The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-02
THE uAssACmUsETrs LIQUOR
LAW
Reports OF Legislative Committees.

Ia the Massachusetts Senate, Tuesday,
Mr.. Merrill OF Norfolk, submitted the re-
port Of the joint committee OH the liquor
law. A majority of the committee, includ.
ing Messrs. Stone and Hurlburt of the Sen.
ate and Messrs. John B. Hill, j. +. Fske
Reuben Boynton, Abraham W. Harris and
Leonard Washburn report that 1t Is mex
pedient TO legislate upon the subject at all
to make any change in the law. They
gave their reasons at length, covering fl
teen pages of letter paper. They state that
all parties who were heard by the commit
tee admitted the evils of intemperance, and
the committee are Of the opinion that or
binary means will check it, They quote
statistics 10 prove that malt liquorand light
wines will not cure intempcrance. AT the
hearings Of the committee two modes of
treating the evil were urged upon the COM
mittee, one to more rigdly enforce the
present law, and the second its repeal and
the substitution of license law. They
think the present law has the right of pos.
session, been declared constitutional and is
SO well drawn up as to challenge the adj
miration of its opponents They urge that
If the law Is right it can afford to wait the
approval of the people. They do not be-
licve that majority of the people of the
state are in favor OF its appeal If the law
has failed of execution through bribery of
its executors, then the legislature is called
upon to take account of their stewardship.
If ii has failed through lack of executive
powers then the police force should be in
creased. They say IF the authorities
Boston would show one-half the energy in
destroying the liquor traffic and preventing
intemperancc they displayed in stamping
out the small pox, it would soon be rid of
curse which calls yearly for more victims
than variola wi,h all its ravagcs." The
committee claim that the desperate assaults
OF the friends Of the liquor traffic on the
law show that it has not failed They
claim that license, as system, has been a
failure, bringing forward statistics to prove
1t. They urge that the signs of the times
all point toward prohibitory laws elsewhere
ana refer to the woman's prayer temper
hhNt UN u demonstration OF IL
return 10 license would be retreat
LICENSE LAWS.
Mr. Merrill eff the Senate, and Messrs.
Crocker and Bartholomew of the House
dissent from the majority report and sub
NIT two license bills, the only difference
being that Mr.. CrOckcrs bill provides for
the sale of licenses al auction. while Mr..
Mcrrill's does not The minority give their
reasons nj length. They claim that the
prohibitory law has been n failure and that
the public sentiment Of the state viii not
permit its iull and Impartial enforcement.
In response 10 the query what shall be
done, they sny cease attempting what Is
impossible and he content with what is
possible aud practicable. They quote
largely from evidence taken by the com
mi,tec to show that the law has not been
success, that 1t has tended TO corrunt the
administration of justice. The committee
bring forward statistics to show that under
the prohibitory law Massachusetts has
more liquor shops in proportion to popula.
lation than the other New England
states, Massachusetts pays the United
States government thirty per cent more for
taxes on liquor than the other New Eng
land states. The minority clam that in
temperance has fcaifully increased since
the proh;bitoiy law began.
BY MIR. Morrills bill druggists and
apOthecarics are 90 pay $50 for license
inn-holders in cities and towns Of less than
10000 people, Sl00. and in others $500
common yictualcrs, 500 groccIs, 500