The Russellville Democrat., 1876-05-25
ATKINS, ARKANSAS.


 ed you to point out the section of law making it the duty of justices of the peace to take cognizance of certain violations of law. Most assuredly, it IS tle sworn duty of magistrates to take cognizance of all violations of law that comes within their personal knowledge, with this exception: 1 take the ground that each and every mag istrate constitutes court for the administration of law. Therefore it IS your duty, as we'll as that of every other citizen, to give to to such magistrates information of all violations of law that does not come to their personal knowl- edge; then, if he or they refuse to act on such information they are perjured and, consequently, liable to indictment. If officers and citizens, all, discharge their duty but few perpetrators of crime in our county will go unpunished. The law prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons is clear making it obligatory upon all off cers charged with it's execution to see that it is strictly enforced, and a failure to discharge thls duty subjects them to severe penalty. rhis is right. It is just, as thlnk, as all our crimi- nal laws should be. "What is eyerybody's business is nobody's business is an old but true saying.
 But let us return to the matter in hand. The language of the law in See. } of the act prohibit ing the sale of intoxicating liquors within three miles of semlnaries is: "Provided, etc., that said druggist SHALL Tn every case, procure the WRITTEN CERTIFICATE (not prescription) of a regular practicing physician that the liq uor so sold, or given away, is for a case of actual sickness, and is prescribed as remedy therefor" " The question is, where do the intoxicated men, who we see on our streets, get their whskeyI This brings us to the point we wish to investigate, which will show in part, at least, who is to blame. Well, as 1 am reliably in formed, q druggist in q small town, not far from my place of writing, in which this same law is in force, has, in three months, filed five hundred prescriptions (almost six day) from regular practicing physicians-all for whiskey. What sad tale of sickness does thls tell. The law says CERTIFICATES, not prescrip- tions, must be given in each case. But never mind about that. Let us examine the grounds upon which these prescriptions rest. Three boys of the same neighbor- hood, Walker, Ramsey and Ky nal, all good friends, start to town. On the way Walker gets wet in the creek. They arrive at town-meet the regular phy- sician:" "Hallo, Walker! Wet are you? Want dram| "Yes." "Come into the office and get a prescription" Walker soon emerges with a pint. Doctor from city: "IIow did you get your whiskey, Walkerf' "Oh, pr. - gave me prescription for pint" City M. D.; "I can beat that, here is prescription for q quart" Three pints were enough to make the three drunk. Off they start for home. On the way Ramsey and Rymal get into fight; Rymal receives some frightful stabs, and is now con fined to his bed. You see, as is frequently the case, the Druggist mistakes and sells fighting whis. key instead of "a remedy for an actual disease" Another case Dr. ---- rides past merchant's door. Mr.: "Dr., Geo. $. wants a prescription for the chills.'
 "All right, will get him som,
 whiskey.' George got the rem
 edy.
 Now, Mir. Editor, is this law
 of which there is such boosting
 and the enforcement of which tn,
 citizens of some townships hay,