
and instead of beneficial effect her com
mitment TO the Workhouse, where she is
thrust into the society of fallen women of
every grade, will effcctualy accomplish
her moral ruin beyond the hope of resur-
! recliOn. They are not all abandoned
characters that are thus consigned to the
tomb OF vice number of them are
mothers, some are destined to become
mothers, others are the victims of heartless
scductons, many of whom can be saved
from hopeless perdition if the proper means
are employed and the necessary measures
taken to effect permanent reform of their
habit. In the annual report of the Com
missioners for the year 1870, attention is
already called to the unsatisfactory work
ing of the law regarding the treatment of
persons committed tor intoXication. The
oil. .lVr 4
whether it be Just to punish to punish by
imprisonment occasional or accidental in
toXication. 1t is certainly more than pun
ishment, it is dire cruelty, to tear away
persons, male or female, from their fami-
lies, relations or friends, and crowd them
with hahitual drunkards and vagabOnds for
what may have been an indiscretion COM
mittcd at an unguarded moment. Instead
of leading them on the right path, they are
thrust with rude hand on the downward
road to crime they lose their self-respect,
and often are lost to society beyond re-
trievance. 1t was wisely and correctly
suggested by the Commissioners in the re-
port already alluded to, fortified by expert
ence thus far, that the cause of suffering
is wholly incommensurate with the offence,
involving the loss of character, and often
the means of support. The removal of
/ ANY ItlNlll luuUNl lillOAltultN 10 lllt HlullOl
house and his detention there until sober
would he sufficient punishment for the o
fence. A commitment for ten days is
either punishment too great, bordering on
cruelty, unjustifable as in the cases just
stated, or, as in the case OF confirmed in
temperance, that Is, a means of reform or
correction, commitments for any length of
time for the reason of habitual drunken
ness can have no other meaning than to re-
strain forcibly people inclined to excessive
indulgence in alcoholic drinks. If they
can be cured of a habit which in most
cases Is so strong as to obtain entire control
of their will, energy, and faculties, society
confers benefit upon them and upon it.
self every member of society rescued
from the slough of vice and uselessness is
gain to humanity, and society must al
least make the attempt to make the at
tempt to make the rescue. Our present
practice, however, is a complete failure in
that respect, of which no better proof is re-
quired than the statistical account of com
mitments for intoxcation made during the
past three years. That account speaks
volumes for itself, The tale it tells OF
male drunkards being recommltted To
prison from one hundred times down to six
times, of whom 1871 offenders were com
mtted ten times, is dreadful to contem-
plate. But this tale of horror is put entire
" in the shade, II is lost sight of, If placed
side by side with the statistics of female
arrests. While 500 male persons were
committed for intoXication during the past
three years, there were arrested 9,0O6 te-
males sixteen times as many. or the
former one was arrested 100 times for the
same offence of the female drunkards %
had to be rearrested 100 times, and this
fearful proportion IS observed all through.
Is not this sufficient evidence of deplora-
BILE defect IN the present law, and which
we must be taken into serious consldera-
ton. The present system entails upon the