The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-12-16
LAMBERTvILLE, N. j.:
DEC EMBER 16, 1874.
PROHIBITION.

The Springfield Union thinks that the pro-
hibitory law in Massachusetts is a failure. II
appears that the great !" tidal wave" that
q swept over that State the past Fall was whis-
key wave, and, according to the Union, " was
decisive in its condemnation of the prohibit
tory law" We infer, however, that the re-
action was caused by the failure of the off
GERS to enforce the law. The Union remarks
that elf the police in every city in the Com
monwealth compares well with the Springfield
department during this municipal year. no
law, whatever its character, viii find enforce
nent at their hands. So long as each city
election changes the force and party rules
where party ought never to enter, SO long will
every patrolman be looking to the next cleo
ton rather than to a faithful performance Of
his duty" 1t is not to be expected that peo-
pie will be very well pleased with law that
fails almost totally to have the effect intend
ed through the neglect of those whose bust
ness it is to see its provisions carried out
That prohibition can be enforced, and that
when enforced, its results are beneficial, we
can demonstrate by the result IN Lambertvilie.l
Here the experiment has been tried under the
most unfavorable circumstances with a town
just across the river where liquor can he pro-
cured, and yet no unprecedented man will say
that our city has not been the better for
prohibition. Our police have been efficient in
enforcing the law !; there has been much less
drunkenness and rowdyism and what there
has been Of either Of these is in great meas
ure owing to liquor obtained outside the linn
its Of our city.
The Union, however, is in favor of strings
ent license law for Massachusetts, and
gives the following as a summary Of it's pro-
Visions If such law should be enforced, 1t
would, perhaps, be the best substitute for.
prohibition but the liquor seller who SELF
under its conditions must be willing to as
same great risks in order to ply his tr;lde.--
That paper says:
Wesuggest that law to be satisfactory to
the better class OF our citizens ought to have
provisions like the following . /. The price
of license should be high enough to prevent
the sale Of liquor in every Irish shanty and
under every Irish bed, 2. rhe penalty for
selling without license should be inprson-
ment for the first ofiense with heavy fine. A
slight penalty viii be premium for open vio-
lation. 1t will be noticed by aud by, that the
seller who has sworn hardest against prolibi-
tory law and detained for license will be the
first in his endeayors to evade its provisions.
3. Every seller should give bonds to pay the
damage resulting from his business and a
widow, or wife, or children, or parents ought
to be able to collect from him for the ruin of
husband or father or children. A wife ought
to have recourse to the law when her hus-
band can buy his drink after the scller has
been warned and forbidden. 4. The penalty
for selling to child should be very severe.---
5. The penalty for selling on Sunday should
be the forfeiture Of the license. g. The In
formant against an unlicensed seller should
receive half the fine. 4 The lessor of the
premises should he held responsible with the
seller for any claim for damages. 8. A spec
ial tax shonN be laid on every building in
which liqaor is sold, devoted to keeping the
almshouses in repair. 8. A second offense
for selling without license ought to be State
prison and the deprivation of political rights.
TO- A man convicted Of drunkenness before
the police courts twice in the same year shall
not be allowed to vote for twelve months