Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-12-18
Connection Between Drunken.
ness and Crime.

Late English papers mention that the
income Of the Government from the tax
on liquors amounted to nearly f40, ,00O,-
600 or more than half (53 l-2 per cent
of the total revenue for the last year.
More than $500, ,OOO, 900 is the English
revenue from the sale of Intoxicating
drinks. Supposing the amount paid by
consumers to be four times the SUN OF
the tax, We have about $500, 900
spent each year for liquors. A sum
equal, or rather larger, is spent in this
country every year. The imagination
almost refuses to comprehend such enor-
NOUS sums Of money spent to indulge
a debased appetite. Allow what Is
pleased of this amount, spent for liquor
Tor medical aud mechanical purposes
aud other Legitimate uses, still We are
appalled, at the magnitude OF the sale to
crafty appetite. If this vast sum of
money spent for qualification ended in
simple waste, it would be sad; but when
it is remembered that this indulgence
leads to enormous evils and crimes !;
evils in the family, in society, in the
State; crimes against self, against fami-
ly, against the State, against God, We
are amazed that the State and the
Church are not more aroused to consid-
er it aud work against it. The grand
jury OF the Court OF General Sessions in
New York, few weeks ago, brought
i'll their report, in which they complain
of the alarming increase OF crime, and
say, "a large proportion of the crlni-
nails indicted for violation of the law
have been clearly proven to have been
under the influence OF Intoxicating IL
quors when the crimes were committed
by them. The State has enacted salts
factory laws regulating licenses to sell
liquors; yet the evidence presented be
fore US clearly shows that they are not
wisely or properly enforced"
The connection between liquor aud
crime is just as evident in England as
in this country. A working class news
paper-Lioyds Hakiy Nems-wbich
clrculates more largely than any other
amongst the working classes, thus
writes on the close connection which
exists between drunkenness and crime :
"How close together the tap and the
prison cell lie is told in few words by
the prison chaplains. In reply to the
magistrates question as to she number
Of prisoners who got to gaol through
drink, one chaplain said, Except the
Juveniles / should say ALL if | made any
exception would say one per cent did
not, bit can hardly say that!' Another
chaplain who had experience of the
Irish of the poor quarters of Liverpool,
declared that the men along the docks
sometimes earn as much as 27s. week
of which they spend not less than
los. in drink. This los. means bare
cupboard and the floor for bed, where
there might be comfortable and virtu-
Gus home gutter children instead Of
cleanly offspring, growing into honest
and valuable citizens and quarrels and
blows with the prospect of the gaol,
where there might be love and mutual
help.
Whilst dismayed at these facts, we
confess ourselves unequal to point out
satisfactory remedy. The State has its
duties to perform as respects this evil.
1t has not yet grappled with it in sat
isfactory manner But we are writing
not for the State, but for the Church.
The evil is in the Church /; the Chnrch,
as the guardian of the Christian relig-
ion, must do more than ever, as the evil
is growing more than ever. The Church
Gts ministers and nembers) can set a
better example. The Church can bring
its discipline to bear upon offenders.
The Church car form Gas in England) a
Church temperance society. The Church
including every bishop, can preach and
charge and testify against this evil. We
need, as last Sundays Collect suggests,
to pray God to "stir us up" to do more
tian we have ever done to lessen, il
We cannot out an end to it.-Soufhern
Churchmln.