Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-06-25

cense law? Do these men really desire
regulation or restriction of the trade ?
Do they ask for license because they
suppose that will diminish the con-
sumption IF so, the whisky traffic
must make N onderfully unselfish and
generous, pure minded and large-heart-
ed. Not. these men know very well
that license will not diminish their
sales; it would give them legal bull
wark behind which to fight every
popular protest.
y The old argument in the Convention
of 1851 has never been answered, and
never will be: IF the traffic is right it
needs no license; if it is wrong it ought
not to have one." Government has no
right to enter in to compact with in
iauity, receiving rev ,nue for its recOg-
milton and protection. The heather in
the heart Of Hindostan plead for the
suppression of the dram-shops, and we
talk about license! Paris tells that the
commune was Graded in the saloon,
and had brandy tor its inspiration, we
talk about license! The one dark blot
on recent English history Is the forcing
Of the opium trade upon China in the
face of the government protest I; we talk
of Invoking the sanction of law for ru-
lining our own nation! 1t IS strange
that while We have come to repudiate
governmental regulation and pfotec-
tion for stealing, gambling, bull batting,
pugilism and lotteries, we continue the
anomaly of legislative sanction of an
evil whose crimes are q thousand fold
greater, and pocket yearly revenue
thefefrom. Shall the curse of license
be fastened upon US? In 1851 Ohio said
no, by majority of nearly nine thOus-
and, after a twenty years experience in
license. Let the commonwealth, care
fnlly viewing tho ground in 1874, bury
license so deep that the. ghosts of its
departed presence shall never disturb
us any more. And in the place of
license, let us herald as our platform
the suppression of the dram-shop!
To the foregoing facts and arguments
from tine pen Of MIR. Behrends, / will
add two brief paragraphs. The first is
from E. d. Mansfield, an old and able
correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette.
The other is from the Essay of David
Tafam, and allie lecturer on temper
anee. and member of the Society of
Friepds.-lED. .s...5.-s si
In Massachusetts, after the prohibi-
tion act, they fell back on beer shops
and that depended on vote. ] will
cite case or two. In 1871 the city of
Taunton voted mo BEER The number
of arrests for drunkenness from May 1,
to December 81, 1871, was 290. In '72,
the city voted in favor of the sale of
beer, dc. The number of arrests for
drunkenness from May l, to Dec. 81,
1872, was 462, being an increase over
the previous year of 202, or about 20 per
cent. That will do for an excample,
but here is another. In the great
emergency of the Boston Fire, every
precaution against disorder and riot be-
came necessary. An edict of absolute
prohibition against beer and all intoxi-
eating drinks was made, The Chief of
Police, Mr.. Savage, says: Tor the ten
days preceding the order, viz, from
Nov. 2 to Nov. IL, inclusive, the rec
ords shows the whole number of arrests
to be 1 l,leS. For the ten days in which
the order was In force, from Nov. ~ to
Nov. 81, inclusive, the records show the
whole number uf arrests to be 675. That
is only 60 per cent. of the former num-
ber.' -t.is..i..f.- q 81. - e.
Governor Perham, of Maine, says, In
his message of 1871 THE ProhibitOry
Law of this State, SO far as 1 can judge,
is as effective in the suppression of the
liquor traffic, as are other criminal laws
against the crimes they are intended to
prevent and all the Senators and Rep
pesentatives in Congress from that
State. Jointly testify that the law of
itself, Sader vigorous enforcement of
its provisions, has created temper
ance sentiment which is marvellous,
and to which opposition is powerless.
In our opinion, the remarkable tenn
pera9ce reform of to-day, is The legiti-
mate child of the law G bns
And have we not daily evidence In
Cadiz, of tins suppression of qrundep-
ness by the closing of dwm-shops !?
Compare the quiet and sDbfiety of the
1st of June, 1874, when the circus was
here, with the drunkenness and FaWdy-
ism of former show days when The
shops were open. . go q d.
!. 3 b..