Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-04-09
o.
Prohibitlon and Drunkenness
From the Journal of Commerce.


The iacts presented, in the minority report OF
the Liquor Law Joint Commiltee Of the Massa-
chusetts Legislature are hppalling Under the
existing Prohbitory Law, Massachusetts, has
Eogland State in proportion to her population
and she pays the Federal Government thirty per
cent more for taxes on hqu6r than all the other
New England States together. We had often
marked the increase in a. rests and committals
for drunkenness in the chief towns of Masi achus-
etts Since Prohibition went into efiect but were
sbtt pslpArxl Sisrs sssaa hs ss tfues % conclu-
sivey the pernicious infiuences of the ianaticsi
statute. That the law makes drnnkards is but
part OF It's evil consequences 1t is the mos;
fruitful cause OF bribery and dishonesty among
lconstnbles, judges and juries Before Prohibition
passed into II statute, Massachusetts was proven
bia for the purify of her judicial system. All
this Is changed by the adoption of the Prohbitory
| law. The eonstabulary force Of Massachusetts
| whose peculiar business it is 10 execute the It,
quor law, Is a compact organization of bribe.tak-
| crs and blackmailers, IL we may credit current
reports. Bat making allowance for the exaggeI
| atoms OF their enemies, there is abundant evil
dencc, that Will not be challenged, of their sdiic.
ton TO brides The hquor-sellers can afford 10
pay we'll to be let alone. The corrupt Constable,
u detected IN receiving brides, Is only dropped
| from the force not fined or imprisoned. ln his
own heart he despises the law, and he knows that
his political masters do not really care that the
law should be enforced so long there is au
empty show of executing it at times Aud Sc
the constable takes thugs easily. enrching him
self on the brides which wealthy liquor-sellers
are able 10 pay; now and then, for forms sake.
| seizng the stock OF some poor wretch i'll a back
| street Cellar who cannot afford to keep consta-
bic III pay; and once or twice year, say al tue
beginning OF an active political campaign or iu
the opening days OF the Legislature, pouncing on
some aristocratc Boston dealer Just TO fool sin
cere Prohibltonists with the idea that al last
Il lsomethng ia to be done. Constables do not exc
cute the law, because all their profits he in letting
it alone. As to judges and juries, We do not sup.
Ipose that .hey, US rule accept bribes for acquI
ting persous caught III the act of selling liquor
J and clearly violating The law In their decisions
and verdlcts, often given in the painest contra
venton OF the eIms ot the statute they are guiL-
, ed rather by political feeling or prejudice than by
bascr influences. They acquit hquorsclers, oft
> times, in the lace OF the most convincing proofs
! oi guilt. Clearly this Is wrong Men who break
q prohibltory iaw-however wrong and unjust
the law Is iu principe-uught TO be punished Tor
Int. We believe III the enforcement OF laws, hold
ing that there is no better way TO make bad Law
odious and procure their repeal But it is useles.
TO scod juIies for letting oil men who violate ab
surd and unpopular laws; aud 1t is foolish to up
4 braid judges for putting their own construction
ON laws which they privately detest.