Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-07-25

WE do not know that the tempe.
rance question will enter largely in
to the approaching contest for Rep
resentative in the Second District,
but from information gathered from
reliable sources there is reason to
believe that that great question
will, to q considerable extent, intlu-
ence many in their choice of Rep.
representative. Without commit
ting the OPINION to the support Of
any probable candidate, We deem it
but justice to the present Represen-
tative of this Congressional District,
to remind our readers of the posi-.
tion which he assumed on the ques.
ton OF temperance when it was
brought to the attention of Con.
gress.
In March last large number OF
petitions from churches and religi-
GUS bodies, as we'll as from individ-
uals from different States, praying
for the appointment Of commits.
sion to inquire and report as to the
results of the traffic in alcoholic
liquors in connection with crime,
pauperism, the public health, the
moral, social, and intellectual we'll.
being of the people; secondly, con-
corning prohibitory legislation in
Maine, Massachusetts, and other
States of the Union; and, thirdly,
to recommend what additional legis-
lation, if any, would be beneficial
on the part of Congress to suppress
in the sphere of national authority
the traffic in alcoholic liquors, was
presented to Congress and referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary,
of which Mr.. Poland was chairman.
In a comprehensive report recon-
mending the granting of the prayer
of the petitioners, the subject is
fully and ably considered by the
author of the bill, Judge Poland.
The report concludes as follows:
eff such a commission should
find, as q result Of their labors, as
your committee apprehend they may
find, that the sixty million Of reve-
nue. collected from the liquor traffic
and put into the United States
Treasury actually cost the people of
the nation, in industry. in health,
in length of life, in taxes, in the
maintenance of law, in provision
for penitentiaries and poor-houses
and hospitals, many times that
amount, it may we'll be asked wheth-
er this is wise economy, and
whether there may not be a better
,cay to supply the public purse.
If such commission should find,
as your committee apprehend they
may find, that the traffic in intoxi.
eating liquors is destructive of NOR.
ais, makes men bad citizens, unreli-
able and unproductive members Of
society, and demoralizing in their
influence, makes bad husbands, bad
fathers, and bad sons, breaks up
families, provokes quarrels, and gen
crates crime, is it not important
that these facts should be made
known to the peoples
If these facts should he establish
ed, no individual or class could CON-
plain if local legislation should cut
off gains derived from a traffic
which saps the foundations of the
State; which undermines the moral
character of the people which
makes needful expensive safeguards
against crime and expensive appli.
ances for it's punishment. If these
facts should not be established, no
mans occupation is threatened or
put in jeopardy by the inquiry.
The bill reported by the commit
tee will, as they believe, insure not
only thoroughness but entire fair
ness in the examination and conclu.
sions of this commission. The bill
limits the expense Of the commits
sion to very trifling sum /; and if
the results of the commission shall
be as beneficent as your committee
believe, it will be returned many
fold. a..